Testimonials

Des Rainey's Flick Stick^™ and 'Number-Family' Teaching Methods

‘No, it doesn’t need to be ‘plugged in’ to be an appropriate learning technology! I saw this device when I visited and worked with educators in New Zealand.  The invention of educator, Dr. Des Rainey, the tool’s richness is in it’s simplicity.  It consists of a rod on which colored balls can be clipped…  And here is the magic.  Thinking about and talking about how the balls lie after a ‘spin’ can only be done by thinking and talking in math. This simple little technology is certainly worth pursuing.  Brilliant! ’
David Warlick, USA, keynote speaker, Learning-at-School Technology Expo, Rotorua 2007.

‘…It’s fun and children love it, even learning tables! – I love the practicality of it - no more counters and bottle-tops all over the floor – very visual - helps children understand and that’s where children need help in moving from the concrete to the abstract – very good too for Place Value and different bases. The Activity Books as a resource are great.  '10 out of 10' for the 'Number-Family' concept.  Fantastic!'
Julie McDonald and team, Wadestown Main School, Wellington                                          

‘...an excellent teaching tool, especially for children not yet fully past the concrete stage of learning.  It is very easy to understand and operate at all levels and SPELD teachers throughout the country will find it extremely useful in the teaching of maths.’
Rae McKeown, Director of Teacher Training for SPELD N.Z. (Inc)

'‘I am very impressed with your strategies for teaching math...'
Dr Vincenne Revilla, Chair, Dept of Education, Point Park University, Pittsburgh

‘Children love it. They get so excited.’
Linda Robinson, Sylvia Park School

The Flikstik is fabulous one to one with our children or even one to three.
Roseanne Sinclair, Marlborough Kindergarten, Auckland

"... through its range of printed material, the Flikstik certainly offers busy teachers the opportunity of delivering well constructed lessons which fit superbly with English, American, Canadian and Australasian curricula.’
Megan McGaw,  Auckland

‘ My young pupils enjoy working with it, and I find it a very successful tool for assisting their understanding of number and basic operations.... This manipulative is especially and UNIQUELY effective in helping children gain an understanding of the ten-ness of 10, one of the most important elements of good mathematical education.’
Claire Aumonier, Home Schooling Consultant and Founder of the Homeschooling Federation, Auckland.

'The Flikstik is fascinating.  Our Special Needs students all enjoy working with it. Stimulating!'
Marge Griffiths, Lake Rere Whaikaaitu School

‘It’s novel and the utility of it is excellent. You can just go from one aspect of math to the next and the next and the next on the same tool. It’s a very very diverse tool! ...There's a magic here.'
Product Manager, SWT, Los Angeles

Very interesting, thought provoking. A simple way of developing abstract from concrete. Tidy and compact. Simple and effective. Marvelous!’
Marylyn Pierson, former Principal, Westminster Christian School.

‘….a mathematical exploration tool and toy which children can use creatively and imaginatively...’
Len Cooper, Math Education Consultant, Auckland

‘Teachers and children have enjoyed using the equipment and the activity sheets.  The children have found it easy to master and have experienced a high success rate in increasing their  understanding of number...   
... It’s so visual! – It’s easy for children to see and read number patterns. Some children who are not as quick mentally are able to pick up visually with it. They like the action that goes with it and the hands-on thing. I like how you can join devices to do Place Value because that’s quite hard to teach and it’s really good to have something concrete to use to do that. The ‘Number-Family’ approach fits the curriculum and means children can get a really good knowledge of Number. It’s also much easier to teach higher and extended skills. 
Jan Upston, Lyall Bay School

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