Kumon Brunei - Potential 2022 Issue 1

Australia | Brunei | Cambodia | India | Indonesia | Malaysia | Myanmar | New Zealand | Philippines | Singapore | Sri Lanka | Thailand | Vietnam

JAN - JUN 2022

KUMON

feature

Turning Challenges into Opportunities

parenting tips

Tips for successful remote learning

my life, my dream Muhammad Raees Zharif bin HjAbdul Rahman Nuha Nur Imani Binti Muhammad Hirzi Hisham

editor’s Note

Dear readers,

Wishing you a great start to 2022, one that is full of positivity, ease and fruition. The past year has been one filled with various challenges for children, parents, caregivers and educators alike. But through these challenges, we can see our children building resilience, adapting to changes, growing in confidence and ability and ultimately, becoming better versions of themselves. Not forgetting the adults too, you all deserve a big pat on the back.

Here at Kumon Brunei, we would like to thank all Kumon families for your continuous support and collaboration in developing all our students throughout. Kumon students continue to excel first in a hybrid learning environment and then in a remote learning setting. This is evident in 2021’s Advanced Student Honour Roll (ASHR), where there was an increase of 31.4% from the number of students studying ahead of their school grade level, as compared to the year before. Like everyone, we are delighted to see our students performing well and striving to achieve their goals and dreams.

In this issue of Potential, we hear from 7-year-old Nuha Nur Imani, an exuberant young learner who aspires to open up her own chain of bakeries, and 5-year-old Muhammad Raees Zharif, a brilliant double-subject student who dreams of dabbling in the world of IT and Technology. Read about their Kumon journeys thus far and how remote learning has been for the both of them.

We would love to hear about your stories as well. Reach out to us on Facebook or Instagram via Direct Message, or write to us at prmd@kumon.com.sg.

Stay well, Han

Contents

PR & Marketing, Kumon Brunei

My Life, My Dream

03 Muhammad Raees Zharif bin Hj Abdul Rahman 04

ON THE COVER Jan-Jun 2022 Nuha

Nuha Nur Imani Binti Muhammad Hirzi Hisham

Features

06 Regional Article

Turning Challenges into Opportunities

08 Instructors’ Quotes Have something to say?

Feel free to send us your thoughts on the newsletter!

Tel: +65 6232 5855 Fax: +65 6232 5822/33 E-mail: sg-kaoweb@kumonglobal.com Website: bn.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. © 2022 Kumon Asia & Oceania Pte Ltd. All rights reserved.

Regulars 10

Local News

11

Parenting Tips

Advanced Students Honour Roll (ASHR) 2021 Tips for successful remote learning

My life, my dream

Joy of Learning Zharif is an enthusiastic learner who is curious about anything new. He was eager to start his Kumon classes after his

mother, Ms Norazian, enrolled him in the Mathematics programme. She had gotten to know about Kumon via social media and thought that Zharif had the potential to develop more skills through Kumon.

After a few months of settling into Kumon, with his mother’s constant support and encouragement, Zharif began to show

extensive improvement in Math. Previously, Ms Norazian was informed by Zharif’s Kindergarten 2 teacher that he could not do simple addition up to ten and needed further guidance. Ms Norazian shared that not only is Zharif doing addition and subtraction on his own now, but his mental calculation ability has been absolutely fantastic!

Less than a year later, Zharif enrolled in the English programme. With Math being his favourite subject, Zharif found the

English programme tough at first. He only knew how to blend consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC) words and had difficulty

reading in school. Through Kumon, Zharif realised that English was fun and he now loves reading. Zharif has even made it a routine to read a book before bedtime. Ms Norazian noted that Zharif could now recognise and read longer words and his spelling has improved as well.

Remote Learning with Kumon “With the current pandemic situation, even though learning has to take place remotely, Kumon never failed to help my

child progress. Zoom classes always took place on time without delays, and corrections were also being done during the classes”, shared Ms Norazian.

Zharif would frequently ask his mother when the next Zoom class would be as he missed his Kumon teachers and friends.

Learning from home though, allowed him to spend more quality time with his siblings. Zharif adapted well to remote learning and his mother saw that he became more organized and managed his time well as a result. Ms Norazian

noted that in-centre classes and remote learning classes were equally similar because she could still see Zharif grow in independence, confidence and in his academic progress.

