Kumon Philippines - Potential 2020 Issue 2

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

July - December 2020

KUMOn FEATURE Resilience: Bouncing Back & Emerging Stronger

MY LIFE

MY DREAM • •

Geiah Lim Magnus Rex Navarro

FAMILY ARTICLE Preparing A Strong Foundation for the Future

Editor’s Note If there is one word that would perfectly describe Kumon students, it would be ‘resilience.’ Resilience is one person’s capacity to face any kind of adversity with hope, determination, and positivity. As long as Kumon students develop this kind of character, they learn how to maximize their potential to the fullest.

One example of determination and hard work is Geiah Lim’s journey of achieving her dreams with Kumon by her side. She learned that perseverance and self-motivation are enough driving forces for her to complete the Math Program, and to pursue her dream of becoming a Civil Engineer.

For Magnus Rex Navarro, his growing interest in numbers since he was a child led him to Kumon.

Through the program, he further honed his academic skills and self-confidence. This has led him to various opportunities where he can showcase his math abilities both locally and internationally. His parents, Mr. Martin Navarro and Mrs. Conci Navarro, regard Kumon as Magnus’ first real and longtime math training ground.

To be resilient also means to prepare for the future. Mr. Martin Defensor and Mrs. Maria Carmela Defensor put importance on supporting their children through celebrating their achievements, responding to their needs, and building the foundation of their children’s future.

Contents

As we traverse the next half of 2020, may we continuously see through life through the lens of a Kumon student – with hope and resilience for everything that is about to come.

My Life, My Dream

03 Achieving a Dream: Hard work Determination and Kumon 05

ON THE COVER Jul - Dec 2020 Magnus Rex Navarro

Geiah Lim

Pursuing a Child’s Potential through Patience, Perseverance and Kumon

Magnus Rex Navarro

Features

09 Regional Article

Resilience: Bouncing Back & Emerging Stronger

Kumon Philippines Have something to say?

Feel free to send us your thoughts on the newsletter!

Manila Office Tel: (02) 8885-0226 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. © 2020 Kumon Asia & Oceania Pte Ltd. All rights reserved.

11

Instructors’ Quotes

Regulars 13

Family Article

Preparing A Strong Foundation for The Future

My life, my dream

Achieving a Dream

Hard work, Determination and Kumon Geiah Lim Achievement Math Completer

Ambition Civil Engineer

Can you recall your first few months in Kumon? How was it?

Pursuit of potential is the Kumon Program’s mission. This holds true for each student, especially for Geiah Lim. She credits her academic and professional success to Kumon, specifically for pushing her to reach her dream of becoming an engineer.

This dream wasn’t always reachable for Geiah. Math was not her strongest point and this became even more evident when she was in third year high school. She was trying to finish her math assignment about square roots, when her older sister asked why she was still struggling with that topic.

“I was embarrassed by her remark. I thought that if I was already struggling with these simple math problems, how much more once I tackle the complicated problems.”

On that day, her older sister vowed to enroll her in the Kumon Math Program.

At first, Geiah refused. But later on, she told herself that this is what she needed – for her to build confidence and for her to be one step closer to reaching her dream.

Honestly, during my first few months in Kumon, I felt very awkward answering addition, subtraction, multiplication and division problems as a high school student. I was seeing little kids answering the same worksheets as mine. Later on, I realized how slow I was in answering multiplication and division worksheets. I couldn’t even memorize the multiplication tables of 6 and up! I felt embarrassed.

From that time on, I told myself I should do something about it. I have to relearn the basic skills in math, come up with techniques, and do the best that I can. I persevered until I finished all the levels.

What were your challenges in your Kumon study? How did you overcome them?

The first challenge that I had to face was to reach my school grade level. I started at Level A (Horizontal Addition and Subtraction); and since I was about to enter third year high school at that time, I had to reach Level I (Factorization, Square Roots, Quadratic Equations, the Pythagorean

Theorem) as soon as possible. This was because I wanted to have enough time to do the higher levels and complete the program before I graduate. To overcome this, my sister set goals for me; and for every goal met, she gave me incentives.

Another challenge that I faced in my Kumon journey was to learn new topics at every level and understand it by myself first. This was challenging for me especially in the last three levels of the program – Levels M (Trigonometry, Straight Lines, Circles), N (Loci, Sequences and Series, Limits of Functions, Differentiation), and O (Advanced Differentiation and Integration, Differential Equations). I considered myself lucky since every time I had difficulties and questions, I would just call my older sister or older brother to explain the topic to me. One time, when I had my first encounter in differential calculus, I asked help from my older brother and he really explained it so well. Surprisingly, differential calculus became my favorite type of calculus.

