Beyond mathematics and English: the full benefits of Kumon
Sometimes the purpose of tuition is to help a student catch up. Many families initially seek the support of Kumon Mathematics and English for this reason.
But Kumon goes beyond tuition. We empower students to learn for themselves, rather than preparing for a particular test or assessment. Kumon students work towards building self-learning ability, meaning they will not be dependent on the skills and knowledge of others.
Key to this empowerment is advanced study, whereby Kumon students self-learn mathematics and English concepts far ahead of their school grade. Advanced study is more than knowledge acquisition. Toru Kumon, the late founder of Kumon, believed when students self-learn ahead of school grade, their character also grows. Confidence and discipline were specific character traits Toru Kumon saw thousands of students develop during his lifetime.
“Go to any Kumon centre and you can see examples of children developing as people as they develop their academic ability,” Toru Kumon once said.
Research, published in the American Educational Research Journal, backs up Toru Kumon’s belief in the link between academic ability and student’s character development. This study sampled more than 200 students in Years 2, 4, 6 and 8, and found that success in school was linked to children’s growth in positive character traits.
“With success in academic tasks in the school comes positive personality characteristics; with failure comes lower levels of regard for self and abilities,” the researchers conclude. “The relationships become stronger and more powerful as the success or failure becomes prolonged and as a consistent pattern of accomplishments emerges.”
Tan, 17 years old and a completer of the Kumon Mathematics and English programmes, says the personal development he acquired through Kumon is its most valuable aspect.
“I believe the greatest benefits of Kumon is the way it fosters characteristics such as perseverance and discipline,” Tan says. “Kumon helped me develop key characteristics that will enable me to further develop myself professionally and as a person.”
Both Kumon Mathematics and English support students to develop a daily study habit and to use self-learning to overcome challenges in their worksheets. As students build their daily study habit, they develop discipline, and as students overcome challenges using self-learning, they grow in confidence.
To learn more about the positive impacts of Kumon on the lives of our students, visit our YouTube channel.
Should you wish to enrol, please contact your nearest Kumon centre: https://www.kumonsearch.com.au/