Kumon Philippines - Potential 2019 Issue 2

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

JUL - DEC 2019

KUMON

FEATURE Improving the Work Skills of Kumon Students

MY LIFE,

MY DREAM Nicole Alexis Tan Zian Andre Padillo

PARENT’S ARTICLE Making Wise Decisions for My Children’s Future

Editor’s Note

ON THE COVER JUL - DEC 2019 ZIAN ANDRE PADILLO As we release a new issue of Potential, we are proud to feature stories of students and families who have gone through their own Kumon journey successfully.

In the Philippines, Kumon has been helping Filipino children since 1996. With almost 300 Centers nationwide, Kumon continues to give the best learning experience to each and every child.

If you think that certain dreams are too big to achieve, Zian Andre, this issue’s cover feature, says otherwise. He is starting to carve his path in becoming an astronaut with the support of his loving parents.

While dreaming is innate to every child, achieving them is another thing. See how Kumon played a big role in how Nicole Alexis molds her career and future.

As parents want the best for their children, the Hassan family’s testimony will surely touch your hearts with their resilience to provide the best education for their children, amid the challenges.

COnTEnTS MY LIFE, MY DREAM

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Benefits Beyond School Nicole Alexis Tan

Young Mind with Big Dreams 04 AZian Andre Padillo

FEATURES Article 06 Regional Improving the work skills of Kumon Students

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Instructors’ Quotes

REGULARS

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Parent’s Article Making Wise Decisions for My Children’s Future

We are hoping that this issue would bring you much joy and inspiration as much it did to us.

KPI Potential Team

Manila Office Tel: (02) 885-0226 Cebu Branch Office Tel: (032) 263-3419 E-mail: publications@kumon.ph Website: ph.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. © 2019 Kumon Asia & Oceania Pte Ltd. All rights reserved.

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E-mail: publications@kumon.ph

Benefits Beyond School

“Coming from a Chinese family, it was important that my siblings and I were good in school which is why my mom decided to look for a supplementary program to enhance our math skills. Aside from that, my mom knows how crucial it is to have solid math skills since she is an accounting graduate herself.”

Indeed, Alex, as she is fondly called by her family and friends, can attest to how both the academic and character building benefits of the Kumon Program helped her in school and beyond. In fact, she is now a bachelor’s degree graduate in Management, with a minor in Marketing and has a budding career at Unilever Philippines.

How did Kumon develop you?

The most significant skills I have gained from Kumon are time management, self-discipline and perseverance. For time management, I learned how to balance my time between school and other activities, plus I learned how and what to prioritize. If I had free time during a school day, I would start doing my worksheets since I know I would be busy with other school work for the next few days. For self-discipline, I learned this as I answered the Kumon worksheets which I learned on my own. I was also able to apply this in school because not everything is taught by teachers.

I had to study certain topics on my own which made it easier for me to catch up with what is needed. For perseverance, I learned how to just keep on trying until I get it right. I can’t give up with my workload and with what I am doing because I need to do it. I actually see the effects now that I am working.

What was your inspiration to complete the program?

My inspiration was my want to finish and complete the program, specifically my want to complete before I become fully busy with college. I was thinking that it would be difficult for me already come college because I would be based in Manila while my Kumon study

would be in Angeles City. Even if I go home to Angeles City every weekend, I didn’t want to place added pressure on myself due to increased work load in college. Also, what I was learning in the latter parts of the Math Program levels were my lessons in college math classes at that time – so it was timely for me to be able to apply what I learned in Kumon to my college classes.

How did your parents support you to complete the program and reach your goals?

My mom is very supportive because education is very important to her. She was always there to push me to continue and to finish because she knows of the benefits I can gain from the program. She made use of the same formula for all three of us siblings whenever we felt like giving up – she would focus on our improvements and use those to push us to see how it can help our future. She would ask us if we want to stop Kumon, but this would actually push us to keep on going and to aim for completion.

How did Kumon help you in your chosen career?

I work in Unilever Philippines as a Category Operations Manager. I am the link of the sales team to everyone else, so basically I am the middle man to everything. I am part of the homecare team, so we each handle certain brands. Technically, we run the business because we talk to both the supply and the demand side. I have certain processes to follow since I am part of the main company; but in terms of training, I am able to apply the training I have undergone in Kumon. I was able to apply the rigor of training modules for promoters in the same way that I experienced the rigor of answering the worksheets.