Reiterating his mother’s points, Zharif shared that he does his Kumon worksheets by himself and enjoys seeking new tasks to do and problems to solve. Whenever he encountered difficulties, he overcame them with the guidance of his mother or

Kumon teacher. Zharif’s current favourite moments of remote learning are learning multiplication under the guidance of his Kumon teacher over Zoom each week.

The Road Ahead “Academically, Zharif has improved tremendously with Kumon. Kumon has developed his independence and self-

confidence. He is now far ahead of his friends and is able to work quickly and independently”, Ms Norazian revealed.

Zharif, who enjoys cycling, gaming and YouTube videos, aims to complete the Math and English programmes as soon as possible. He aspires to become a Computer System Engineer and is determined to work hard and overcome any challenges ahead to fulfil his ambition.

Raees Zharif 9 years old

Student School Grade Level: K3

Subjects Enrolled in: Maths B 171 (Subtraction of 3-Digit Numbers 2) English B 121 (Modifiers)

Subject starting level: Maths 6A 101(Number Reading Exercises (Up to 10) 1)

English 6A 1 (Vocabulary Review)

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3

My life, my dream

Developing Life Skills with Kumon

a row; KG 2, KG 3 and recently, in Year 1. Nuha has been

Nuha was thrilled when her mother, Ms Azzura, told her

though they have yet to learn them in school. She could

that she would be joining Kumon. She went on to tell everyone in her class about it.

able to teach her friends Multiplication and Division even answer questions quickly in school as she already knew the concepts from Kumon. At times, Nuha even teaches

“Nuha is an explorer. She loves learning new things, is

her mother how to solve Math problems the ‘Kumon way’

likes helping me with cooking and baking too”, revealed

Ms Azzura has seen other life skills Nuha has developed

creative and always voices out her likes and dislikes. She Ms Azzura.

Ms Azzura first learnt about Kumon through her colleague.

After hearing positive feedback, she carried out her own research and came across a Kumon advertisement on

Facebook. After attending the Parent Orientation, she was convinced to enrol Nuha. It was a decision she had never regretted since.

The initial challenge Nuha faced was the routine of

completing worksheets every day, repeating the same

ones at times. She used to only have school homework on the weekends. After a few months of adapting, she now has her own daily “Kumon time”, completing her

worksheets with discipline and independence. It helped

that Nuha was naturally a fast and independent learner.

after learning to do so.

from her time with Kumon.

“Nuha is very observant and thinks out of the box. She knows how things work in real life. For example, if she

wanted to buy something, she will work for it by selling her

drawings, stickers and home-baked cookies to her friends.

Once she has saved up enough money, she then buys what she wants.

Remote learning with Kumon Like many working parents, children switching to remote learning at the initial stages of the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in challenging moments towards meeting

children’s academic-related requisites. Likewise, children and parents had to adapt quickly to the new learning

Besides her academic improvements, Nuha’s school

environment and manage their time well. Ms Azzura and

personality, independence and critical thinking as well.

their children to manage their daily activities better. They

teachers have acknowledged a positive growth in her

her husband created structured schedules for each of

She was the best student in her class for three years in

were pleasantly surprised that Nuha adapted smoothly to

4 Potential Brunei

self-learning with minor supervision. She loved learning

the day independently. Ms Azzura noted a key benefit

learning competencies, self-expression and online social

She explained that Nuha often realizes her own mistakes

in the comfort of her own room and developed positive interactions.

Nuha’s Kumon Instructors have been helpful during

remote learning sessions, which helped her learn better

at her own pace and become more confident as she can

of continuous learning with Kumon; self-development. before her parents and corrects them. With Kumon,

she hopes that Nuha’s interest in learning new things

will continue to grow, along with her self-esteem and motivation to better herself.

be a little shy. While there are no disruptions to Nuha’s

“Kumon is challenging at first, and it can be boring

in-centre classes has its own advantages. She believes

encourage our kids and believe in the process. It gets

learning from home, Ms Azzura believes that attending

that when children go to class, they build friendship, trust and responsibility through interacting with peers and instructors.

to some kids as it is repetitive. As parents, we have to

much easier each day and once they understand the

process, they will look forward to doing Kumon every day”, shared Ms Azzura.

