Kumon: the organization that never stops learning

Difficult experiences have taught me to be aware that there is always more to learn. I never stop learning from students as well as from parents.

An excellent student left Kumon because of my inability
to determine the “just-right” level of study

During my first few years as a Kumon Instructor I found it very challenging to discover what was “just-right” for each student. At that time, I wasn’t confident that I could precisely determine the “just-right” level of study in every case.

There was a student in my Center whose ability had allowed him to go beyond school grade level. Despite that, he stopped coming to my Center. I realized that the worksheets I had given him were too difficult for his current level. I was convinced that this student could do those worksheets if he tried. Unfortunately, though, he lost his motivation to complete the higher levels of the Kumon Method worksheets.

KUMON

I learned from a Hong Kong Instructor that I should return to the origins of the Kumon Method worksheets and carry out my instruction based on the structure of the worksheets

I was very lucky to meet and get to know a veteran Instructor from Hong Kong when I was in the Philippines for a training program.

She had a great amount of knowledge about the structure of the worksheets and how the levels of the worksheets are connected. That Hong Kong Instructor gave me many hints that deepened my understanding of fundamental aspects that I had been unaware of up until then.

She really helped me to broaden my horizons. After I returned home from the trip, I felt that her advice helped me to start moving in the right direction. I began to look closely at the original structure of the Kumon worksheets. And I started to focus on the importance of the systematic design of the Kumon worksheets that enables each and every student to become a self-learner.

KUMON

I learned the importance of individualized instruction in the period soon after enrollment from a Japanese Instructor who I met at an Instructors Conference

I was made aware of the importance of this point two years ago when I attended a lecture given by an Instructor from Japan at the Kumon China Instructors Conference.

I was in total agreement with that Instructor regarding the great importance of instruction soon after enrollment. It is the Instructor’s duty to comprehensively carry out instruction from the moment that students enroll in Kumon so as to enable them to develop their intelligence of their own accord.

In order to do that I have to have a very clear understanding of the worksheets and also have a very clear understanding of the current learning situation of each student in my Center. I have to know what each student is thinking, how they are taking on the challenge of the worksheets, and how to evaluate their successes. I also want to learn how students are approaching examples, and how they are solving each worksheet.

I feel sorry that I wasn’t able to fully understand the situation of that student who stopped coming to my Center. Nonetheless, that experience made me realize that I still have a lot to learn and provided me with added motivation. Instructors can continuously learn at a deeper level by carefully analyzing the cases of each student we instruct. Therefore, it is up to us to instruct more and more students so that we will have a greater number of student case studies to learn from.

KUMON

Toru Kumon, the founder of the Kumon Method,
left us with an abundance of valuable messages
that we continue to place great importance on.

In this section you can read some extracts from the inspiring messages that Toru Kumon delivered to Kumon Instructors and staff since the time of the company’s foundation. Indeed, we continue to share the Mission and Values prescribed by Toru Kumon, and place great importance on them in our daily work. This has been vital to ensuring that Kumon has, for over half a century, continued to be the company that it is to this day.

Study at the “Just-Right” Level
Advancing Beyond School Grade Level
Self-Learning
Education should be individualized
Learning from Children

Kumon’s Aspirations

We at Kumon share a dream,
a dream of world peace brought about by education.
We will move toward the realization of that dream
by helping people to better themselves
through individualized education.

Instructor:Glaucia Lopes de Domenico
Brazil: Boa Vista Center
Instructor: Glaucia Lopes de Domenico
"I became a Kumon Instructor to carry on the aspirations of my mother, and the key to my Center’s success is what I learn from my fellow Instructors."
Instructor: To Yan
Macau: Kumon Champs Education Center
Instructor: To Yan
"Difficult experiences have taught me to be aware that there is always more to learn. I never stop learning from students as well as from parents."
Math Learning Materials Dvelopers
Math Learning Materials Developers
"Kumon learning materials are constantly evolving. Together, we are always learning from children."