Also, in Unilever, we are flexible in terms of time since we work based on output. So I would need to be disciplined in terms of time management. But through Kumon, I have developed self-discipline which has allowed me to allocate my time well and optimize my work to finish at a shorter and faster time. I can find easier ways to do things and I can prioritize what to do first.

What advice can you give to current Kumon students who are experiencing difficulties and who dream of completing the program?

Nicole Alexis Tan 》》》》》》Completer 》》》》》 Level

Never give up and really focus on the learning you will gain from your journey. If you focus on the hardships or difficulties you encounter, you will give in and give up. But if you focus on what you will get after, that will serve as your motivation to continue and complete.

In fact, you will gain a better appreciation of the program once you see and feel the benefits in school or at work. Don’t look at the difficulty now, don’t let it stop you.

Always keep in mind that you will not only learn the formulas, but you will also develop character.

Subject

Mathematics

》》》》》 》》》》》

Mothers know best. This quote held true for Nicole Alexis Tan since it was her mother that pushed for her and her two siblings to be enrolled in Kumon. Initially, her mother only wanted her and her brother, Ethan, to do something for the summer. But as the benefits of the method became apparent in her progress in school, staying long term in the program and aiming for completion were already in sight for her.

My life, my dream

》》》》 Category Operations Profession

Manager

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My life, my dream

A Young Mind with

BIG DREAMS Zian Andre Padillo, 7 Level

Ambition

Subject

Interests

To be an astronaut

P2

Mathematics

Outdoor activities Sports Piano

》》》》》

“We believe that it is not enough to sustain our children’s needs.

We always need to be emotionally present for them.”

At a young age of seven, Zian Andre Padillo already realizes the value of learning beyond academics. With an inquisitive mind and a grateful heart, Zian knows full and well the real meaning of perseverance amid challenges and difficulties.

There is nothing Mr. and Mrs. Padillo wish for Zian than to have him fulfill his dreams. This is why they always encourage him to chase his dreams no matter what. With proper guidance and unlimited support, Mr. and Mrs. Padillo believe that a family who stays strong together shall never see anything too impossible to achieve.

Zian’s goal to become an astronaut is what fuels him to prepare the future ahead of him. As his mother always tells him, “Always hold on and keep the faith!”

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Mr. and Mrs. Padillo, how has Kumon worked in Zian’s life?

Zian’s fascination with numbers started as early as two years old. This enticed us to enroll him in Kumon to develop this skill of his. It was also during this time that we were looking for a learning institution to help us with our endeavor to further Zian’s skills. I was confident to enroll Zian in Kumon since most of my friends are also Kumon parents and are already enjoying the benefits of the program.

As a kid, Zian’s attention span was really short. So we wanted to develop his patience. Little did we know that Kumon also developed Zian in other aspects. He became more sociable, goal-oriented, confident, and engaged in learning different topics!

Zian, how did you feel when you first entered Kumon?

I felt a little nervous when my parents first told me that I will be enrolling in Kumon because I will be in a new place that I

Apart from joining competitions, Zian is also engaged with other activities such as swimming, badminton, and playing the piano. I believe that as parents, we should always ensure that we strike a balance in our child’s activities for them not to get burnt out in academics.

Zian, how has Kumon helped you excel in your school and extra-curricular activities?

Kumon improved my math skills. I also gained confidence, perseverance, diligence, and discipline. I also learned how to be hard working. When I feel nervous, all I do is to remind myself to stay calm during my piano lessons, just like what I felt during my first day in Kumon.

I love learning. This is why I always engage myself in other activities at school, such as joining sports fests and going outdoors. haven’t been to before. However, I felt comfortable after a few weeks in the Center because I worked on staying calm while believing that I can do anything.

Mr. and Mrs. Padillo, how were you able to face the challenges in Zian’s Kumon study?

Mr. and Mrs. Padillo, what were the changes you’ve seen in Zian since he started Kumon?

With Zian being enrolled in the Math Program, we usually review ourselves whenever we see that Zian is already encountering higher levels. We also set a time to exchange learnings with one another just so we ensure that we are really learning from the worksheets correctly.