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

I am very thankful to my parents because they raised us, their children, as independent, diligent, and hardworking individuals. They also taught us to be patient, humble, and persevering. They instilled in us that we can achieve anything we want in life if we work hard and believe that we can do it. Even though they were not around when I became a Kumon Completer, I know I made them happy and they were proud of me.

Aside from my parents, my older sister, Desiree, was my number one supporter. She knew that I wanted to take up Civil Engineering as my

Jul - Dec 2020

3

My life, my dream

college course so she really pushed me to complete the program before I enter college. She only set two goals for me: reach my grade level and complete the program. She made sure to call me constantly and followup on me every step of the way. She was there when I took the completion test in Cebu City last November 2011.

How did Kumon help you in school? In your chosen career?

In college, as a civil engineering student, math was my everyday life. I realized that if I had not improved my math skills, I would be having a hard time studying any engineering course.

When all my classmates struggled in our basic math subjects, I breezed through them. With the experiences and the foundation I developed in my Kumon study, I had less struggles and had more confidence in all my math subjects. I also became more competitive in math because I brought all the knowledge and techniques I learned from high school and my Kumon study. Even though I lived with my sister in Cebu City, I did not need to consult her for any help in my math subjects because I had learned to do things on my own – all thanks to my training in Kumon!

learned the topic. It was really a memorable experience in high school!

Also, Kumon did not only help me in my studies, but it also helped me become a better person. It gave me a deeper perspective of life, made me more positive, and proved that nothing is impossible with hard work and faith in God. Despite all the negativities in this world, I learned that there is always a light at the end of the tunnel. Challenges and trials will always come, but if I know how to find ways, just like a solution to an algebraic equation or a calculus problem, I will be able to arrive at a solution no matter what method I use. Especially in my career as an engineer, there is always a solution to every problem. If at first the solution did not work, then I find another one until the problem is solved. That is life!

You just have to try and try until you succeed!

What is your most significant learning from your Kumon journey?

Furthermore, Kumon equipped me with life skills that I am now applying in my chosen career. Just like when I was still a student, discipline, time management, and perseverance are also essential in real life. I am able to handle work-related problems gracefully because I have been exposed to a lot of challenges while I was a Kumon student and an engineering student.

In my entire Kumon journey, I have learned that perseverance and not giving up easily brought me to where I am today. Also, self-motivation is my driving force so that everything that I have to take or undergo will be less burdensome. I set my mind to view challenges as learning experiences.

The more challenges I face, the more learning there is. If I commit mistakes, I have to learn from them. If I fail, there is still a chance to bounce back from my mistakes and failures and eventually emerge as victorious.

How did Kumon develop and change you?

What was your inspiration to complete the program?

Kumon really made a big difference in my student life. Before, I was just one of the “Good in Math” students in class. After doing Kumon, I suddenly became the “Best in Math” student in class. I became more confident in dealing with math problems, analyzed faster and struggled no more. One time in our math class, my teacher asked me to explain something about Trigonometry in front of the class and my teacher was surprised how I

One of my inspirations for completing the program was improving how I see myself. From the beginning of my Kumon journey, I had always thought that I was better than what people think of me and I wanted to prove them wrong. I always kept in mind that my success would depend on how I persevere and how patient I am in every difficulty that I face. It’s really on me if I fail because I didn’t do my best.

4 Potential Philippines

Also, my family was my other source of inspiration to complete the program. They were always there to support and believe in me. I wanted to make them proud of me, especially my father who passed away when I was a little girl.

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

When you answer your worksheets, find the way that suits you well. Look for a technique or a strategy that will help you understand the problems easily. If you’re confused, seek help from the teacher or be resourceful by doing research from the Internet where information is readily available.

Difficulties will always arise but they are only temporary. You may cry for a while but make sure you stand up again. Never ever give up because eventually, with your persistence, you will arrive at your destination without you realizing it.

I know you can do it! I’ve been there, and I know that you will also accomplish what I have accomplished.

My life, my dream

Pursuing a Child’s Potential through Patience, Perseverance, and Kumon

Magnus Rex Navarro Achievement

Math Completer

Ambition Become an engineer and a composer

A child’s inclination for something – be it in academics, in sports, or through hobbies – can be observed even during his early years. This was the case with Magnus Rex Navarro. He was only two years old when his parents, Mr. Martin and Mrs. Conci Navarro, noticed his amusement with numbers.

“He would pick-up items similar to what he saw in his favorite episodes of Sesame Street and Barney and start counting them. Funny as it may seem, he enjoyed looking at car plates and conduction stickers and pointed to each of the digits he saw while saying these aloud.”

