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With Kumon’s support, Michael and Rachael self-learn a second language

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Michael (left) and Rachael (right) with their completion of programme plaques.

Through their dedicated study of the Kumon programmes, siblings 18-year-old Michael and 16-year-old Rachael developed self-learning skills that will benefit them in university and beyond.

Michael and Rachael were enrolled into the Kumon English programme towards the end of primary school after their mother, Jenny, noticed they were both struggling with English at school. Three years later, they both completed the programme. This means Michael and Rachael’s reading comprehension skills had grown to the equivalent of Year 12 level while they were each only in the early years of high school.

And, as Jenny explains, because Kumon is an individualised programme that develops students’ self-learning ability, her children have grown in many ways.

“Kumon genuinely does help to encourage children to work, as it allows them to do it at their own pace with help and guidance from both their parents and Instructors”, Jenny says. “It is better for children to work at their own speed, especially at a young age. Kumon allows them to learn organisation, time management and prioritisation skills, as they are given homework to do every day.

“Michael and Rachael can recognise and correct their own mistakes even outside the subjects that Kumon provides. This allows them to solve problems on their own rather than asking someone else for help, which prepares them for their futures.”

Michael and Rachael’s self-learning ability is evident in their progress through the Kumon Japanese programme, which helps students to learn Japanese as a second language. Michael recently completed the Japanese programme, while Rachael is making strong progress.

Both Michael and Rachael’s Japanese language has even improved to the extent where they can comfortably study the Kumon Kokugo programme, designed for native Japanese speakers. The Kumon Japanese and Kokugo programmes are only offered at select Kumon centres in Australia.

“Kumon has aided Michael and Rachael to enjoy the opportunity to self-learn a second language, having grown up knowing only one language”, Jenny says.

Michael and Rachael hope to continue their Japanese language study when they enter university.

Michael goes beyond calculus with Kumon Mathematics

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Michael with his completion of programme plaque.

Despite only just finishing his second year of high school, 14-year-old Michael has completed calculus in Kumon Mathematics and is racing ahead.

Michael, who is concluding Year 8 at school, has already completed the Kumon Mathematics programme and is studying the optional Level X. This is level has students studying triangles, vectors, matrices, mapping and transformations, probability and statistics.

Level X is an optional set in Kumon Mathematics students who want to extend their skills beyond calculus. Michael says that he enjoys challenging his mathematical capabilities and believes that this extra learning will be of great benefit to him.

“The skills I have learnt in Kumon will definitely continue to help me in later life”, he says. “Mostly due to my future jobs that I would love to do, which are actuary and architecture”.

Michael was enrolled into Kumon Mathematics when he was in preschool. His mother, Rachel, says that the programme has been instrumental in developing his passion for mathematics.

“As Kumon is individualised to his ability. the questions provided by Kumon are at a much higher level”, Rachel says. “It continued his interest with maths by fascinating him over and over again with new concepts and theorems.”

The Kumon Mathematics and English programmes are individualised for each student’s ability. Students who need to build on foundational concepts are supported and those who can be challenged by more complex work are extended. Students progress at their own pace, not bound by age and school grade.

Kumon Mathematics and English coming soon to Brabham, WA

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Kavi Thanabal, Instructor of Kumon Brabham Education Centre.

Kumon will soon open in Brabham, WA, to help all children in the local area develop their mathematics and reading ability.

Kumon Brabham Education Centre is led by Kavi Thanabal, a Kumon parent with a professional background in accounting and finance.

“My children inspired me to become a Kumon Instructor”, Kavi says. “As a Kumon parent, I saw the improvements and achievements in my children, not only in the academic skills, but also in other areas such as sports and arts. Kumon taught them to be independent, doing their daily tasks and build their confidence and concentration. It has also boosted their self-esteem”.

“Just like how I’ve benefited as a Kumon parent, I wanted to deliver the joy of learning to the community as an Instructor”.

Kumon Brabham is located at Brabham Common, Unit 5, 3 Marvel Entrance, Brabham, WA 6055. It is open on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday afternoons from 3pm to 6:30pm, and on Saturday mornings from 9am to 12pm.

Kavi is excited to open this new hub of learning.

“Kumon cultivates independent learning, confidence, and self-motivation. I’m excited to share my Kumon journey with the community,” she says.

To learn more about Kumon Brabham, please contact this centre directly: https://www.kumonsearch.com.au/Centre/KUMON-BRABHAM-WA#info

Meet the new Instructor of Kumon Gungahlin Education Centre

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Daniella Montalla, the new Instructor of Kumon Gungahlin Education Centre.

Kumon Gungahlin Education Centre in Canberra is now operating under the guidance of new Instructor, Daniella Montalla.

Daniella is a Gungahlin local who worked for five years as the senior centre assistant at Kumon Gungahlin prior to becoming an Instructor. In this role, she helped hundreds of students to develop their mathematics and reading skills. Daniella also worked closely with the former Instructor, Susan Davis, and built strong relationships with the centre’s students and families.

It was Daniella’s experience as the senior assistant that motivated her to become the new Instructor of Kumon Gungahlin.

