About Us

Steven Kant

I have enjoyed building things, geometric puzzles, and math constructions since an early age. I still have my metal erector sets. My sister Elaine and I achieved expert status making hexaflexagons [link] when we were quite young. I started building mathematical models when I was in Junior High School and this has continued to this day.

Yet I always found school mathematics dull even though I was good at it. It took quite a while for me to learn that my hobbies and diversions were in fact mathematics while most of what I had to do in school was just memorizing and calculation. I was inspired by my 7th grade math teacher who introduced his classes to a new world of math topics outside of the normal curriculum.

In high school, I made it until algebra in ninth grade and never took it again. I was able to take calculus at a local community college. 

My first teaching experience was in elementary special education. Then I worked for five years in a small, democratically-run alternative high school where I could do anything I wanted to. A typical math class involved ten students that ranged from kids that could not add to those that could do algebra and calculus. I tried out a lot of my favorite fun activities and learned to teach algebra in a more concrete way.

With Frank Edge, a friend and college instructor, we created Flip-Chip Algebra as a curriculum that could replace the standard high school or college algebra course by covering the usual topics totally with the use of manipulatives.

I later worked for ten years at a college running a self-paced learning lab and teaching math courses. Again, I was challenged to teach a wide variety of students at many levels.

Somewhat late in life, I had two children. I did not drill them in mathematics but I did collect a lot of toys. They played with Flip-Chips, built models, solved puzzles, and did math origami. I often appeared in their school classrooms with my collection of toys and activities. I continued my volunteer work after they grew up.

When my children were born, I started a software business that made applications for labor unions. This eventually grew to about 20 people; I could observe the math skills needed for business and programming in the world of employment.

I am now retired from the software business (it continues as a democratically-run workers co-op) and have been concentrating on volunteer work in mathematics. Despite the pandemic, I have taught an online algebra class for seniors, run two summer math camps for children, and I am working on establishing a free math service and website to distribute ideas and materials.

Frank Edge (Creator of Flip-Chip Algebra)

Frank Edge created the Flip-Chip system in the 1970’s and 1980’s. He wrote the Flip-Chip textbooks with Steven Kant in 1989.

Frank grew up in Olympia Washington. He held masters and doctorate degrees in Physics and Mathematics. He first taught at South Puget Sound College in Olympia and finished his career as a Professor of Mathematics for 12 years at Piedmont College in Athens Georgia. Frank died in 2019.

Lindsay Kant

Lindsay is an experienced teacher and tutor of mathematics. She attended Sarah Lawrence College and is now working to complete a masters degree in education at Bard College. She is also an accomplished writer; she is the co-author and editor of The Way of Dr. Steve. Lindsay has consulted on the design of this website and the Flip-Chip Playground software. She lives in Kingston New York.

Max Kant

Max has a degree in mathematics and physics from the University of Oregon. He has experience in tutoring mathematics for college students. Max is an accomplished software developer; he is the developer of the Flip-Chip Playground software. Max lives in Eugene, Oregon and works remotely for Working Systems Cooperative and various other software projects.

Hillary Adler

Hillary Adler is a veteran volunteer in schools and an experienced math tutor. She is currently working as a substitute teacher and lives in Olympia Washington.