To supplement his growing interest in numbers, Mr. and Mrs. Navarro started to teach Magnus using flash cards and introduced the concept of addition using small numbers.

This proved beneficial since he

developed the ability to correctly read and write large numbers based on place value at the age of four.

Upon the suggestion of his maternal grandparents, enrolling Magnus in Kumon was considered to further hone his math and academic ability.

“Teacher Arlene sensed the potential in Magnus back then and we were only happy to support our son in developing his emerging talent in math by enrolling him in Kumon. We believed that being in Kumon would be a great opportunity for Magnus to learn more about math – beyond what can be offered by a regular school curriculum.”

Indeed, Magnus not only reaped achievements in school and in math competitions, but he has also reached the pinnacle of his Kumon journey –

the completion of the Math Program in June 2019 – making him, at that point, the youngest Completer of the program in his Center.

Magnus, how did you feel when your parents told you that you would be going to Kumon?

I was only four-and-a-half years old when I was enrolled in Kumon. My parents were the ones who decided to enroll me in the Math Program because they said I had potential that could be developed. I remember being given a test and I enjoyed the test because it was about numbers, which was something I liked. I didn’t mind being told by my parents that I was going to be enrolled in Kumon. I simply thought of Kumon as a school where I will be able to meet new friends and have new playmates. I Jul - Dec 2020

5

My life, my dream

also thought I will have a lot of time learning about numbers and that made me feel happy.

How did your parents motivate you to answer your worksheets and to reach your goal?

Did you experience any difficulty with your worksheets?

What did you do to answer these problems? Did these become easier for you?

My parents asked me what I wanted to become when I grow up. I told them I wanted to become an engineer.

They said that engineers do a lot of math. If I did well in my Kumon Math worksheets, then I could probably become a good engineer. There were also times when my Dad and I would answer the Kumon items together, but I would do it in my worksheet and my Dad would do it on the whiteboard.

It’s like a competition. After answering each page, we check to see who gets the most number of correct answers.

My first worksheets were relatively easy. It’s just that, as a little boy, my handwriting was still bad when I wrote my answers in the worksheets.

Sometimes, I felt bored when I already knew how to answer correctly and the items keep on repeating. That was why it excited me whenever new topics were taught. Yes, I experienced difficulty as the levels went higher. I remembered crying and complaining and begging my parents to allow me not to answer the worksheets anymore. But I had no choice. I had to do those worksheets whether I liked it or not. When I had to answer difficult problems, I would approach my parents and seek help from them.

I eventually learned which topics can be handled by my Mom, and which topics would make me approach my Dad for help. My Kumon teachers were patient with me as well. There was Teacher Francy, Teacher Ronald, Teacher Sheila, and Teacher Bok. Teacher Sheila was my teacher for the longest time and she helped me a lot as I went from one level to the next level.

10

6 Potential Philippines

My parents are proud of me and my Kumon achievements. They always tell me how good they felt every time I was in the Advanced Students’ Forum (ASF) Top 10. That made me feel good also.

Mr. and Mrs. Navarro, what challenges have you encountered as a parent? How did you overcome these?

A constant struggle for us was getting a very young child to: start doing his worksheets, write his answers legibly and keep his worksheets free from smudges or tears, and finish his worksheets the soonest.

Young children would be more concerned about doing things other

than academics – they would rather play than study. In Magnus’ case, he would prefer watching kid-friendly shows on TV or DVD, play with his toys, or even eat, rather than answer ten pages of Kumon worksheets on a daily basis. Young children also have a short attention span. This was evident with Magnus who would usually turn restless when he does something similar for a long period of time and would become excited when introduced to something new.

However, that period of excitement would slowly deteriorate when he begins to realize that he is spending so much time again on something seemingly so repetitive.

In dealing with that kind of challenge, we had to exercise parental authority to help him get into the habit of creating a sort of “new normal” for a child his age. Whether he liked it or not, those worksheets had to be done. And it did not matter if, upon submission to the Center, those sheets were: dampened by teardrops from seemingly endless crying, showed damages resulting from reluctance to start working, or manifested heavy pencil smudges and crumpled or torn portions from tantrum-tainted erasing.

The next challenge, as he grew older, was to instill moderation in the use of his gadgets. Even though he is physically big for his age, he is still a

My life, my dream

child who would rather spend more time playing than doing academic activities. The inability to apply play time moderation can lead to a lack of focus or distraction in other activities.

There were those times when, while doing his worksheets, he could not think of anything else but the game he was currently “obsessed” with in his gadget. As such, rather than finish the soonest, it would take him longer than usual.