“I love working with students and helping them discover that they can learn anything by taking small steps forward each day”, Daniella says. “It is also incredibly rewarding to see a child’s confidence and belief in themselves grow, which is what I aim for with each student at Kumon Gungahlin”.

“I want my students to know that I believe in them and that I am there to support them. I want them to be resilient, bold, embrace challenges, try new things, learn from their mistakes, and go after their dreams”.

Kumon Gungahlin will remain in its current venue, Shop 4, Palmerston Shops 2 Tiptree Crescent
Palmerston, ACT 2913. The centre is open on weekdays after school hours, and on Saturday mornings from 9am to 12pm.

Should you wish to enrol or learn more, please contact Kumon Gungahlin directly: https://www.kumonsearch.com.au/Centre/KUMON-GUNGAHLIN-ACT#info

Sophia, Jude, and Ethan begin to realise their potential with Kumon

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(Left to right) Jude, Sophia, and Ethan, advanced Kumon Mathematics students.

When Sara’s three children began solving mathematical problems that were far beyond their school grade level, she realised this was just the beginning of their potential.

Sophia, eight years old and in Year 2 at school, and Ethan, six years old and in Kindergarten, both study Kumon Mathematics at a level more than five years beyond their school grade. Sophia is studying polynomials and Ethan is learning about negative numbers.

Their older brother Jude, 10 years old and in Year 5, studies Kumon Mathematics more than two years ahead of his grade. He is covering simultaneous equations, monomials and polynomials, and factorisation in his Kumon worksheets.

Sara says her children moved quickly through the programme. She was amazed by their progress.

“We saw great progress, great growth”, Sara says. “Kumon was really helping them to the point where they were accelerated in enrichment classes at school. I was stunned at how quickly they were picking up new concepts.”

“If it wasn’t for the Kumon programme, I don’t think I would have realised how bright they are or what they’re capable of.”

Sophia and Jude also both recently competed in the Southeast Asian Mathematical Olympiad (SEAMO). Sophia won a silver medal and Jude achieved bronze. Both children say that the mathematical skills and knowledge they acquired from Kumon helped them in SEAMO.

“Kumon helped me get through the basic calculations quickly, leaving me more time to spend on the more complex maths problems”, Sophia says.

“It was able to work through the questions quickly in SEAMO. This gave me enough time to check over my answers”, Jude says.

Sophia hopes to become a general practitioner or surgeon when she grows up, while Jude wants to become a pilot. Ethan is aiming to become an engineer. He says mathematics will be especially relevant for his future.

“I would love to be an engineer and design complex buildings”, Ethan says. “I enjoy building huge structures with Lego on my own. Kumon makes me faster at calculating maths problems, and that’s important if you want be a great engineer.”

Sara says the Kumon’s individualised nature of Kumon has been of great benefit for her children.

“The thing I love about Kumon is it doesn’t limit them; it extends and accelerates them. It’s so tailored”, Sara says. “This has also helped mould them into more resilient kids, where they know that if there’s a challenge, not to give up, but instead to show perseverance and continue”.

Kumon partners with Basketball ACT

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Kumon Australia and New Zealand is proud to announce a new partnership with Basketball ACT.

Throughout this partnership, Kumon will sponsor the Kumon Sue Geh and Jamie Pearlman Cups, which are primary school competitions held annually at Belconnen Basketball Stadium and Tuggeranong Southern Cross Stadium in Canberra. Kumon will also sponsor the Kumon Level Up program for 2023. This is a junior development program for players aged 8-15 years, which aims to help them build on skills learnt at school holiday camps and other development programs.

By partnering with Basketball ACT, Kumon is confident that it will help even more young people to excel.

“We are proud to support an organisation like Basketball ACT that shares our passion for helping young people to reach their potential”, says Steven Sou, Division Leader of Kumon ACT.

“Kumon provides children with strong skills in mathematics and English, and the confidence to excel academically. We see this partnership as a way for both of our organisations to help children grow into confident, well-rounded adults”.

Basketball ACT’s Chief Executive Officer, David Simpson, says that it welcomes Kumon’s support in 2023.

“Our Sue Geh and Jamie Pearlman Cup competitions, as well as our Level Up program, ensures our junior players get opportunities to develop their game and achieve their very best on-court”, Simpson says. “Kumon offer the same opportunities for young people to reach their full potential academically”.

“Basketball ACT is excited to partner with Kumon, and work together to give young people the best chance to reach their goals, in supported and structured ways – on the basketball court and in the classroom.”

To learn more about the partnership, please contact Kumon via our enquiry form: https://au.kumonglobal.com/contact-us/general-enquiry/

Motivating your children over summer

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Young children are naturally curious; they love to explore and discover. If their exploration brings pleasure or success, they want to learn more. During these early years, your support and guidance can foster in your child a positive attitude towards learning that lasts a lifetime.

As Kumon is primarily a home-based method of study, knowing how to develop your child’s attitude towards learning is key. To assist you, the following tips are adapted from an article titled Motivating Learning in Young Children by Martha Carlton, Assistant Professor of Early Childhood Education at Southern Illinois University, and the findings from Carol Dweck, Professor of Psychology at Stanford University.

