Kumon Singapore - Potential 2023 Issue 1

“I enjoy hanging out at home, watching a movie with my family, getting lost in reading and being busy with handicrafts. I love learning new things, and crocheting is next.”

-Jayme

Dear Readers

The most frequent question any parents considering enrolling their children in Kumon will ask is, “How long does it take for my child to achieve his or her goal?” To this, the best answer we will give them is, “Depending on how much time your child is willing to put into learning consistently.”

Consistent work brings progress and results. In this issue, we hear from Mr Ganesh, father of Devthanik, about how Kumon daily study helped his son gain more than a solid academic foundation before entering Primary school.

We also hear from Jayme’s mother about what inspired her to enrol Jayme, a child with dyslexia, in Kumon and how Kumon helped Jayme overcome her learning struggles and excel in school.

At Kumon, we constantly explore ways to maximise children’s learning potential and improve communication between Kumon families and Kumon Instructors. In light of this, we are proud to introduce Kumon Connect, a new digital way of learning with Kumon.

Consistency is the key to success. We hope every Kumon student continues to make rapid strides toward their goals with consistent effort and dedication.

Happy reading!

- Elphin PR & Marketing, Kumon Singapore

Consistency

Student Full Name: Devthanik

Student Age/ School Grade Level: 6yrs/ Kindergarten 2

Subjects Enrolled in (Kumon): English & Math

Current Kumon Worksheets: English Level 3A; Math - Level C

About Devthanik: “I enjoy drawing and playing with brain-challenging activities.”

Devthanik’s father, Mr Ganesh, always knew he wanted to provide his child with an excellent academic foundation at a young age, and he got to know about Kumon through a friend. After hearing about how his friend’s children benefitted from the Kumon Programme, he enquired with a Kumon learning centre to find out more. He was delighted to discover that Kumon is a daily programme tailored to each child’s learning ability.

Like all Kumon students, the Kumon Programme was introduced and progressed at a pace that was individualised to Devthanik. Devthanik began the Maths programme at the age of four and then the English programme a year later. Through studying consistently every day, Devthanik has made considerable progress in less than two years, from reading numbers to multiplication in Maths and recognising familiar words to copying sentences in English.

Devthanik highlighted that Kumon has given him a head start and good subject knowledge. He said, “I can do my schoolwork easily and read some story books on my own.” When asked about his favourite part about doing Kumon, he replied, “I enjoy writing the start and end time on the worksheets because I like to challenge myself and find myself finishing the worksheets faster.”

Mr Ganesh reflected on his son’s progression and shared that Devthanik has grown up with daily Kumon study and gained good study habits. The more Devthanik advanced, the more potential he realised his boy has. Devthanik not only completed his daily worksheets with ease but also took complete ownership of his learning in Kumon and schoolwork. He revealed, “My boy is very independent at home and doesn’t have to wait for me to remind him to study or do his homework.”

Equally, Ms Barbra, Devthanik’s Kumon Instructor, is delighted with his accomplishment. She commented about this young boy’s unwavering will to learn and his consistency in learning is the key to success, “Devthanik is always keen on learning new topics and takes about 2 to 3 days to master them independently. Not to mention, he does his worksheets diligently, not missing a single day.”

Now, in Kindergarten two, Devthanik is equipped with a love of learning, a solid academic foundation and good study habit. He looks forward to overcoming more challenging topics and progressing higher level in Kumon Maths and English programme.

Consistency

Student Full Name: Jayme Chok Rui En

Student Age/ School Grade Level: 15; Sec 3

Subjects Enrolled in (Kumon): English & Math

Current Kumon Worksheets: English Level I; Math - Level J

About Jayme:

“

I enjoy hanging out at home, watching a movie with my family, getting lost in reading and being busy with handicrafts. I love learning new things, and crocheting is next.”

Jayme is a child with Dyslexia. She was struggling to keep up with learning and feeling anxious about schoolwork. She went from tuition centre to tuition centre, as Jayme’s school teacher was getting concerned. Ms Amy, Jayme’s mother, described her harrowing experience in searching for a suitable tuition centre. “My girl is very shy and lacks a lot of confidence, it is not easy to find a suitable centre, and many rejected her because of her condition.”