We had to exercise parental authority once more, but this time on a more authoritative approach. We came up with a simple “Gadget Use Contract” with him which basically listed down all the DOs and DON’Ts on gadget use, as well as the corresponding disciplinary action to be imposed in case of infraction.

Procrastination was another issue.

He began to discover the tactics of procrastination where he would try to work on all his worksheets on the last day before the next session day in the Center. For this one, we let him experience personally the consequences of having to do things on the last day. It resulted to him growing tired while doing his worksheets. He eventually realized that doing one set per day was actually a better option.

In the midst of these challenges, we constantly reminded him how good it felt to be an achiever and that hard work never goes unrecognized.

How has Kumon helped Magnus excel in school and in his extracurricular activities? What opportunities or benefits did Kumon give your son?

Kumon has definitely helped Magnus excel in school, especially in math.

Because it takes him a shorter amount of time to do his mathrelated activities, he is able to use the extra time he has to focus on subjects he feels he needs to study more. Even if Singapore Math is the method followed by his school, the discipline he developed through the Kumon Method helped him strengthen his study habits. Because of his advanced skill level in math, he has been able to teach his younger brother on school math lessons and Kumon worksheet topics, which has been one of the great ways for the siblings to bond with each other. In school, his teachers recognized his math prowess, which is the reason he has been asked, at times, to help his classmates who are having difficulty in math.

Since he was in grade two, Magnus has been invited to become a part

of the ProMath group of students in his school. It is a pool of students who can be tapped to take part in school-sanctioned annual Math competitions such as the Metrobank MTAP Challenge and the EyeLevel Math Olympiad. In order for him to join other possible math competitions, we also enrolled him for Math practice sessions with the Math Training Guild (MTG) and the Asian MathSci League, Inc. (AMSLI), which are both partnered with various international mathematics competition organizers.

Magnus has qualified for and achieved podium finishes for the Philippines from international and global-local competitions. In 2019, he was one of four students in his grade level in school who was recognized by the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), through the Youth Excellence in Science (YES) Awards, for his success in various international Math competitions.

As Kumon was the first real and long-time math training ground for Magnus, it opened up opportunities for him to be recognized for his math abilities, to train further to develop his math skills, and to represent the country during international and global-local competitions. Taking part in such competitions also gave him

Jul - Dec 2020

7

My life, my dream

the chance to meet and interact with students from other Philippine schools and from other countries. The level of difficulty in the competitions pushed him to perform better, which helped boost his self-confidence and made him trust his abilities more.

Magnus, what are your dreams?

I dream of becoming an engineer. I love to build using Lego bricks and I love to solve Rubik’s cubes. I actually have a collection of different kinds of Rubik’s cubes. I like playing with simple electronics by creating small stuff using toy motors, small light bulbs, circuit boards, batteries, and wires. I also like listening to music. I learned to play the piano in the past.

Maybe I can become a composer too someday.

Mr. and Mrs. Navarro, how has Kumon helped prepare your son Magnus for the future?

Kumon has helped in laying down the foundation for Magnus’ future.

Not only has he become excellent academically, which will help him with his course of choice; but he has also developed traits needed to face challenges and to strive for his dreams. It has increased his confidence and nurtured his desire to become an achiever. It has also helped him develop good study habits, specifically with being

8 Potential Philippines

able to do his school assignments independently and without reminding, and has made him more accountable for his shortcomings.

Most importantly, it has taught him to appreciate the people around him. It made him realize that he would not have gone as far as completing the Math Program, or even overcoming the bumps along the way, without the support and encouragement of his parents, grandparents, and teachers.

• Support your children’s interests.

What advice would you give to parents on how to support their child in Kumon?

You’ve gone this far. You’ve already spent money and exerted effort, specifically spending hours in facing their tantrums and reluctant cries to not do worksheets anymore. Move forward and help them achieve their first taste of success to the best of your ability. For all you know, that first taste of success will only make them feel good and eventually desire to constantly become an achiever in the future.

• Do not give up!

This is not for us, but for our children.

Remember, “One father’s love for his son gave birth to the Kumon Method of Learning,” which was triggered by a mother’s concern over the academic performance of her son.

Kumon is about love for children and developing their love for learning.

• Allow your children to experience and learn from mistakes.

We sometimes force them to finish their Kumon. If they don’t want to, let them be and make them realize themselves how harder it will become for them in the long run to miss just one worksheet.

Whether it be in the area of academics or in the field of arts, be present for and with them. If your schedule permits, learn what they are learning. Let them feel that you are one with them in learning and not a mere separate entity. Apply empathy with your children when it comes to learning.

• Help your children achieve success.

• Trust in the Kumon Method.

