Haymik Help Multiplies

Te Puke Inventor

Haymik help multiplies

Following a very positive reaction to his highly innovative Haymik Maths Helper 20, Te Puke inventor Bevan John has added to his repertory.

The original Haymik Maths Helper has been very well received by schools, teachers and other learning institutions plus families throughout the country. The maths helper is a slide rule which works by aligning an arrow on the slide with a number on the top board As an example, to add 6 and 3, the arrow on the slide is aligned with 6, on the top board. Reading off the slide, the 3 becomes aligned with 9>, the answer on the top board. Bevan says the same principle works in reverse for subtraction.

Bevan invented the Haymik Helper through seeking to help his grandson Hayden, then aged five, get the hang of addition and subtraction. After studying an old slide rule he began to devise a much simpler, streamlined version. Hayden soon had the help he needed and during the next couple of years Bevan perfected the device, which is a real, hit with kids and continues to receive high praise from many teachers. It is named in honour of Hayden and his sister Mikyla.

Bevan has kept busy demonstrating and promoting the Haymik Helper and is always keen to get feedback. It was through such response from a teacher keen to see more advanced calculations that Bevan began to formulate what has become the Haymik Maths Helper 30 and he has also devised a set of Haymik multipliers.

The Haymik Helper 30 offers the added advantage of being able to align a double-headed arrow with a number on the top or bottom board. For example: to add 15 and 7, the arrow on the slide is aligned to 15 on the bottom board. This action aligns 7 with the answer on the bottom board, 22. A small10 by the arrow allows for more advanced problem solving to be undertaken.

The set of multipliers offers an easy to use and simple way of learning the times tables. Bevan says the multipliers have the added advantage of allowing children to visualise that multiplication is nothing more than repetitive addition. He says that it is the visualisation process that is the real key and being able to see how things add up gives users the confidence to tackle more problems. He has been delighted to find that the process clearly rubs off in most cases, encouraging users to enjoy a continuing and creative interest in maths.

"The helper encourages them to become innovative and flexible problem solvers as there are different ways to solve particular problems." A growing list of testimonials reflect the impact Haymik Helpers are having.

One school comments that the original device is a great help for beginners and also for some older students who struggle with maths. Fun and enjoyment are other common words used in feedback and bilingual versions have also been very well received.

With interest in the Haymik Helpers now well established nationally, Bevan is considering export potential. He is also continually setting his inventive mind to creating other teaching devices and is also keen to move into the literacy field as well.

More on the Haymik ways to help conquer maths are on http://mysite.xtra.co.nz/~sliderule. With a link to view instructions at http://www.theschooldaily.com/haymik.

HAYMIK ENTERPRISES
4 Seddon Street.
TE PUKE 3071
Fax 07 5739 134
Email bevanj@xtra.co.nz

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