Through Kumon, Zian was able to maintain academic excellence as he always ranks first in his class. Until today, he still garners awards and achievements in his class.

Because Zian is already an advanced student in math, his teacher in school would give him separate materials so he wouldn’t feel bored with the lessons.

It is also because of Kumon that Zian gets to join competitions and represent his school.

His first competition came out as a blessing; he was hailed champion in the division and regional levels, and tenth place in the national level. This year, he joined another competition and was ranked first in the grade one category.

In my Kumon study, I experienced difficulties in my worksheets, especially when I find them very hard and confusing.

There were even times when I was careless in writing my answers. Then again, my parents would always remind me that if I quit Kumon, I’ll experience more difficulties.

This is the reason why quitting for me was never an option.

Also, my parents remind me to be grateful with what I have. They let me understand how much of a blessing it is to be enrolled in Kumon.

Mr. and Mrs. Padillo, what advice can you give other parents?

We believe that it is not enough to sustain our children’s needs. We always need to be emotionally present for them. As parents, we need to guide them so that they may always follow the right path. We may feel sad when our kids experience difficulties but we just have to hold on and keep the faith. Let your children chase their dreams!

There are also times that, whenever we can’t seem to get the right answer in the worksheets, we consult the internet for answers. However, we realized that this is different from the Kumon way. For us to be able to maintain the Kumon way of teaching our kids, we must stick to the Kumon Method instead of searching for other methods.

Zian, were there times when you felt hardships in school and Kumon?

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Regional Article

“Your child needs to improve his work skills”

If

you are scratching your head hearing this from your child’s Kumon Instructor, wondering what this means, you are probably not alone. This is, after all, a term specific to Kumon. Being a Kumon jargon, does work skills only benefit a child in his Kumon study? Probably not, let us discover this concept of work skills and how it can benefit a child in his Kumon study and beyond.

Sometimes, we see a child lose concentration halfway through a worksheet, or before turning to the reverse side. Sometimes he runs to the candy jar or grabs a snack before continuing. Sometimes, we also see a child write with handwriting that is only legible to himself. The mentioned examples, that some of us may resonate with, are examples of poor work skills. “How then do I know if my

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child has good work skills,” you might ask.

When a student has good work skills, he can do his assigned worksheets with speed and concentration. As a definition, work skills do not refer only to the ability to concentrate on a good amount of worksheets and complete them quickly without stopping.

A child enrolled in the Kumon Program also develops good work skills in the following scenarios. He has the ability to complete his class work within a required time. He has a high level of concentration, keeps his eyes on the worksheet at all times, and flips to the reverse side of the worksheet, or the next worksheet immediately after completing a page. To further

illustrate the benefits of work skills, let us look at an example featuring the time when one started to learn to swim.

For example, a man, John, took up recreational swimming after ploughing through hours of instructional videos on YouTube. When John started, he managed to complete one lap in three minutes. Finding himself breathless after mindlessly trying to propel himself forward, John would always take a minute of rest before kicking off the wall for the return lap.

John started to enjoy gliding through water, breaking through the shackles of gravity and feeling himself surrounded by water. As he hit the pool more, his technique and, resultantly, his timing improved.

He could complete two laps in four minutes and upon touching the wall on the other end, immediately flip and kick off the wall for the return lap.

Relating back to the topic, John’s work skills improved and he could quickly move on to the next lap without stopping. As a result, his completion time improved from two laps in seven minutes to two laps in four minutes.

The benefits of work skills actually transcend beyond the boundaries of the Kumon Centers. Good work skills can also be practiced on school work and exams. Some students struggle to finish their examination papers on time. Of course it could be attributed to the lack of understanding of

the concepts. But if a child starts daydreaming in his mind when he should be concentrating on his exam paper, then a plausible reason would be the lack of work skills. Students with good work skills concentrate on their paper and use their pen to write continuously.

When a student enrolls in Kumon, the Instructor often assigns the students to a starting level that is lower than their grade level in school. This is one of the features of the Kumon Method designed to improve the work skills, concentration, and confidence of a student before he tackles more complex concepts, whether it be advancing to the next level, tackling the school grade level, or even

grappling with materials that are beyond the school grade level.

