Australia • Brunei • Cambodia • India • Indonesia • Malaysia • Myanmar • New Zealand • Philippines • Singapore • Sri Lanka • Thailand • Vietnam
JAN – JUN 2018
My Life, My Dream
MOHAMED SAFIR MOHAMED HASHIM DAELON TEO TZE HSIANG
Kumon Feature
REPETITION – IS IT NECESSARY OR REDUNDANT?
Local News
ASF 2017 HIGHLIGHTS
Parenting Tips
A KUMON PARENT’S GUIDE TO SUPPORTING YOUR CHILD AT HOME
Editor’s Note ON THE COVER JAN - JUN MOHAMED SAFIR MOHAMED HASHIM
Contents Dear Parents,
MY LIFE, MY DREAM
Happy 2018! I hope you and your family have had a fantastic holiday and enjoyed a well-deserved break. A new year brings about new changes for everyone and also new goals to be set with your Kumon Instructor. In the next six months ahead, you can look out for more reading events held at our Centres such as the Words Go Round programme organized by the National Arts Council. For those of you who are looking out for the annual Asian Festival of Children’s Content usually held in May, do take note that the 2018 edition will now be held in September instead.
03
In this year’s Free Trial Classes, we are allocating separate Free Trial slots for existing Kumon students and new students respectively. We aim to provide the best trial experience for every family to take on another subject at Kumon. Like us on Facebook – KumonSingaporeOfficial – for updates on our Free Trial periods and much more!
Article 08 Regional Repetition – Is it Necessary or
Featured in this issue of Potential are Mohamed Hashim and Daelon Teo. At last year’s Advanced Students Forum (ASF), Hashim received his 5-year advanced trophy for Mathematics and Daelon received his English Programme Completer’s plaque. Hear from them on their journey towards the ASF and what their next goals are.
Love for Reading Daelon Teo Tze Hsiang
Maths Wizard 04 The Mohamed Safir Mohamed Hashim
FEATURE
06 Instructor’s Quotes Redundant?
REGULARS
10
Local News ASF 2017 Highlights
11
Parenting Tips A Kumon Parent’s Guide to Supporting Your Child at Home
Have a great start to 2018 and happy reading. Han PR & Marketing, Kumon Singapore
Tel: +65 6232 5855 Fax: +65 6232 5822/33 E-mail: sg-kaoweb@kumonglobal.com Website: sg.kumonglobal.com INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY NOTICE The logos, graphics, pictures, design, and layout (“Contents”) of this entire newsletter are the exclusive property of Kumon Asia & Oceania Pte Ltd. The Contents contained in this newsletter shall not be reproduced or copied without the express written consent of Kumon Asia & Oceania Pte Ltd. © 2018 Kumon Asia & Oceania Pte Ltd. All rights reserved.
Have something to say? Feel free to send us your thoughts on the newsletter! E-mail: sg-kaoweb@kumonglobal.com
My life, my dream
Love fogr Readin
D
aelon Teo Tze Hsiang joined Kumon in kindergarten 2, first enrolling in the Mathematics programme, and then the English programme two years later. Daelon’s mother, Ms Lynn shared that Daelon had a fair interest in the English language, which was gradually built upon from his dad bringing him to the library weekly. According to Daelon, he liked reading as it helps to build his vocabulary and puts his mind at ease. “I think I read about 750 books last year as I borrow about 16 books from the library every week! I like to read mystery books the most as there is a lot of suspense and they always keep me at the edge of my seat. The ‘Wimpy Kid’ series are comedic and fun to read too.” Daelon enthused. Looking back at Daelon’s first few months at Kumon, Ms Lynn recounted that he was quite overwhelmed by the workload initially and wanted to stop going to Kumon a few times. She was always obliged to his request but gave him one condition – Daelon had to inform his Kumon Instructor personally. Each time Daelon wanted to quit, he persevered and eventually withdrew the thought of quitting. He has not looked back since. Daelon found that initially managing both school and Kumon homework was tough. When asked if he found Kumon or school work more challenging, Daelon replied “Kumon was definitely more challenging as I was a few years ahead of
Daelon, 11 LEARNING LEVEL: COMPLETER - ENGLISH L 200 (CRITICAL WRITING), MATHEMATICS H 60 (SIMULTANEOUS LINEAR EQUATIONS IN TWO VARIABLES 2)
my level. I always try to complete school work first as it was easier.” Nowadays, Ms Lynn finds that Daelon takes more initiative to start doing and complete his homework on time. English Completer Daelon received the English Programme Completion award at the Advanced Students Forum (ASF) 2017 and was also on stage as part of the Reading Aloud Presentation where he recited literature excerpts from Kumon worksheets. Daelon also attained the highest worksheet level in his school grade. Recounting the experience, Daelon’s mother shared that she was very proud of him and of how he was confident on stage. She revealed that the sense of achievement when Daelon completes the various levels spurred him on to complete the English Programme.
