Frequently Asked Questions

• Why are some school topics not covered in Kumon?
  Kumon is not meant to replicate topic-by-topic your child's school curriculum. It's designed to develop a strong command of core skills, which are Mathematics and Reading, that can be applied in subject after subject. Kumon harnesses a streamlined, fundamentals-focused approach to helping students become better learners and ultimately succeed with challenging material at the high school level.
   
• How long will it take my child to catch up to grade level?
  There is more to Kumon than catching up. Kumon's aim are different from tutoring programs that may provide a short-term boost in your child's performance. Kumon helps make children better learners with the skills to succeed on their own throughout school. Kumon is fine-tuned to each student's individual ability, no child advances too fast or too slowly. It takes exactly as long as it needs to take to bring a child up to grade level with a full grasp of the material to date and a rock-solid foundation for further advancement.
   
• Why isn't my child progressing faster with Kumon?
  Kumon students who hit their stride with the program may advance a grade-and-a-half or more with each school grade. Be sure to monitor your child's Kumon study at home, stay abreast of his or her progress at the Centre, and encourage your child to work closely with the Kumon instructor to set goals. Helping to keep your child motivated is the best way to ensure steady and meaningful advancement. Resist comparing your child's progress to any other's, even a sibling's. Kumon is an individualized program. Support the goals your child sets rather than imposing your own. Your child needs your patience, encouragement, and participation to stay motivated and apply the necessary effort to his or her Kumon assignments.
   
• My child is caught up at school, why stay with Kumon?
  Kumon provides a complete curriculum, covering material from preschool all the way up to the post-secondary level. Some parents are surprised to learn how many students pursue advanced study with us or just continue to supplement their schoolwork long after catching up to grade level. Indeed, Kumon is a truly progressive program intended to benefit children through high school and help them excel in their academic careers.
   
• Why is my child starting at such a low level?
  A solid starting point enables children to succeed from the outset by building on a rock-solid foundation without any learning gaps to hinder them down the road. That's how they gain confidence and momentum, and are able to advance on their own steadily and confidently through the curriculum. Intrinsic to the Kumon Method is the child's discovery of his or her ability to succeed, and succeed often. Kumon students gain confidence and independence by working on material they're prepared to tackle. That's the key to sure and steady progress. We ask parents to be especially patient in the early months of the program as we lay the groundwork for your child to achieve the best results with Kumon.
   
• Why must my child be timed and complete assignments so quickly?
  Speed is just as important a gauge as accuracy of how well a child has grasped a concept. A student must know that 9 + 7 equals 16 without hesitation, or be able to read a passage fluently without stumbling on individual words or sentences. Kumon focuses on the importance of getting the right answers the right way. It's not about pressure or to rush students. On the contrary, completing worksheets more swiftly happens naturally as children grow more comfortable with the material and don't have to struggle for the right answers. They soon feel more at ease with timed assignments and less anxious in test-taking situations.
   
• Why must my child do so much repetition?
  As with learning to play the piano or hit a baseball, gaining proficiency with learning skills requires frequent practice. A piano student doesn't begin to play compositions until simple scales have been mastered. In much the same way, he or she shouldn't tackle words until letters and letter combinations are mastered, or take on multiplication of two-digit numbers until achieving a total command of the operation with single digits. Rest assured that the Kumon Method has been systematically developed and carefully worked out to produce results. The decision made by your child's instructor to repeat material before advancing is based on a careful evaluation of his or her individual performance. Such repetition is one key aspect of the Kumon program that facilitates your child's progress toward becoming a better learner. Practice makes proficient.
   
• Why can't Kumon be more flexible with the order of material covered?
  Every part of the Kumon curriculum, from individual worksheets to entire curriculum levels, is designed to build incrementally on the foundation of learning established up to that point. Multiplication by 2 is followed by multiplication by 3; sentence building is followed by paragraph building; and so on. Just as you might use training wheels on your child's bike, remove one and then the other, Kumon nurtures mastery and independence by simple and logical progression.
   
• Why is it so important for my child to learn independently?
  An independent learner is a better learner. Children can only go so far with someone constantly looking over their shoulder. Kumon's systematic approach allows children to work through material themselves and continually strengthen skills needed throughout school. The difference between tutoring programs and Kumon can be thought of as the difference between towing a car and turbo-powering its engine. Kumon gives children what it takes to succeed on their own.
   
• Why is home marking necessary?
  While even ten minutes can be difficult for a busy parent to spare, it can make an enormous difference. Kumon students whose work is home marked advance to new material sooner with fewer errors and less repetition. In fact Kumon Instructor records have shown time and again that home marked students progress 30% to 100% better than those who aren't. That means they become better learners. Isn't that worth ten minutes a day? Perhaps the most important of all, home marking shows that you are fully committed to Kumon and your child's progress in the program - and that you're with him or her every step of the way.
   
• What if my child isn't motivated to do Kumon?
  Most child respond favorably to initial exposure to Kumon, and few have problems once they are completely accustomed to the routine. However, it is not uncommon at some point or another for Kumon students to be less than fully cooperative participants in the program. Parental perseverance and enthusiasm for your child's progress are the most effective ways of handling this challenge. Lead by example, communicate and celebrate your child's achievements, and reach out to other Kumon parents. As a Kumon parent and your child's most important teacher, you can do much to promote behaviors and skills your child must develop to become a better learner.
   
• Why shouldn't we take a vacation from Kumon?
  Kumon is a year-round program of daily study because it is designed to promote steady, incremental progress in the acquisition of key learning skills. Consistency and regular "conditioning" are most conducive to your child's comfortable and continual advancement with Kumon. Uninterrupted study also fosters commitment, dedication, and perseverance. Interruptions in your child's Kumon studies can make it harder to maintain the routine in general, and put unnecessary bumps in what should be his or her smooth and continual advancement. Daily practice and disciplined study habits are the key ingredients to a successful Kumon experience.

For more comprehensive and complete answers to your questions,
contact us and ask for a copy of our brochures.