Now that you know it better, the next time your child’s Kumon Instructor tells you that your child lacks work skills, you know that he got distracted and lost focus halfway through the worksheets, did not quickly move to the reverse side or the next worksheet immediately after completing a page, or did not write his answers neatly in appropriate sized lettering.

Improving

the work skills of

Kumon Students

7

Feature

Instructors’ Quotes

Ms. Nita Shivdas ia Teacher Mnes

Taca

Kumon India & Sr

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i Lanka

pi

Kumon Philip

nt vanceme demic ad a c a g in to p y journe h develo A child’s egins wit b on g m in u rn K a f o elf-le y stages through s nts t the earl e a d s tu ill s k s e ork to hav strong w r, we aim h good the Cente In . ts and wit y e d e h tu s s f o e m lu m to the ood vo m one ite study a g move fro sly y e th ti s n a o nuou ation kly and c ic u concentr q r , e sw doing so dents an shed into ru next. Stu re a a f o y use the tanding not beca ng unders o ve tr ie s h ir c e a use th s them to but beca p lo us enable e c v fo e d g in to arn sly strive u o specific le u g n in ti n rn imilar lea ce, we co ating a s this. Hen r re e C h . rt g fu in nded to erstand recomme good und is e m o h ent at ills. environm n work sk strengthe

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It has been our en deavor to work tow ards the Kumon philosoph y of “Every Stude nt beyond Grade Level. ” To achie ve this milestone, it is imperative to develop the wo rk skills of every ch ild when they begin their Kumo n journey. In order to motivate children, progres s goals are set an d individualized instructions are ca rried out to help the m achieve these goals throu gh working on the ir wo rksheets with concentratio n, and improving mental calculations and complete conscie ntiousness.

Implementation of these enhanced work skills ensures that stude nts are able to pr ogress through their worksheets with ease and stu dy beyond their school grad e level. By develop ing these skill sets for students, we would be contr ibuting to the society and deve loping millennials who are ready to be in a dynami c environment an d have the ability to handle challen ging situations.

Having just read what work skills means, let’s take a look at what Instructors from around the region have to say about work skills.

Ibu Sri Lestari Kumon Indonesia

The Kumon features which I like most are the daily hom ework and repetitions.

Students’ work skills will be automatically developed if they keep on doing their homework on a daily basis and if they do not give up even when they have the same sets of worksheets give n by their Kumon Instructor.

Work skills are developed through study and effort, and it cannot happen overnight.

While there are no overnig miracles, the features I men ht tioned above are designed to form the child’s work skills. Through the Kumon Programs, we can develop work skills needed in order for students to gain success in academic life.

ur Ms. Kit Kalaia & New Zealand tr

Kumon Aus

r key this time thei life as during ’s ild ch a in itical ed. g the most cr ning are form cause ars are amon t towards lear bi st century be ha 21 d e The early ye an th g in in nt nd rta ta rs po n. de im ar un is especially n live and le rly learners w our childre ea ho in tting s on ill ge ct t sk ou k pe wor a task with in every as Developing d complete ged virtually ld. an an or te w ch tra d s en ire ha w nc technology n in today’s ability to co s re n’ ild re ch ild ’ work re ch ts rtu s refers to how we nu build studen As work skill ry mindful of ideal way to ve an is be to ch oa ed e ne ncil appr distracted, w paper-and-pe that Kumon’s ve skills. lie be ly I strong

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Making Wise Decisions for

My Children’s Future

By Atty. Sittie Raifah Pamaloy-Hassan Parents in all sectors are united in wanting the best for their children. As parents, even during the trying moments in our lives, we still prioritize their needs. As a human rights lawyer, I feel that I have to fulfill my children’s right – which is their right to education.

I was made aware of Kumon through social media when our friends and colleagues would often post their children’s achievements with pride – being excellent in math or joining international math competitions. Out of curiosity, my husband, Fahad, and I searched about Kumon in Google. We wanted to know more about the method and study the benefits it may provide for our children. Early on, I already believed that sending my twins, Abdul Rahim and Abdul Rahman, to Kumon meant giving them the best. As a busy working mother and a competitive person, I was not able to introduce to them anything about alphabets or numbers so I felt that my twins were way behind. Thus, I gave Kumon a try.

