Kumon method caters from children of kindergarten level to students of university level. But it is better to enroll children in their early primary years so that they develop into confident learners through regular study habits that we foster at Kumon.
Kumon's focus is on mastering the core skills that children need to be successful in secondary education and beyond. This means that the Kumon program is international and is not specific to any one country's curriculum. It works along side the curriculum to develop child's mental abilities. In addition children are fast learners and much more flexible than us adults.
Kumon English method aims at:
1.Broadly to develop the ability to read and understand a wide variety of text and books.
2.To develop a life long habit of reading for both education and enjoyment.
3.To enhance oral reading skills, comprehend, and analytical skills.
4.At the higher level of English program, the focus is on enhancing student's comprehension and critical appreciation skills.
At Kumon, we do not believe in black or white board nor do we give one to one tuition to children but instead we leave the children to work by themselves at their own pace. As the saying goes "give a child a fish he'll eat for a day, teach him how to fish and eats for life". Our philosophy focuses on long term skills and attributes to foster sound and capable individuals. Although parents and tutors can help but it is the way your child works when they are left to work by themselves makes them independent learners. So our instructors are not teachers but are brilliant motivators.
Yes, we do have a Recommended Reading List from which a child must read certain set of books. For each level there are set of books which must be read. We put a part of stories in worksheets so that children will get interested in reading the rest of stories proactively.
We only focus on Maths and English as these are the basic tools through which we build child's confidence, enhance their motivation and concentration skills. This in turn makes them enjoy their studies and develop good study habits which enables children to gain good results in all other subjects.
Students attend the Kumon center twice a week and do brief daily home assignments for the rest of the five days. Kumon sessions and assignments can usually be completed in between twenty to thirty minutes per subject. We believe short period of studying build long term study habits. We regularly keep you informed about your child's progress through regular parental meetings.
Kumon method enhances child's Confidence to face unforeseen challenges, Motivates the child to take up new tasks. And builds up child's Concentration skills. By fostering these intangible abilities Kumon method helps children in obtaining life skills which will be precious assets for their future. The materials like Maths and English are just measures (tools) to acquire life skills through Kumon.
School classes are required to progress through group curriculum where as Kumon emphasizes individualized way of education. The time students feel more confident and personally involved in
their learning that is the starting point for better school grades. Enrolling your child in Kumon in order to do better on a specific test a few months away is not encouraged, instead supporting the child's effort yourself in hope of seeing better performance from a year onwards is a reasonable expectation.
Through Home Work we want our children to develop regular study habits. We always let a child decide their Home Work Children are motivated in about doing their Home Work more proactively as they know they have decided their own home work. A short period of study everyday builds a regular routine .We never give any new learning focus as Home Work as our objective is not to burden children with additional work but accordingly they should experience short study period very effectively. Thus we prepare a child not for any upcoming exam but to be able to face the challenges of life.
The monthly fees per subject is inclusive of the following:
1.Work sheets provided at the center and for home work assignment.
2.Study material such as the feed back booklet.
3.Usage of the supplementary tools at the center.
4.The regular feedback which a child receives at the center.
Registration fees takes care of the Following:
Pocket holders, I.D cards and the Record Books all of these items are provided at the time of enrolment.
The Golden level in Math are the basic 7 levels from 7A to A level. Our basic aim in Math is for a child to be able to master mental calculations, which can be achieved by mastering basic Math ie, Number recognition and identification and sequencing, addition and subtraction. All of the above are covered in the levels 7A to A. This is the basic foundation of Math which prepares a child for Higher level Math and Calculus. We call the above levels the Golden level on which a child is moved as per the mastery achieved.
At Kumon we aim for a child to master each concept before he moves on to a new concept/level. Mastery can be achieved with lots of practice because of which a lot of repetitions/practice is given to a child. Especially in Math, we aim at the child being able to master mental calculation, thus a lot of practice is given on the Golden level above. The keyword here is the quality of patience which the children learn to have.
Kumon study is parallel and supplemental to the school study and does not confuse the child. Basically there are two types of situations:
a) The child is studying below his class level: In a situation like this the child works to strengthen the foundation and fill all the learning gaps which he might have. Even if the child studies topics which he is not currently doing at school, he benefits from it, even at school. For example: a class 3 child is doing Level 3A which is simple addition in Kumon and is doing multiplication in school. Even though he is directly not doing the same thing in Kumon, he still benefits from the lower study and school performance improves.
b) The child is studying above his class level: After about a year of study at Kumon, when the child exceeds the grade level and studies topics he has never attempted at school. In such a situation the Childs learn to be flexible and Kumon study is a challenge. The child solves Kumon WS with the challenge and expectation that he would do the same at school.
Through our experience, we have learned that rather than being confused, the child learns to be flexible, versatile and adjusted to any situation.
Parents are requested to wait outside the center so that children can concentrate on their work and we instructors can concentrate on observing and instructing the children during the center hours. Thus parents are requested in case they have any questions to use the Feed-Back book or can communicate on the phone with the instructor during non-center hours and we could fix a mendan/meeting with the parent. This would help in enhancing independence in a child.
Time Slots must be strictly observed by parents so that there is a discipline and the instructor can devote her time to those children exclusively during that time slot and also to allow many more children to have an opportunity to learn from this method. Again the key word here is "Time Management"which the child learns by following such small things. Thus we would also suggest to make a fixed Kumon study time for the child to follow even at home to enhance his time management skills.
This is required so that we can prepare the study plan for the child and get the worksheets ready for him/her in his next class and to thus be able to concentrate only on the children during the center hours rather than making a study plan or preparing the worksheets. Thus by doing this, the children too would be contributing to the above preparation, enhancing the quality of 'concern for others' ultimately leading to the benefit of children.
The Monthly fees for each month should be paid by the 21st of the previous month so as to be fair to each child and so that the children are not disadvantaged and their Kumon study is not disturbed. In addition the time of us instructors is better utilized for the children rather than tracking the fees.
Thus dear parents, lets follow the above small steps together and so leading by example, we would definitely be able to nurture children who can do all of the above things naturally even as adults
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