Ms Amy’s quest to search for a programme for building up Jayme’s confidence whilst improving her grades at school finally ended after she chanced upon a unique Kumon advertisement. Jayme is currently in Secondary three and learning Maths material equivalent to Secondary four. Jayme recalled the early days in Kumon and feeling reluctant. “I felt scared and worried that I couldn’t cope with the daily work or pick up as fast as my peers.”

Within the same year of enrolling in Kumon, when Jayme was in Primary four, Ms Amy noticed a change in her girl. Jayme used to grapple with the understanding of basic concepts despite countless reinforcements. For example, in Maths, Jayme would take ages to figure out the answer and had to use her fingers to calculate. She shared, “I was very bad at my mental sums. However, after joining Kumon, I can now answer them much faster and accurately, like a walking calculator.” And her mother seconded that whenever they were out shopping. Ms Amy observed that Jayme had become less anxious about schoolwork, particularly Maths.

These days, Jayme looks forward to learning new topics and doing her daily worksheets at home and in the Kumon class. Her interest and confidence in learning became stronger as she mastered each concept and started studying Kumon worksheets ahead of her school grade. Since Jayme is learning advanced topics, her classmates often approached her for guidance in their schoolwork. Above all, she can understand complicated concepts independently and at her own pace.

As Jayme progressed, her diligence and resilience in learning did not go unnoticed, and she was awarded the Edusave awards and scholarships by the Ministry of Education (MOE) in 2021. This award is offered to students based on their character, leadership, conduct, learning dispositions and academic performance.

Ms Amy discovered that Kumon is more than just a means to improving her girl’s grades. As Kumon is a daily study programme, it boosted Jayme’s confidence through consistent practice and revision. The other life skills Jayme acquired are good study discipline and time management. It had also become needless for her to worry about Jayme piling up unfinished homework as she set aside time each day to complete both schoolwork and Kumon’s homework. In Ms Amy’s words, “Kumon is not the usual enrichment centre out there. It allows children to learn at their own pace, instead of rushing them through the syllabus or forcing them to be at the same pace.” She strongly believes consistency is the key to most aspects of life.

With the Kumon methodology, tailoring to every child’s ability, every child can succeed at his or her pace. She advised other parents to have patience and trust in Kumon so that their children will reap the fruits of success. By referencing Jayme’s learning, she reflected, “My girl started slow and took a while to understand concepts. I’m certain these concepts are deeply rooted in her and areevident in her learning progress and achievements.” In addition, Ms Amy commended Mrs Momin, Jayme’s Instructor, for her ongoing patience and encouragement while guiding Jayme.

Jayme has found joy in overcoming challenging topics on her own and aims to complete all the levels in the Maths and English Programmes. With a positive attitude, she emphasised that the Kumon worksheets eventually get easier by practising constantly and trying harder each time.

Mrs Momin has seen Jayme’s growth and progress as an inspiration to many children who have the grit to learn, “Now, Jayme is no longer struggling in English and is learning one year advanced in Maths. I am super proud of this student for all her hard work. With the right mindset for learning and a never-give-up attitude, just as Jayme is doing, every child can shine!”

Regional Article

Did you know that on average, we forget more than half the information within the first few days of learning? In 1885, German psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus conducted a series of tests and found that we retain only 40% of the information after a few days. This phenomenon is the “forgetting curve”. In separate studies studying the efficacy of learning, experts have also found that spaced repetition is superior to cramming to counter the forgetting curve. In one of the studies, researchers found that spacing was more effective for 90 per cent of the participants.

Space repetition makes use of studying the same material consistently at regular intervals to reinforce the knowledge to negate the forgetting curve. This consistency in learning is not just for studying just for information retention; doing a little every day is beneficial in the long run.

Like many professional sportsmen honing their skills and developing muscle memory through daily practice, our children do benefit through consistent daily practice. As our children work on their Kumon worksheets daily, with time they will develop discipline and habit, making daily study second nature to them.

