Summer 1999
It has been seven years since I first started playing Crystal Stix. I have played with various other juggling sticks through the years, but I got hooked on the quality and the easy playability of the Crystal Stix.
I now have a Stix playing family and I believe that these "toys" have had a tremendous impact on my life. My passion to play has helped increase my physical, intellectual, emotional, and spiritual power. I believe that Crystal Stix can be used by others to do these same things and more. When we teach kids to do Stix, the smiling faces, the words of self-confidence, the yelps of excitement and the ever present: "Hey Mister! Watch Me! just proves it over and over again.
During our work as a School Councilor and School Social Worker, my wife Kimberly and I have observed from the kids using Crystal Stix:
- markedly improved impulse control in "behaviorally disordered" students;
- students "crossing the mid-line" and beginning to read and write;
- students cooperating together to achieve mutual goals and respect during Stix games, and after;
- improved academic and social self-esteem of students;
- balancing of emotions in "emotionally disturbed" students;
- and the satisfied smiles of parents with children diagnosed with ADHD.
We have found that Crystal Stix dovetail with the recent upsurge of growth and interest in left and right hemisphere brain research; and the theories regarding Multiple Intelligences (Gardner, Howard. Multiple Intelligences - 1993.). Stix stimulate both sides of the brain and encourage the balanced use of both, thus stimulating critical and creative thought at the same time, especially in more advanced play. They are musical, logical-mathematical, bodily-kinesthetic, spatial, interpersonal, and intrapersonal and can be used linguistically, as Gardner has described at least that many intelligences through which people learn. Crystal Stix are tools to help students learn in all those ways! And best of all, they're great fun! Smiles across the world can attest to that.
What a long, strange trip it's been. From making rhythm sticks and street cornering to making Crystal Stix and teaching. From being alone on the road, to being with my new families in Colorado. Thanks for all the great memories Bill and Janet; Kimberly, Seth and Alex. I hope our Stix journey continues on forever...
Timothy
