Australia | Brunei | Cambodia | India | Indonesia | Malaysia | Myanmar | New Zealand | Philippines | Singapore | Sri Lanka | Thailand | Vietnam
Juldec 2022
Thinking outside the box with Kumon Mathematics and English
Editor’s Note Dear readers, In our second edition of Potential for 2022, we focus on the contributions that our students will make towards their communities. Our three student stories feature Abeerah from Perth, Mischa from Canberra, and Kane from Melbourne. These stories showcase the skills and capabilities that Kumon develops in students, enabling them to make positive contributions towards society. Our fourth and fifth articles respectively discuss Kumon Australia and New Zealand’s community partnerships, and the positive changes Kumon study fosters within students. We hope you will enjoy this issue of Potential. Sincerely,
Contents
The Kumon Public Relations Team
03 Racing to success in class and on the track
04 Thinking outside the box with Kumon Mathematics and English
06 Mischa pursues her writing ambitions
Scan the QR code to find out more
and download the softcopy.
07
with Kumon English
Kumon’s ongoing contribution to our community in 2022
08 Instructors’ Quotes
Have something to say? Feel free to send us your thoughts on the newsletter! Tel: +61 2 9467 2200 Fax: +61 2 9467 2211 E-mail: publicrelations@kumon.com.au Website: au.kumonglobal.com nz.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. © 2021 Kumon Asia & Oceania Pte Ltd. All rights reserved.
10
Kumon Mathematics and English: Nurturing skills for school and beyond
Racing to success in class and on the track
Abeerah, 10 years old and in Year 5 at school, is racing ahead on the athletics track while also catching up in the classroom. Abeerah is a Kumon English student who caught up to her school grade after just over six months of enrolment. “Kumon has helped me with my grammar and writing skills, so I know where to put my punctuation, and my verbs, nouns and adjectives”, Abeerah says. She is also a long-distance runner who has competed at the state level, representing Western Australia, with her local little athletics club. “Kumon helps me stay mentally fit and athletics will keep me physically fit”, Abeerah says. Abeerah is aiming to become a brain surgeon when she grows up. She says that physical and mental fitness will be key for this endeavour. Shehnaz, Abeerah’s mother, says she has seen quick improvements in her daughter’s reading and writing since enrolling her into Kumon. Abeerah is now up to speed with her grammar, Shehnaz says. “Abeerah has also been running since she was around six years old”, says Shehnaz, “She began excelling in athletics events at school. Then Abeerah joined her local little athletics club, making it to the state-level, and winning a silver medal in her first event”. Shehnaz says both Kumon and athletics are great for Abeerah’s overall wellbeing. “Athletics is one of her favourite sports”, Shehnaz says. “So far, she’s happy with Kumon. It’s helping her with her writing. So, she’s doing well in school and with athletics”. Since August 2021, Kumon has partnered with Athletics West, the governing body for athletics in Western Australia, to support their outreach programs into local schools. Kumon students and Athletics West athletes both recognise the importance of persistence and practice to achieve results. Kumon’s support for children’s sport is not limited to WA. To learn about our partnerships throughout Australia and New Zealand, visit: https://au.kumonglobal.com/kumons-ongoing-contribution-to-ourcommunity-in-2022/.
Jul -Dec 2022
3
Thinking outside the box with Kumon Mathematics and English
For Kane, 18 years old, the Kumon Mathematics and English programmes helped him to excel in school and think differently, while building the confidence he needs for university. Kane, a recent Melbourne High School graduate who is now pursuing a commerce degree at the University of Melbourne, enrolled into Kumon Mathematics and English when he was in Year 2. Kane went on to reach the final levels of Kumon Mathematics, where he studied advanced differentiation, integration, and differential equations. Kane also completed the whole Kumon English programme in Year 6, meaning he developed a high level of reading comprehension ability at a relatively young age. The support Kane received from Kumon Mathematics and English benefited him greatly throughout school, he says. “I think the Kumon English programme, particularly, allowed me to enjoy reading a bit more than I would have if I wasn’t enrolled”, Kane says. “This is because Kumon gives you a broad range of reading materials. It gave me a lot of good books that interested me and got me excited about English as a subject”.