Nuha misses interacting with her instructors and reading

She continued, “Once, Nuha even finished doing one

after classes. Nevertheless, spending more time at home

excitement.

the many books at the centre while waiting for her parents allows her to indulge in video games with her brother and playing with her ten cats at home during her free time.

week’s worth of homework in a single day out of sheer Nuha looks forward to completing the higher levels of the Kumon Math programme and aims to be successful in

The Road Ahead

both Kumon and school. She aspires to become a chef in

While Nuha is able to learn and do her worksheet practice

She is set on learning and honing the skills required to

tremendously well, there are times that she will not be

able to do so. Rather than forcing her to attempt, Nuha’s

her own bakery empire, spanning Brunei and the world. achieve her dream.

parents would support her by asking her to take a short

break. With a sense of self-discipline and perseverance, Nuha always overcomes these challenges at the end of

Nuha Nur Imani 7 years old Student School Grade Level: Year 1

Subjects Enrolled in: Maths C180 (Division: 2 Digits / 1 Digit 2)

Subject starting level: Maths 4A 1 (Number Tracing Exercises 1)

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5

Regional Article

6 Potential Brunei

A

s the world eases Covid restrictions, many of us couldn’t help looking back at how this crisis has transformed many things around us, and sped up the adoption of digital technologies by many years. Education was one such sector

which took a quantum leap under the new shifts.

When the crisis forced schools and enrichment centres to close their doors and move classes online, all students were also forced to become online learners. Kumon, like many other education providers also embarked on remote learning journey.

The Kumon Method is a learning method that is designed for home study, and aims to foster independence in students.

Hence, our dedicated instructors are still able to provide online instructions to students learning at home, just like how they do it in the centres.

One key strength of this hybrid study model is that, instructors can observe how students study at home, and grasp how parents engage with their children. Through this instructors are able to work together with parents to enhance the quality of their child’s home learning.

Many parents may see this sudden shift as a watershed moment for remote learning and education. How would the conventional classroom learning be like from now on?

With this best hybrid study model, students are able to enjoy and continue their learning in centre or at home; by combining both online with physical lessons.

Unlike a conventional classroom whereby am instructor stands in front of the class to teach, Kumon’s instructions are individualised. Every student learns a level that is “just-right” for them, and at their own pace. This way they are allowed to navigate through the level at their own pace, without the need to wait for their peers or feel pressured to catch up with the rest of the class. This way, not only do they gain better understanding on the concept, they also become more confident as they are able to learn the concepts without being taught.

An ability which Kumon develops is self-learning. The students learn from Kumon’s small-step worksheets, which are designed to help our children learn on their own, in small incremental difficulty. Hints and examples are also included at the start of a new learning focus to help our children understand the concept better, and to refer to when they run into challenges. Through this learning process, not only do students grasp the concepts better, they develop self-learning ability that transcends beyond the confines of the Kumon Centres.

Making the best use of both conventional classroom and home-based remote learning, Kumon can continue to discover the potential of each individual, and develop his or her ability to the maximum; no matter where their learning takes place in centre or at home.

Turning Challenges into

Opportunities

Jan - Jun 2022

7

Kumon Feature

Instructors’ Quotes

As the paradigm shifts from in-Centre

learning to online learning, Instructors and students have had to grapple with new technology. Find out what the Instructors overcome the new challenge of remote learning, and how they think it might have been beneficial to them and their students.

8 Potential Brunei

We are living in unprecedented times that demand a different approach in the way we deliver our knowledge. Thanks to technology advancement, remote learning has been made possible especially when the pandemic is still ravaging all around the world.

We try our best in providing the best remote learning method efficiently through utilizing synchronous and asynchronous learning so that our students are able to receive it in a safe and conducive environment. Once guidance is delivered and received correctly and efficiently, it can enhance a student’s performance as well as motivation. Other than that, remote learning also helps to promote certain life skills such as time management, multi-tasking, responsibility and independent learning skills which are arguably crucial to exams and later life success.

Amidst the drawbacks of remote learning, we at Kumon are always on hand to help with any remote learning needs through our dedicated team of Instructor and tutors.

Ms Julia Chua Kumon Malaysia

“

I think that Kumon online study is a great opportunity for students to develop themselves continuously towards their study goals through close observation, guidance and compliment given by instructors. In addition, Kumon instructors can promptly communicate with parents to help support their children in the same direction.