Daelon recalled that he never actually thought of completing the English Programme until he reached the level ‘L’ and realised how close he was. The thought of going to the ASF, receiving his Completer’s plaque there, coupled with his parents’ encouragement drove him in his pursuit to complete the English Programme. Now that he has completed the Kumon English Programme, Daelon thinks he will miss the interesting stories from the worksheets the most. He further shared that his vocabulary and grammar have improved greatly, giving him a competitive edge over his peers in school. When asked what his next goal was, Daelon replied “It would be to complete the Mathematics Programme.”
3
My life, my dream
The Hashim, 7
LEARNING LEVEL: MATHEMATICS G 150 (SIMPLIFYING ALGEBRAIC EXPRESSIONS 3), ENGLISH CI 200 (STORY)
M
ohamed Hashim joined Kumon in kindergarten 2 from
Storybook” and he is currently reading one story each night.
a family friend’s recommendation
He feels that reading frequently
after seeing Hashim’s interest in
has helped him in his English
doing worksheets from school and
comprehension exercises in school.
his ability in numbers. Hashim’s
Mr. Safir revealed that Hashim enjoys
father, Mr. Mohamed Safir, noted that
going to bookstores to buy books.
Hashim had a tremendous interest towards numbers that started from his kindergarten years.
Advanced Students Forum 2017 At Primary Two, Hashim received his
Mr. Safir shared that Hashim used to
award for being five years advanced
be shy when mingling with other
in his Kumon Mathematics studies
kids. Hashim himself shared that he
at the National Advanced Students
was a little scared and nervous when
Forum 2017.
he first joined Kumon. Gradually, he bonded with his Instructor and
“I felt so happy and proud up on that
Centre assistants and was happy to
stage” recounted Hashim.
go to Kumon classes. Since Hashim
He was at level “G100” at that point
started enjoying going to classes, it
– solving Math problems involving
was a breeze for his parents as well.
values of algebraic expressions.
When quizzed about his favourite
Hashim shared that level “G”
subject, Hashim replied ‘My favourite
Mathematics worksheets were
subject is Mathematics!’
slightly difficult as compared to
Mr. Safir further added that Hashim was very interested in Multiplication tables, solving Addition and Subtraction problems, and also worksheet-oriented books.
the other levels that he had gone through. He managed to overcome the worksheets in level “G” through the guidance of his mother and his Kumon Instructor. Even though he has moved onto to more complex
After four months, Hashim enrolled
algebraic content, Hashim still
in the Kumon English Programme
regards level “E” worksheets as the
as Mr. Safir felt that it would further
most enjoyable.
develop his English. Hashim shared that he reads three to four times a week, mostly before bedtime. His favourite book is “100 Disney Junior
“E level is my favourite since I like to do fractions” Hashim remarked. For Hashim’s parents, it was a proud
M
W
s h t a M
W
d r a iz
moment seeing their son up on the Star
achieve his “Super Gold” level H100 in
Theater stage receiving his award.
the next year. He wanted to complete all
“It was an experience that my wife and I will remember for a lifetime.
the worksheets step by step and finally reach his goal.
We are encouraged by how much
Being in Kumon, Hashim felt that
progress Hashim has made and this has
he could understand the school
reinforced our decision to continue with
Mathematics syllabus better and
Kumon” said Mr. Safir.
faster than his peers. He has acquired
Dreaming Ahead
the ability to analyze and solve Math
Hashim’s analytical skills has improved
problems faster and accurately. Even
tremendously since he joined Kumon.
being this advanced in Mathematics
He has become so comfortable with
at such a tender age, Hashim shared a
his Instructor and Centre assistants
humble insight that he felt there were
that he has started freely expressing
smarter kids than him at school.
his opinions with them. He has also become more independent and selfconfident.
Hashim’s parents believe in having the next bigger goal for him to aim for in the coming year, in both school and
When asked what his next goal was,
Kumon, whilst allowing him to enjoy the
Hashim mentioned that it was to
present moment.