4 Potential
“Kumon Mathematics allowed me to think outside the box by introducing me to a lot of concepts that I wouldn’t normally be exposed to at that age”, he says. “Since I had exposure to a lot of really good literature and maths concepts early on, it allowed me to progress a bit faster than everyone around me, so I could get to the even harder work a bit faster.” “Kumon allowed me to be one or two steps ahead of other people.” After university, Kane wants to start his own business. He also writes as a hobby, with many of his pieces published online. Kane says that along with helping to improve in reading comprehension, Kumon English helped him to grow as a writer. “Kumon English, especially the later levels, helped me to derive my own ideas from content that’s already written”, he says. “It also just helped me to love to read. I think that’s what has allowed me to generate ideas of my own and share ideas that I found in books to other people on the blog”. Long-term study with Kumon allows students to study content ahead of their school grade. Through advanced study, and by progressing through their own efforts, Kumon students are motivated to take on further challenges and to explore their own interests. This not only benefits students academically, it fosters confidence, self-esteem and a challenging spirit. Kumon students can pursue their own potential at school and in life. “I believe that pursuing our potential for learning improves our overall capacitvy as human beings”, Toru Kumon, the late founder of Kumon, once said. “When you push yourself to the limit and then see for yourself how much better you’ve become, you come to believe in the ability of [other people] as well as your own ability”. Toru Kumon regarded developing students’ potential to be his organisation’s contribution to society. “It is precisely because a country’s citizens individually develop their potential, that [the nation] as a whole grows strong and prosperous”, he once said. “Any society or country’s strength is the sum of its people’s abilities. This is why we can say that developing the ability of the individual is nothing other than contributing to the prosperity and wellbeing of society.”
Like Kane, Kumon Australia and New Zealand has supported thousands of children to grow and develop their potential. To read some of their stories, visit: https://au.kumonglobal.com/news/ (AU) or https:// nz.kumonglobal.com/news/ (NZ)
Jul -Dec 2022
5
Mischa pursues her writing ambitions with Kumon English
Nine-year-old Mischa dreams of becoming an author, and is preparing now by studying Kumon English more than five years ahead of her school grade. Mischa, in Year 4 at school, was enrolled into the Kumon English programme at the age of three. Now, Mischa is covering critical literature analysis in Kumon English, a topic she would not have been otherwise exposed to until Year 11. Mischa says there have been two big benefits of Kumon English for her reading and writing. “Firstly, I’ve always been a fast reader and I think Kumon helped tremendously. Secondly, and most importantly, Kumon English has given me confidence and tips in writing interesting and well-worded compositions, particularly when answering questions in paragraphs or writing text pieces like poems”, Mischa says. The Kumon English programme develops a high level of reading comprehension ability in students. To inspire students to read widely, the worksheets contain more extracts from published texts than any other reading programme in the world. Mischa says the text extracts in particular helped her to become a better writer. “Many of the examples of pieces by excellent authors in the Kumon English worksheets have also helped me build up my own writing style”, Mischa says. “I especially liked answering questions about these stories, it really makes me think and become interested in them. I sometimes try to incorporate these authors’ styles into my own writing”. Finishing the whole Kumon English programme is Mischa’s next goal and step towards becoming an author. “While it’s great that I’m doing such advanced work, not my biggest goal. I’m still striving towards the completion of the Kumon English programme”, she says. Noreen, Mischa’s mother, says that Kumon English can boost any child’s reading ability. “It’s worth giving it a try. It has encouraged my child to read from a variety of books and other materials that interest her, for an extended period of time”, Noreen says. “She would even ask me to buy those books that she read from her Kumon worksheets”.