Having a consistent routine allows our children to know when it is time to bring out their Kumon worksheets and school homework. Rather than having a power struggle with our children, having a consistent study schedule helps our children to know when it is time to put the toys away and pick up their pencils. Beyond studying, having a consistent schedule with time dedicated to various activities help our children get accustomed to the schedule and internalise it, making transitioning from one activity to another a smoother experience for both parents and our children. At the same time, our children feel a sense of accomplishment and confidence that they know what to do and are in charge of themselves.

Historically, our children return to school after a holiday at a significantly lower learning level than they were before the holiday – a phenomenon commonly referred to as summer learning loss. Summer learning loss has interested education researchers for more than a century and in 2021, a group of researchers found that students lost 17% –34% of the year’s learning gains during the following summer break. They also found that students who suffered summer learning loss are also more likely to continue to lose ground in subsequent summers. Not only do we lose ground on our learning progress, but it also sets us back from our learning goals and targets as well.

Our children who study consistently daily can reap many benefits, both on the academic front and in important life skills. Hence in Kumon, our children complete a set of assigned worksheets daily, instead of cramming a few days’ worth of worksheets at one go. Not only does doing so help students to manage their workload, but they also retain information better, develop discipline and good habits, the transition from one activity to another better, and during the holidays, consistent daily practice help negate summer learning loss, keeping our children on track with their learning goals.

Consistency yields more effective learning. It is not going to be a figurative walk in the park as our children will take time to get used to the new schedule. Look out as we discuss the 7 little tips to help our children get into a consistent routine in the Parenting Tips.

“In Kumon, children have to maintain the discipline to study daily. It is beneficial for them to have a scheduled time and a regular place away from distractions such as TV and other digital devices when doing homework. Parents can also partake by recognising their children’s progress, however tiny it may seem, and giving regular positive feedback to motivate them. Some children may require breaks in their study time until they develop the mental stamina to complete their work in one sitting. Allowing this flexibility helps them understand the importance of completing the work.

Jayme’s achievement is built on her discipline and consistency of work, which are essential skills children need to develop in today’s stressful world.

Mrs. Momin, Kumon Singapore

“The design of the Kumon programme starts students off on the right foot, with a low starting point to build self-confidence and the motivation to learn. As the Instructor, it’s important that I ensure students are progressing at their own pace, and the work is at their ‘just-right’ level, challenging yet not too difficult. With frequent communication to discuss barriers to progress, both students and parents can establish strategies to overcome them and consistently reach their goals.

Instructors’ Quotes ”

Ashley Chown, Kumon Australia and New Zealand

At Kumon, students study worksheets on a daily basis. This enables children to develop a daily study routine that builds discipline. Children are encouraged to study every day at the same time and same place that enhances discipline further. This allows children to be self- driven, responsible and consistent. Kumon aims to develop healthy habits from a young age that builds self-confidence, helps overcome challenges and enjoy learning. My experience at Kumon tells me that children who adapt to the daily study routine show consistent growth and are driven to succeed in whatever they pursue.

I believe that every child has limitless potential. To fully develop their potential, they need consistency in their daily study. I think to do something consistently is not easy. During the process we encounter many obstacles. I always encourage my students and then communicate it with their parents about the importance of consistency in their study, including regular class attendance and daily home study. The result is students will not only have a good academic ability, but they will also have a good study habit, time management skills, responsibility and self-sufficiency. That will be such a strong foundation for their future.

Ms. Alison, Kumon Malaysia

Ms. Neelima Lingareddy, Kumon India & Sri Lanka

KUMON CONNECT

Kumon Connect, a new digital way of learning, aims to bring children, parents, and Kumon Instructors closer together through frequent communication and close follow-up. It is another learning tool that offers a self-learning program similar to the Kumon worksheets.

With Kumon Connect, everything children need to study is on their tablets! They write on the tablet with a stylus pen, just as they write on the Kumon worksheets with a pencil. The Kumon Instructors can follow their students’ daily progress and provide timely feedback to motivate or advise them. Parents can also review their children’s study records anytime and connect with the Instructor to support their children’s learning experience.

The goal of the Kumon Method remains the same - to provide children with the tools and guidance to achieve their potential.

Kumon Connect is currently available at selected centres. For more enquiry, please visit bit.ly/EnquireNowKumonConnect