Feature
Instructors’ Quote
Repetition is given so that learning sometimes difficult content eventually becomes easy for children. We all have to practice drill and repetition in order to master something. Repetition also helps children connect the dots in their learning, showing them how one topic is related to another. Furthermore, their brains’ neural pathways become stronger. If done well, and with the right support from the Instructor, repetition can put smiles on children’s faces as they realise they’ve gained mastery by effortlessly completing their worksheets.
Instructor Yasmin Kamal Kumon Australia
As a Kumon Instructor, I have seen many kids transformed from being scared of mathematics and English to enjoying the Kumon worksheets and doing well in school. I have realised the importance of ‘just-right’ level and what a big difference it can make in children’s confidence levels. Being a part of such journey where children progress from shy and scared to a confident and independent individual and knowing that I played a part in their journey is the most rewarding aspect of my job.
Instructor Navatha Meka Kumon India
Personally, I hate the word ‘repetition’ - it contributes to the public’s misunderstanding of the Kumon Method. Far too often, I have heard school teachers warn parents against Kumon as they think we promote rote learning and turn children off maths. The beauty of the Kumon Method is our ability to tailor the programme for each child. We seek to understand the child’s educational background, the intention of the parents and work together to achieve the goals that we have set. Where a child is confident, we are ready to challenge him or her further. Where a child is unsure, we are also able to slow down the programme and ensure the child gains confidence through more practice and the right encouragement before progressing to the next new topic. When parents complain about repetition, we may not have understood their intention for their child or explained our plans in a way that makes sense to them. I always say, why would I want to bore a child to death doing the same thing over and over? Children benefit most when parents and Instructors work together to agree goals, and that is why tripartite communication (child-parent-Instructor) is the key to smooth Kumon progress.
Ms Caley Lim Kumon Brunei
6
Kumon is a mastery, skill building programme. Applying skills repeatedly or repetition helps students to build strong brain power. Throughout my Kumon journey I had learnt that every child has a different level of ability and work habits. As such, repetition should be assigned at the ‘just-right’ amount and pace for each student to move forward with comfort and confidence. Observation and being open to each student’s potential are essential to gauge whether he/she needs repetition.
Repetition helps students master the contents sufficiently, develops work skills and comprehension, and enhances the effectiveness of study. In addition, it builds up students’ motivation and confidence to be able to complete the worksheets by themselves. In consideration of providing “just-right” Repetition to the students’ current ability without affecting their motivation, Instructors consider students’ enthusiasm through using Standard Completion Time, observing students doing worksheets, and communicating with students consistently.
Instructor Haslinda Che Ismail
Ms Patramon Srisurapol
Kumon Malaysia
Kumon Thailand
Repetition is one of the many features of Kumon Method that I like the most. Because each individual child is unique, the learning program needs to be tailored to the ability of individual child. Repetition is good, because the learning materials are also related to each other. It is necessary to consider the learning programme very carefully so that the smoothness and independence of their learning process is maintained. Repetition is important to consider the students’ observations in the classroom as well as the character of both students and the parents. When conducting Parents Meeting (PM), I collect a lot of information about the character and relationship between parents and children. Also when giving feedback and during PM, it is necessary to educate parents about the repetition. And when in the classroom, both Instructor and assistants should give a positive impression to the children about repetition.
Ibu Dina Kumon Indonesia
‘Huh? This one again?’ that’s the common reaction from students when I repeated the worksheets they had done previously. Many of them, as well as some parents, do not understand the reason. Study is just like sports and music. Repetition is fundamental in mastering the basics. Sportsmen go through the routine everyday over and over again until it goes into the subconscious. It becomes ‘part of you’. It is the same with worksheet practice. When that happens, the students will know the answer with speed and accuracy. That gives them confidence to learn abstract concepts and ability to solve complex problems as well as a solid foundation to think ‘out of the box’.
Mr Yang Waye Kumon Singapore
Repetition is an essential element of the Kumon Method. Though sometimes misconstrued, repetition is necessary for a student to achieve mastery of a learning focus. Not everyone is skilled or lucky enough to get 100% mark and meet the target completion time on his or her first try especially of advanced materials. Repetition gives a student the chance to try again and again and again until he or she acquires the vital skills to accomplish the worksheets accurately and quickly and to eventually say, ‘Yes, I did it!’ It also provides an Instructor the opportunity to nurture a student one skill at a time.