  1. Establish the reasons for study

Children may believe they are doing Kumon for their parents, or for a reward. While this belief may have short-term benefits, it does not provide a healthy approach towards future learning. Ideally, a child will want to learn due to self-motivation. Self-motivated children are more likely to learn and retain information. One step towards nurturing self-motivation is to help the child understand that Kumon is for them; it will help make their school work easier and assists them in achieving future goals.

  1. Strategies for self-motivation

To encourage your child’s self-motivation, try the following strategies:

  • Avoid use of excessive rewards. These provide the child with extrinsic motivation.
  • Praise your child based on their persistence and effort, as opposed to their talent or skill. For example, say, ‘Wow, that’s a good score. You must have worked really hard’. This will help your child develop a mindset where they understand that their talents and abilities can be developed through effort and persistence.
  • Rather than stating that you think they have done a good job, ask your child what they think of their work.
  • Encourage your child to see mistakes as learning opportunities.
  1. Motivation cycles

As your child progresses, Kumon will extend your child with advanced problems beyond their comfort zone. Even the most motivated students occasionally find their work difficult or are be reluctant to study. During these times, remind your child how much they have improved, and acknowledge the effort they have put into their studies.

  1. Supporting your child

For many children, the motivation to learn with Kumon is not instant, as it can take time to see and feel the benefits for themselves. A child may notice the benefits within a few weeks, while some may take more than a year. Supporting your child as they are developing self-motivation may include setting aside a Kumon time and place at home, showing interest in what they are doing, and encouraging their efforts.

If you would like any further advice on how you may be able to further support your child at home, please contact your Kumon centre.

Kumon to continue partnership with Little Athletics NSW in 2023

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As both students and athletes understand the importance of persistence, practice and hard work in order to achieve results, Kumon Australia and New Zealand is proud to continue its support of Little Athletics NSW throughout 2023.

This ongoing partnership means that Kumon will sponsor the 2023 Kumon State Combined Carnival in Dubbo, NSW, on Saturday 4 March and Sunday 5 March, and the LANSW Coach of the Year Award. Kumon will also support various local Little Athletics NSW events throughout 2022.

“We welcome the continuation of our partnership with Little Athletics NSW for a third year”, said Steven Sou, Division Leader of Kumon NSW. “We are confident this will help even more young children grow into confident, well-rounded adults who thrive both inside and outside the classroom.”

Should you wish to learn more about this partnership, contact Kumon via our enquiry form.

Kumon to continue partnership with Athletics West

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Kumon Australia and New Zealand is proud to extend our partnership with Athletics West throughout 2023.

After a successful first year, the renewed partnership will mean Kumon continues to support little athletes to excel – both in and out of the classroom.

“Kumon’s mission is to understand the potential of each student and develop their ability to the maximum,” says Joanne Adam, Division Leader of Kumon Western Australia. “Therefore, we are thrilled continue to supporting an organisation like Athletics West that shares our passion for helping young people to be the best they can be”.

Vince Del Prete, CEO of Athletics West, says he is excited to continue working with an organisation of similar values.

“The last 12 months have seen our community embrace Kumon’s programs and helped ensure our community is well supported on the track and in the classroom”, he says.

“[Kumon’s] philosophy around discipline and learning aligns with our mission, and I know the Athletics West community will once again get behind this fantastic partnership”.

Should you wish to learn more about the renewed partnership, contact Kumon via our enquiry form.

Kumon’s benefits go beyond school for Hrishikesh

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Hrishikesh with his third-place parliamentary speech prize.

Through completing both the Kumon Mathematics and English programmes, 13-year-old Hrishikesh has gained a wide range of skills that will benefit him throughout university and later life.

Hrishikesh, who is in Year 8 at school, has the mental calculation and reading ability of a Year 12 student, along with strong organisational skills and confidence in his own ability. This has given Hrishikesh the confidence to participate in a wide-range of extracurricular activities, such as Victoria’s Parliamentary Speech Competition, where year 5 to 12 students deliver a 90-second statement about issues important to their community.

Hrishikesh achieved a third-place prize in this competition.

“My humanities teacher at school suggested the parliamentary prize because she wanted to understand what we thought was important”, he explains. “So, I argued as to why teachers should be paid more. I chose this issue because my mum is also a teacher and I have firsthand experience from her.”

Hrishikesh also says that his completion of the Kumon English programme was of great benefit to him in the competition.

“My vocabulary greatly improved from Kumon English”, Hrishikesh says. “I was able to implement that during the speech. The never-give-up attitude and approach of taking on new challenges definitely helped me out as well”.

Hrishikesh also recently achieved entry into the academically-selective Nossal State High School. His mother, Dhanya, says that Kumon’s focus on speed and accuracy allowed him to ace the test.

“Your child will become an advanced learner through Kumon. It’ll improve their speed and accuracy in maths, enhance their reading horizon and improve their vocabulary,” Dhanya says.

Hrishikesh aims to become a mathematician or physicist when he grows up. He believes that his completion of the Kumon Mathematics programme will help him greatly too.

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