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Rising Up We enrolled Abdul Rahim and Abdul Rahman in Kumon last April 2017, a few weeks before the Marawi siege happened, and just a few weeks after I gave birth to my youngest son.

I thought that the timing was so wrong since evacuating and being displaced for a year due to the Marawi siege was a trial we could never forget.

During the siege, we evacuated along with hundreds of thousands of other residents in the city. Same with other Internally Displaced Persons, we just brought a few things thinking that the conflict would only last for a couple of days. My husband had shown me how Kumon was special to him that time. He placed inside his bag pack his pair of shorts and shirt, and the worksheets of the twins as if those were essential documents, leaving behind our marriage certificate, birth certificates, school records and other important papers.

The struggle was really real at that time. I was battling a postnatal depression after giving birth. We were displaced, sleeping every night not sure of tomorrow; but one thing remained normal, the twins were still doing their worksheets and continuing with Kumon even if it meant transferring to the Kumon Center in Cagayan de Oro for two months, the city where we sought refuge.

Kumon Time as Family Time At the beginning of their Kumon journey, Abdul Rahim and Abdul Rahman started Kumon not having any idea of numbers, shapes, and letters. They began with tracing numbers and letters, and familiarizing some math number sequences and English words.

As parents, we were required to be with our children every single day while they were doing their worksheets. As a working

Parent’s Article

mother, this tested my patience, discipline, and time management. We started from scratch and we tried implementing different strategies while determining the proper Kumon time. I assigned my husband in Math, while I assigned myself in Reading. My children and husband spent the morning for Math and transitioned to Reading with me in the evening.

As days and weeks passed by, it was getting harder and harder. They complained that they did not know the worksheets given and they needed me to be there. I always reminded them that those worksheets were theirs and I cannot answer them. I kept telling them to answer it with confidence. However, they still insisted on my presence and, sometimes, I ended up guiding them until they got it right.

Consequently, there were assignments left unanswered since my work required more official travels. Admittedly, my husband and I had some petty fights over the worksheets.

The difficulties I felt during those trying times made me want to quit. Yes, I wanted my children to quit. But every time I informed them of it, they would cry convincing me that they would do better. I am not a quitter myself, but I admit that the worksheets are laborious.

Continuing with Determination Everything changed when, one day, I picked up a small piece of paper in our room. What was written awakened me! It stated “GO FOR THE GOLD.” If my children are aiming for it and thinking that they could achieve it, then who am I to prevent them from going for it?

The eagerness and determination in their faces provided me strength to move forward.

After getting through numerous worksheets, the whole concept of Kumon started to sink in. Abdul Rahim and Abdul Rahman started working independently. They are now solving math problems and completing reading worksheets on their own. Every time they perfectly answer the worksheets, I sense the confidence, the motivation and the desire to achieve more. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that our twins, who just turned six years old, would be able to do division and read books fluently. Indeed, nothing is impossible with hard work and the spirit of willingness – attitudes they have learned from Kumon.

Entrusting my kids to Kumon for more than two years is one of the best decisions I have ever made. The program has shaped my twins into

children every parent wants – disciplined, respectful, and warriors. They have become goal and go getters. They were trained by Kumon to manage their time, and set their targets.

Seeing Life with Kumon We realized that Kumon does not work on the kids only. It even had an effect on us, the parents. We became partners in inculcating in our kids that failures and mistakes are an inevitable part of life and that we need those to succeed. In fact, Kumon molded me into the kind of mother that I am now.

Based on my experience, there was a misconception that Kumon will do everything. My journey made me realize that it is actually a trilateral venture. Quoting Teacher Grace Quijano, it takes a village to train a child. All parties play a vital role in the success of the child. Kumon parents shall not only supervise but be an alarm clock in reminding their children of their talents, capacities, and dreams. Undeniably, it will be a bittersweet trip. The process may not be that smooth, but the end result will be most cherished. To reiterate, joining Kumon is the wisest decision my husband and I have ever made as parents.

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Give your child an early start with the Kumon Program.

Talk to a Kumon Instructor and visit the nearest Center today!

KUMON PHILIPPINES, INC. MANILA

CEBU

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