Teacher Ria Munar Kumon Philippines
Kumon aims at helping students go beyond “knowing” and “understanding” how to solve a problem to reach the level of “mastery”. Hence, if they don’t achieve 2 criteria of “speed’ and “accuracy” while doing worksheets, we will consider to assign appropriate repetition to them. Learning the same contents many times enables students to perceive clearly their progress as they shorten the time spent and get more correct answers as well. Their reflexive competence is certainly increased, enabling them to advance to further contents smoothly. Moreover, with repetitions, students can finish all the worksheets without instructions which results in developing independence and perseverance
Ms Phan Thi Ni Na Kumon Vietnam
7
Regional Article
N O I T I REPETecessary ? – Is it Nor Redundant
Why do some students progress, while other students are given the same worksheets to complete again? We explore the case for repetition and what criteria an Instructor uses in order to determine whether a student is able to progress.
THE CRITERIA TO ADVANCE In general, an Instructor will have a student repeat a worksheet because they feel the student has not consolidated their learning sufficiently in order to move on. This is often because they have not met Kumon’s criteria to advance. The criteria for a student to progress are achieving a score of 100 percent, and completing the sheet within the prescribed Standard Completion Time (SCT). In some circumstances, a student can advance to the next worksheet without meeting both criteria, based on the Instructor’s evaluation. This approach ensures that students are proficient and confident in each concept before they move on. For example, when building a house, the foundation is important to ensure the stability of the building. Similarly, Kumon seeks to build a strong foundation in students before moving them on to more complicated topics.
CONCENTRATION AND STRONG WORK SKILLS ARE THE FOUNDATIONS OF LEARNING Strong work skills, and the ability to concentrate, go hand-in-hand. If a student possesses both, they possess a lot of power on which they can rely to reach their potential. Toru Kumon, founder of the Kumon Method, described concentration skill as ‘the skill to be able to concentrate for a set period of time in order to finish one specific piece of study (be it worksheets or supplementary learning materials)’. This suggests that students will do well if we increase their workload and develop their ability to complete things. When asked by Instructors, back in the 1980s, if repetition was necessary, Mr. Kumon said that concentration and work skills lead to the desired outcome of better comprehension and the ability to think. While not the main objective of the Kumon Method, repetition will inadvertently improve the memory as a by-product of repetition, as illustrated by the diagram on the right. 8
THE ABILITY TO CONCENTRATE AND STRONG WORK SKILLS ARE THE FOUNDATIONS OF LEARNING
4 3
ABILITY TO THINK
COMPREHENSION
REPETITION BEGETS MASTERY Sportsmen, dancers, musicians and many other professionals require practice and repetition to perfect their craft. Mastery does not happen by chance. Through daily practice and repetition, our students are able to internalise concepts and apply them when they move on to more advanced concepts. The repetition of worksheets enables students to practise solving questions with the guidance of the Instructor, providing building blocks for future learning. As basketball legend Michael Jordan said, ‘You can practice shooting eight hours a day, but if your technique is wrong, then all you become is very good at shooting the wrong way. Get the fundamentals down and the level of everything you do will rise.’ Someone who has benefited from a lot of repetition and practise, and of correct techniques, is Portuguese footballer, Cristiano Ronaldo, who is widely regarded as one of the best footballers of his generation. But how did the four-time Ballon d’Or winner become one
MEMORY
CONCENTRATION AND WORK SKILLS
1
2
of the deadliest free-kick specialists in the world? The answer is practice. Ronaldo puts in extra time and effort after training each day, practising one freekick after another.
CONFIDENCE BUILDING: HOW PARENTS AND INSTRUCTORS CAN HELP As students become more proficient in foundation concepts, they become more confident when facing concepts and solving problems they have not previously encountered. But foundation proficiency can only come through repetition. Parents can help by encouraging their children, monitoring their motivation levels. They can also support their children to be aware of their goals and help them work to achieve them, rather than doing the worksheets aimlessly. Instructors also monitor student motivation levels, support students to set goals and reach them, encouraging them along the way.