Ms Siriluck Sreesai Kumon Thailand

“

Given the ongoing situation, I am more than grateful to have committed to the Kumon programme. School education may have stalled but Kumon children have the added benefit of being in a programme where learning does not stop.

A programme which develops all the requirements needed for independent and disciplined self-learners.

Feby Latip Kumon Brunei

“

Taking over a centre when classes had to shift online was tough initially, as my students and I were still getting to know one another. Communication with the students was more challenging, especially with the reserved and less outspoken ones.

But children are more adaptable than adults realise. My students began warming up to the new environment sooner than I expected. I have not only seen them grow more and more independent every week but also become more resilient and less reliant on

the teachers. With patience, I believe every child has the potential to be developed into

Ms Natasha Leow Kumon Singapore

a strong self-learner

Jan - Jun 2022

9

Local News

Advanced Students Honour Roll (ASHR) 2021 History of the Advanced Student Honour Roll (ASHR) In 1959, Mr Toru Kumon, founder of the Kumon Method, introduced the Advanced Student Honour Roll (ASHR) to encourage students who study materials ahead of their school grade level.

While watching the Olympic Games in 1932, Mr Toru Kumon came up with the idea of a world ranking for intellectual achievements.

He believed that human potential is boundless and that athletic achievements should not be the only benchmark for it. Thus, he created the ASHR to reflect the academic progress of individual students who go through selflearning according to the Kumon Method.

The ASHR celebrates achievements in the Kumon Mathematics, English, Chinese and Japanese programmes

and has four different qualifying levels - six months, two years, three years and five years. It reflects the extent of

children’s academic potential and can be used by Kumon students to assess their academic abilities objectively on a nationwide scale. By celebrating the achievements of students studying at a higher level, it motivates children to pursue learning beyond their current abilities.

In spite of the restrictions brought about by COVID-19, we celebrated the achievements of 540 students who

were studying ahead (6 months, 2 years, 3 years and 5 years) of the Kumon International Standard (KIS) at ASHR

ceremonies held by their Kumon centres. This is an increase of 31.4% in the number of students studying ahead of

their school grade level as compared to the year before! That is even higher than the 23.8% from the previous year.

Along with the advanced students, there was one English Programme Completer; 15-year-old Ak Md Eljaz Mateen

Pg Khairul Nizam (Grade 10), from the English programme. Eljaz was featured in a video interview on the dedicated ASHR microsite (https://kumon-brunei.com/ashrkumon/) where he shared about his experience learning with Kumon and the skills that he gained from Kumon.

Awardees and their parents also came together on the ASHR microsite to share messages of congratulations and encouragement to fellow awardees.

The youngest ASHR awardees for Mathematics and English were aged 3-years old and 4-years-old respectively, studying 6-months ahead of their school grade level.

10 Potential Brunei

Achievement

No. of Awards

5 Years Ahead

9

3 Years Ahead

65

2 Years Ahead

107

6 Months Ahead

359

Parenting tips

TIPS

for successful remote learning

Establish a productive learning environment Having toys, television, or mobile devices around might make it harder for children to focus on their task at hand. Consider choosing an area that’s free from common distractions.

Create the best space Children need a designated workspace that’s comfortable. Create a feeling of belonging by getting your child to personalise their learning space.

Follow the routine Following a routine will help children transition to remote learning more easily. Our children will learn to follow the routine for the remote learning and homework. It doesn’t have to be peculiar to Kumon, following the routine will help them to transition to remote learning for school as well.

Give encouragement Children might feel apprehensive as they transition to a new paradigm to learn. Getting an encouragement or reassurance that they are doing well will help to build confidence in our children and help to ease their anxiety as they transition to remote learning.

Communicate with your Instructor Share any thoughts or feedback about your child’s remote learning experience, any habits that you might have noticed from your Instructor.

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11

The Origins of the Kumon Method

After more than half a century, his philosophy still continues to help many children develop the ability to reach for their goals and dreams.

Kumon offers learning opportunities in more than 50 different countries and regions around the world.

Handmade materials created

by Toru Kumon for his son (Takeshi) in 1954.

Toru Kumon (Founder of the Kumon Method)