.png)
Reimagine maths through creative discovery using Linear Abacus® and Numero®
Bring Expertise to Your Doorstep
By bringing mathematics specialists Genovieve Grouios from Linear Abacus® and Julie Richards from Numero® directly to Katanning's Kobeelya Conference Centre, we're eliminating barriers to professional growth for rural educators and providing powerful, practical strategies to transform how you teach mathematics in years K-8. Our commitment goes beyond a single workshop— we're building a foundation for lasting change in your classroom and community.
Our goal is straightforward but profound: to empower rural educators like you with the innovative tools needed to close achievement gaps and create pathways for every student to thrive in mathematics.
Join us and be part of this educational transformation in the heart of the Wheatbelt.
.png)
.png)
Our Mission
Our mission is to ensure that all communities have the chance to flourish. We understand the unique challenges of teaching in rural and isolated communities, where achievement gaps persist and resources and funding are scarce. We are also aware of the difficulties and expense around releasing teachers for professional learning. Your role requires passion, resilience and an unwavering commitment to student success despite these obstacles.
That's why we're bringing our expertise directly to you and on a weekend.
Our workshops aren't just part of another professional development event—it's a game-changing approach to mathematics education that brings affordable and practical lessons to support and improve the teaching and learning of maths in rural schools.
.png)
Making a difference
What makes our workshops different? Active participation is at the heart of everything we do. You'll experience firsthand how to create hands-on learning experiences that build deep, intuitive mathematical understanding. These interactive sessions provide a supportive space to ask questions, play and explore mathematics in new ways.
You'll witness what engaging, active lessons look like in practice, helping you transform traditional, mechanical learning.
Most importantly, we'll guide you to think from your students' perspective, giving you powerful insights to better understand and support their mathematical journey. Walk away with practical strategies you can implement immediately to turn mathematics into an exciting, meaningful experience for your classroom.
.png)
What you'll receive
Your investment in this professional development goes far beyond a typical workshop experience. You will benefit from rich, classroom-tested training tailored specifically to rural mathematics education. The methods shared have been refined through years of practical implementation and real-world teaching experiences.
You'll walk away with a collection of practical tasks and complete lesson plans that can be implemented in your classroom immediately—no additional preparation required. We'll also share effective assessment strategies that help identify student needs and measure progress in meaningful ways. During breaks, explore our resource booths to examine our full range of teaching materials and discuss implementation with our team. All products are designed to make quality mathematics education accessible and achievable in your unique rural teaching environment. (If you're lucky, you may even win some on the day).
Agenda
Breakdown of the Workshops
Concurrent Sessions 1 and 2:
LINEAR ABACUS WORKSHOP: Transforming Place Value & Metric System (Length measurement) Understanding.
In this workshop, discover a powerful new approach to teaching fundamental mathematics with the Linear Abacus. We'll tackle the root causes of why children struggle with number operations by rebuilding their place value understanding of whole numbers and decimals from the ground up and show you how decimals are used in measurement. This isn't just another manipulative - it's a complete mathematical ecosystem that delivers exceptional results and creates breakthrough moments for students who've struggled with traditional approaches.
NUMERO WORKSHOP: Reshape Number Understanding & Problem Solving Techniques
In this workshop, uncover how Numero can provide students with clear, concrete methods for learning basic and complex operations. While learning to play Numero yourself, you'll discover numerous mental strategies that enable students to find solutions to everyday equations at varying levels. You'll gain practical techniques to help children build computational fluency, strategic thinking, and confidence—all through an engaging game that students enjoy.
Session 3:
JOINT WORKSHOP: Mathematical Proof and Reasoning.
Experience the powerful synergy of combining the Numero card game with the Linear Abacus to transform how students approach mathematical thinking. In this engaging session, you'll learn how to guide students in writing mathematical proofs using arithmetic and creating models on the Linear Abacus that prove why the mental strategies they develop through Numero work so effectively. We'll explore practical applications including constructing number lines, building area models, and understanding number properties - all through hands-on activities you can immediately implement in your classroom. This innovative combination of tools creates a multi-sensory learning experience that makes abstract mathematical reasoning concrete and accessible for all learners.
To understand our mission further, check out our latest article on LinkedIn. You can follow the link or download the PDF.
WHAT THE EXPERTS ARE SAYING
Dr. Paul Swan
I met Frank Drysdale, the inventor of Numero®, some 25 years ago. I was impressed by both the simplicity and the complexity of the game. Using the same deck of cards, children in the one class could be working on addition and subtractions, others on all four operations, while still others on fractions and decimals or squares and square roots. That is true differentiation!
Now, so many years later, Numero® has stood the test of time, with hundreds of thousands of children having played and benefited from playing Numero® on a regular basis. Numero® has even been the subject of a university study and numerous articles, videos and competitions (newspaper and teams).
I was honoured when asked to write this endorsement, and I was pleased to hear that Julie Richards (Frank’s daughter) is continuing to teach and promote Numero®. Julie is an accomplished teacher in her own right, but she has a special affinity for Numero®.
Prof. Peter Sullivan
I have had the opportunity to read and review the Introduction to Foundational Numeracy, The Linear Abacus Games Book, and the Additive Thinking Flash Cards.
My first reaction is that the resources are structured to support students making sense of mathematics by emphasising the connection between the principles of arithmetic and the representation offered through the linear abacus bead strings.
My second reaction is that the resources, taken together, are a extraordinarily well compiled comprehensive set of resources that emphasise not only the mathematics but also the pedagogy of engaging students in thinking about the mathematics.
I would encourage teachers and principals to take advantage of any professional learning opportunities offered that illustrate the potential of the particular resource.
Dr. Andrew Waywood
Genovieve Grouios doesn't just teach mathematics—she unlocks mathematical thinking that transforms young minds. Through her pioneering Linear Abacus® and Talk-Do-Write approach, she turns abstract concepts into tangible experiences that make sense to every child.
Having collaborated with her for years, I've witnessed firsthand how her work bridges theory with practice, creating those beautiful 'aha moments' where mathematics suddenly clicks. Genovieve's mission springs from her unshakable belief that powerful mathematical understanding is not a privilege for some but a birthright for all children.
Her work doesn't just teach numbers—it opens doors to futures where children see themselves as capable mathematical thinkers. This is mathematics education as it should be: accessible, joyful, and transformative.
Dr. Jack Bana
I am delighted to have this opportunity to endorse IET and its Director, Julie Richards, who is the daughter of the inventor of Numero®. One would naturally expect Julie to be very enthusiastic about Numero® as she has good reason to promote it, but this enthusiasm is very well justified.
My introduction to this amazing maths aid was in a workshop at the Biennial Conference of the Australian Association of Mathematics Teachers held in Darwin in 1995, after it was just published. I was most impressed then, and my admiration for this maths aid has only continued to grow. I have attended several of Julie’s workshops at annual conferences of MAWA.
I have seen students using Numero® in a number of classrooms, where it is most satisfying to see that they are so engaged using the cards in the relevant activities. At the same time, the students are clearly learning number concepts and skills in such a fun way.
It is no exaggeration to declare that Numero® is one of the best number aids available.
.png)