6 Potential
Kumon’s ongoing contribution to our community in 2022
Kumon Australia and New Zealand is committed to helping children realise their potential. Our Kumon centres achieve this through instruction of our individualised mathematics and English programmes. The programmes develop fundamental mental calculation and reading comprehension skills in our students, as well as confidence in the classroom and the ability to self-learn. These core skills benefit our students throughout their schooling, in tertiary education, and beyond. Manya is a 15-year-old student from Auckland, who has completed the Kumon Mathematics and English and aspires to be a bioengineer. “I think Kumon will continue to help me solve problems in many areas where speed
and calculation and comprehension are used”, says Manya. “Kumon taught me perseverance, the significance of practice, and to never give up when things get difficult”. “The course I’m planning to take in university is, I think, quite hard”, Manya continues. “I think I can succeed in the course using the mathematics and comprehension skills, and work skills that I’ve learned from Kumon. I will really try my best to utilise all these skills.” Kumon recognises the importance for children to grow into healthy, well-rounded adults who thrive outside the classroom. For this reason, Kumon recently partnered with children’s sporting associations, including junior athletics organisations in New Zealand, Western Australia, New South Wales, South Australia, and the Australian Capital Territory, as well as Basketball Victoria and Surf Lifesaving Queensland. Whether on the track, the basketball court, or in the surf, these organisations all help children to realise their potential. They provide children with an opportunity to socialise, develop skills and confidence, and many of them teach children the importance of practice and persistence, as does Kumon Mathematics and English. Toru Kumon, the late founder of Kumon, always believed that the non-academic skills that Kumon developed in its students could be applied in many other areas. “Let’s take a concrete example. Someone who has developed their potential to the fullest in study can also improve their skills in something like athletics”, he once said. “This person will also find ways to make their practice more effective”. We look forward to continuing our partnerships with all these organisations in 2022 and to furthering our contribution to the community. Should you wish to learn more, please contact us via this form: https:// au.kumonglobal.com/contact-us/general-enquiry/
Jul -Dec 2022
7
Instructors’ Quotes In addition to building mental calculation and reading comprehension
Danielle Young
ability, Kumon Mathematics and English can help children to develop many positive personality traits and transferable skills. To learn about some of these changes, read our quotes from Instructors across the Asia-Oceania region.
Kumon Australia and New Zealand
“
As the ability to learn independently is an essential habit for school and life,
the Kumon Mathematics and English programmes develop self-learning skills and confidence in students.
Kumon students use the examples in
the worksheets to self-learn their way
through difficult problems. Their Kumon Instructors provide individualised
study plans and guidance for the
students to make smooth progress at a comfortable pace. I believe it is the
core of the Kumon Method that allows
students to continuously experience the joy of self-learning in real life and to be proactive and confident in everything
they do. As a Kumon Instructor, I always feel grateful and proud to see students
“
grow into well-rounded individuals who excel academically and in life.
8 Potential
Satrirat Jinwan Kumon Thailand
“
I believe every child has potential. Throughout the past 17 years as a Kumon Instructor, I’ve emphasised developing students’ thinking, mental dexterity, and mind through
individualised instruction. When they are ready in all three study with happiness.
Femidah Wahid
Nurul Dini binti Omar
Kumon India & Sri Lanka
Kumon Malaysia
Students with a positive attitude
“
We must encourage our children to realise the
often learn more. They are curious
importance of taking small
they’re done with one level.
things, for they are the future.
to develop this positive attitude
ability through Kumon will help
as to what’s coming next once
steps to achieve great
Daily study with Kumon helps
Developing self-learning
at a very young age. Students
our children to realise their
often feel motivated when they
can understand a learning focus
potential.
“
that they couldn’t previously
comprehend. This increases their confidence and develops their interest in studying.