FINDING THE ‘JUST-RIGHT’ LEVEL OF STUDY As with other aspects of the Kumon Method, repetition helps in our continuous pursuit of finding the ‘just-right’ level of study for each student. As an organisation that continues to learn from our students, Kumon consistently improves our worksheets too, so that our students can learn and advance without unnecessary repetition. Advancing the students is one of our goals, as Kumon intends for students to reach high school level materials as soon as possible. As described in Kumon’s longstanding publication, Yamabiko, ‘Even once students have been listed on the ASHR, we need to remain determined to advance them even further by giving less repetitions than we would previously have given, and then see how they progress. If they have difficulties, it is only a matter of taking them back to a much lower point in the worksheets and doing repetition. Especially for high-ability students, when in doubt, we should let them advance and see how they fare. In this way, we will be helping them reach high school level materials as soon as possible’ (Yamabiko 74, 1982). Speaking to Instructors, ‘When in doubt, let the students advance,’ was Toru Kumon’s advice. With the right amount of practice and repetition, we can all achieve our goals. As Mr. Kumon said, ‘There is never good enough, there must always be something better’.
9
Local News
ASF 2017
Highlights
On 23 September 2017, we celebrated the accomplishments of 103 Kumon Programme Completers and 358 students who were studying five years ahead of the Kumon International Standard (KIS) at the Advanced Students Forum. Amongst the Completers, there were four who received awards for completion of double subjects. The youngest Completers in 2017 were two Primary Three students; Jerome Lim Feng, who completed the Mathematics programme and Boon Kelley, who completed the English programme. The youngest awardees were four Kindergarteners (K2) enrolled in the Mathematics programme. There were 7 double-subject awardees - out of which, 5 were awarded for both English and Mathematics. Achievement (2017)
No. of Awards
Completion
103
5 Years Ahead
358
3 Years Ahead
1350
2 Years Ahead
1863
6 Months Ahead
4574
Held at the Star Theatre, the Advanced Students Forum saw 4 awardees; Kaisei Araki, Zheng Yu Ru, Kynan Uy and Arjun Palakkal on stage for a Mathematics worksheet demonstration. All of them had achieved the highest worksheet level among their school grade. Ranging from K2 to Primary 3, they worked on worksheet levels that were 5 years and more, higher than their school grade level. By the end of the demonstration, they left the entire theatre in awe of their ability. At a later segment of the ASF, 3 awardees; Nainika Gupta, Daelon Teo and Yeo Choon Wei presented literature pieces on stage, reading out excerpts from William Shakespeares’s – Macbeth,
The French Lieutenant’s Woman by John Fowles and a poetry piece, Rhapsody On A Windy Night by T. S. Eliot. The 3 awardees had also attained the highest worksheet level in each of their school grade – Primary four, five and six. In his speech, Kumon General Manager Mr Allan Menagh conveyed to the awardees that intelligence was not given but cultivated over many tries. “As you receive your trophies and plaques today, let the weight of it reminds you of how far you have come and what it represents. Let it be the first of many other goals you will achieve. Believe in yourself. Set a goal and go get it!” Mr Allan Menagh concluded.
Kumon Free Trial Classes 2018 This year, we are allocating separate Free Trial slots for existing Kumon students and new students respectively. We aim to provide the best trial experience for every family to take on another subject at Kumon. Like us on Facebook – KumonSingaporeOfficial – for updates on our Free Trial periods and much more!
Parenting Tips
A Kumon Parent’s Guide to Supporting Your Child at Home
Designate a time and place, ideally free of distraction, for your children to complete their Kumon homework. Getting into a routine helps them to learn discipline and prevents them from developing the habit of procrastination.
Remind your children on the importance of completing their Kumon homework daily. The old “practice makes perfect” adage applies here. Moreover, as time passes, they will develop the habit of bringing out their Kumon homework to do at the designated time on their own.
Let your children correct their own mistakes. Reflect on their own work and mistakes will reinforce the concepts in the worksheets.
If your children are not motivated to do their homework, share your concerns with the Instructors as soon as possible to make any necessary adjustments to their individualised study plans.
Celebrate big and small achievements at Kumon, which may include completing a set of worksheets on their own without being told or advancing to the next level of the subject. You may praise them when they have done well, or consider rewards such as a nice dinner or extra time for their favourite activities.
Attend regular meetings with your children’s Instructors to understand their progress and study goals.
11
U O Y T N A WE W
structor! In e is ch n a fr a as s u join
Due to the interest and demand in Singapore, we are expanding our footprint by seeking passionate individuals to join us a franchise Instructor. As Kumon parents, you have worked through the programme with your child. We believe no one knows the benefits of the Kumon Method better than you. If you possess a passion to work with children and desire to become an educator within your community, join us as a franchise Instructor to transform a child’s life through education.
Register your interest at http://www.sg.kumonasiaoceania.com/franchise/ today! For more information, contact Linda at 90041941.