What is the Kumon Method?
How is Kumon different than
other supplemental education programs?
Is
the Kumon Method only for Math and Reading?
Do Kumon learning materials coincide with
the school's curriculum?
How do you determine where a
child starts in the Kumon curriculum?
How fast will my child advance
from one level to the next?
When can I expect to see results?
How long should we plan to remain in the Kumon
program?
How regular must my child
work?
How long will it take my child to do the
required number of worksheets each day?
Why are students required to
achieve close to 100% accuracy on each assignment within
a set time?
What is my involvement as a
parent?
What is the worldwide reach
of Kumon?
What is the Kumon Method?
The Kumon Method represents the curriculum and the
instruction method of the program. The curriculum is
designed to help a child gradually develop the
fundamental Math and Reading skills needed to master
high school level Math, Language Arts and Reading
comprehension.
-
The curriculum consists of hundred of short
assignments organized into a naturally coherent,
logical progression which allows students to advance
at their own pace rather than by age or grade level.
-
The Kumon Method strongly believes a student
must fully master each concept before learning a new
one. Every assignment is timed and graded. Students
must achieve close to 100 percent accuracy within a
set time period before progressing to next level.
-
Through this repeated practice, student's master
each skill before moving on to the next. Each new
concept builds on the foundation established by the
previous one, and new exercises constantly review
and strengthen the previously learned skills.
TOP
How is Kumon different than
other supplemental education programs?
Kumon is different in
many ways but primarily it is not a quick-fix program.
In addition, Kumon does not use a traditional classroom
lecture style or a one-on-one tutoring method. Instead,
the worksheets apply a “learn-by-doing” principle which
motivates students to become independent learners. The
Kumon Instructor provides guidance, praise and
assistance when needed, however, Kumon encourages
students to think for themselves. The goal of the
program is to develop a student’s confidence so that
they will first try to solve a problem on their own
before asking for help.
TOP
Is the Kumon Method only for Math and Reading?
Kumon method teaches Math and Reading but the
objective is not only for upgrading mental calculation
ability and reading comprehension. We believe in
"Math and Reading as means, not ends." Through
Kumon worksheets, we build these essentials for an
efficient student: students´ confidence that make them
enjoy their studies, good study habits that enable them
to gain positive results in other subjects, concentration
skills that make them do their homework effectively, and
curiosity that extends to their critical thinking. These
are essentials for an efficient student.
TOP
Do Kumon learning materials coincide with
the school's curriculum?
Our learning materials do not follow any school's
textbooks, nor its curriculum. Kumon's systematic Math
& Reading worksheets are teaching tools that enable
students to master higher level Math and Reading
materials based not on their age but on how much effort
they had put in. The sequence and arrangement of Kumon
learning material perpetuates this, with its emphasis on
the need to build a strong foundation in the
fundamentals in order to solve complicated Math problems
and to understand advanced reading materials.
TOP
How do you determine where a
child starts in the Kumon curriculum?
A student begins the
program with a placement test to determine a starting
level in the Kumon curriculum. Since children absorb
knowledge at different rates, the starting level is not
based on a child’s age or grade but on individual
ability. The starting point is set at a level where the
assignments can be easily completed. This way students
experience success right from the start and have a
positive first reaction to the program. This comfortable
starting point helps students build confidence, develop
concentration and establish a daily study routine.
TOP
How fast will my child advance
from one level to the next?
Your instructor will chart a course and create an
individualized study plan for your child that
will give you an idea of approximately how fast your
child will progress through the various study levels.
This projection will take into consideration your
child's individual skills and level of motivation. With
this plan to achieve specific goals, your child will
look forward to and work harder toward reaching the next
study level.
TOP
When can I expect to see results?
The benefits of Kumon, such as improved school
performance, concentration, self-discipline, and so on,
do not happen overnight. All
these benefits spring from steady, repeated study, and
the development of new habits and new attitudes towards
learning. That takes time. Enrolling your child in Kumon
in order to do better on a specific test, a few months
away, is not encouraged. Enrolling your child in Kumon -
and supporting that child's efforts yourself - in the
hope of seeing better performance on tests from next
year onwards, is a reasonable expectation.
TOP
How long should we plan to remain in the Kumon
program?
Rather than forcing parents to sign long-term
contracts, enrollment at Kumon takes place on a
month-to-month basis for as many months as you wish.
Most parents discover, however, that developing better
study habits, increased self-confidence and superior
overall Math skills occur over a period of time. Kumon
is not designed to be a "quick fix." The
families who receive the greatest benefits are those who
are committed and understand that a solid understanding
of Math and improved study skills take time to build. In
short, it is your commitment to the program that will
help your child receive the full range of benefits that
Kumon offers.
TOP
How regular must my child
work?
Each day preferably, as students learn more
effectively through doing a small amount of work
each day.
TOP
How long will it take my child to do the
required number of worksheets each day?
We would like students to work for about 20
minutes each day. Small children are asked to do
less however, and we encourage older children to
do more.
TOP
Why are students required to
achieve close to 100% accuracy on each assignment within
a set time?
Students must achieve close to 100 percent accuracy on
each assignment within a set time period before
progressing to the next level to demonstrate
comprehension and mastery of the concepts. Through this
repeated practice, students master each skill before
moving on to the next. Each new concept builds on the
foundation established by the previous one, and new
exercises constantly review and strengthen the
previously learned skills.
TOP
What is my involvement as a
parent?
Parents are asked to supervise their child's
work and to see that it is completed in order.
Parents are also asked to correct their child's
work each day and to ensure that any mistakes
are rectified.
TOP
What is the worldwide reach
of Kumon?
Kumon is available in 44 countries throughout
the world. There are over 4 million children studying
at more than 26,000 Kumon centers worldwide.
In the U.S., there are currently 182,535 students
enrolled at 1,278 Kumon Centers (as of November 2007).
TOP
|