“
“
“
aspects, they will then fully gain benefits from Kumon and
Jul -Dec 2022
9
Kumon Mathematics and English: Nurturing skills for school and beyond Kumon is an individualised programme. It develops each student’s self-learning ability through the study of mathematics and English worksheets. It is a partnership between parent, student and Kumon Instructor, to fully pursue each child’s potential and develop their ability to the maximum. Not only does Kumon help students develop strong mental calculation and reading comprehension ability, our Mathematics and English programmes build many life skills in our students. To learn more, read the below article.
CONCENTRATION Maintaining concentration is a vital life skill for students to develop. While it’s not easy to develop concentration in a digital world full of ample opportunities for children to lose focus, Kumon is specifically designed to build this skill. Kumon aims for students to complete their worksheets in one sitting. The amount of work assigned to each
study session is achievable. This supports the child to stay on track, and to focus on completing their daily study. Furthermore, when students first enrol, they begin Kumon at a low starting point where they can complete many
worksheets, with speed, while attaining a near-perfect score. Confident they can do the worksheets on their own, students become enthusiastic to do more, which supports their ability to focus without distraction.
As students practise and build their daily study habits, they grow in their ability to concentrate, which has flow-on effects at school and beyond.
SELF-LEARNING How does Kumon develop self-learning? When Kumon students advance ahead of school grade level in the worksheets, they learn for themselves what they are yet to be taught at school. When they encounter something new, they study the example, draw on previous learning and give it a try.
They try, and try again, until they finally get it, sometimes with a hint from the Instructor. This is how Kumon develops self-learning. Students come to expect the challenge of something new, and gain satisfaction in working it out for themselves. They develop a mindset that no problem is too difficult to attempt. Equipped with the skill of selflearning, Kumon students can pursue their own potential at school and in life.
10
10 Potential
CONFIDENCE Since Kumon supports students to always study at the ‘just-right’ level of learning, they grow into confident learners. The ‘just-right’ level is the point between work that is too easy and too difficult. When students are learning materials that are too easy, they feel bored, but when learning something too difficult, they lose
motivation. The ‘just-right’ level of learning helps students feel adequately challenged, while remaining motivated to make progress.
Kumon Centres always aim for students to be given the worksheets they are ready to learn next. This is
determined by reviewing the student’s completion time, accuracy, ability to correct mistakes and motivation.
Worksheets are matched to current ability. Students who need to build on foundational concepts are supported. Students who can be challenged by more complex work are extended. Your children progress at their own pace, not bound by age and school grade.
Instructors will praise your children appropriately, in recognition of their achievements. Some of these
achievements could include completing a set number of worksheets in one sitting for the first time, or achieving a good score for a new learning focus. Recognition of these small steps helps build your child’s confidence.
Achievement Tests at the end of each level allow students to demonstrate the skills and knowledge acquired in
the previous level. The Instructor ensures students are ready to sit the test, allowing them to experience success. The confidence that students gain from their Achievement Tests supports their performance, both inside and outside of Kumon.
Kumon also boosts students’ confidence by recognising them on the Advanced Student Honour Roll (ASHR)
when they study ahead of grade level. Students on the roll have progressed through Kumon Mathematics and/or English to a level that is at least one year, two years, three years, or five or more years ahead of their school year.
Individual certificates, class lists, and medals, are among the ways we recognise our advanced students for their achievements.
SELF-DISCIPLINE Students need self-discipline to complete their tasks. The routine and structure built into Kumon helps students to build this discipline. Students attend their Kumon Centre regularly, are assigned worksheets to complete as daily study and self-correct any errors they have made.
As students go through this process, they progress, grow in confidence and are eventually able to comfortably study content ahead of their school grade level. This helps them realise the value of remaining self-disciplined in their study.
Jul -Dec 2022
11
e?dwhatiksoprKumnCHvy
FI01.AU-NZ.01.1118
espctduaorinylmJb oughKmn.caelivstr