If someone tells you that the Kumon Method is not recommendable for students of an academic institution that espouses a different learning method for math, simply let those words enter one ear and exit the other. The beauty of what can be learned is in the eye of the learner.

Regional Article

Resilience:

Bouncing Back and Emerging Stronger

Life is full of ebbs and flows. It is inevitable that you will encounter difficulties at some point in time. When such difficult situations occur, there are generally two options. One, is to let the disappointment, frustration or anger that you are feeling stop you in your tracks. The other; which it not easy, is to let the difficult situation that you have encountered, motivate you and serve as a chance for self-improvement. The ability to bounce back stronger from hard times, rather than letting failures or disappointments keep you down, is known as resilience.

Why Building Resilience in Children is important?

Resilience is an important trait for all of us, and an essential one for our children to develop. It helps to create happier, less stressed children wherever they are – whether in school, at home or attending their enrichment classes. Children are able to emerge from challenging experiences with a positive sense of themselves and their future.

According to a report by the World Economic Forum1, 65% of the children who entered primary school in 2016 will be in new jobs that have not been invented. Resilient children will find themselves better placed than their less resilient peers to gain the new knowledge and skills necessary for them to succeed in these newly invented jobs.

Now with the COVID-19 pandemic that shook the world, building resilience in children is more important than ever. Early this year, stringent measures and movement restriction orders were put in place around the world. As a result, schools and enrichment centres were closed and children had to adapt to a new way of learning – home-based learning.

Jul - Dec 2020

9

Regional Article

Home-based learning, being a different paradigm, poses different challenges to many children. Instead of the face-to-face learning in a physical classroom that they are used to, they are required to learn using a plethora of video conferencing and digital classroom applications. This has also exposed the learning to certain interruptions, including those from younger siblings and network outages. These are the uncertainties that require, other than support of the parents, resilience from the children to overcome emotionally and mentally.

As Kumon Centers are closed for in-Center study, students now have to complete all their assigned worksheets as homework, instead of the usual routine that they are used to. Thankfully, Kumon is a program that suits home-based learning. When students begin learning with Kumon, they are assigned worksheets, according to their “just-right” level, to complete daily.

They complete these worksheets, which are designed to take students through difficult concepts in very small-steps, by studying the examples and hints on the worksheets. They then attempt to solve the problems and complete the worksheets on their own. This continual exposure to challenges develops the resilience, discipline, self-learning and problem-solving skills, which are integral to effective home-based learning.

Beyond the pandemic, the self-learning ability will help Kumon students in various pursuits outside the confines of the Kumon Center. Mr. Toru Kumon, founder of Kumon, expressed this point when he wrote to the Kumon Instructors in a longstanding publication, Yamabiko, in 1986, “We hope they develop an academic ability that is solid enough to enable them to understand new content without having to be taught. Children who have developed the habit of self-learning will surely grow to become people who can continue solving problems in life on their own. They will be able to do this by continuing to read and learn through books, even after university and as they venture out into the world. This is why I want as many children as possible to learn with Kumon.”

1

World Economic Forum, Chapter 1: The Future Of Jobs and Skills, retrieved from

https://reports.weforum.org/future-of-jobs-2016/chapter-1-the-future-of-jobs-and-skills/#view/fn-1

10 Potential Philippines

Feature

Instructors’ Quotes “There is never good enough. There is

“I understand that squeezing Kumon in

always something better” - Mr. Toru Kumon

with school, all within the confines of home, may be challenging for children and their

The Kumon worksheets were designed

parents. But children are using their time

with incremental difficulty in small steps

well to keep learning. In fact, many of my

which helps students be resilient and

students are actually asking for more

keep on learning level by level. Eventually,

worksheets as they have completed their

the process helps improve their skills and

homework ahead of schedule. They are

maximize their potential while learning

also responding well to pre-arranged video

through the examples provided.

call sessions.

Many young children are doing advanced

I see this is as my students showing a great

study, that not only develops their

deal of resilience through the pandemic.

academic ability, but also produces strong

This shows me that it is always possible

progress in terms of their independence,

to bring out the best in every child, in any

enthusiasm, decision making ability which

situation.”

might help them in the future – thanks to the Kumon Method!”

Ms. Nurul Syamimi Pauzi Kumon Malaysia

Ms. Krishna Sharma Kumon Australia and New Zealand

Jul - Dec 2020

11

Feature

We have read that resilience is especially important during the COVID-19 pandemic.

How important is resilience in our children’s Kumon journey and does Kumon nurture this essential trait in our children? Let us read on to see what some of our Kumon Instructors from around the region have to say.

“Some days, your child’s Kumon worksheets

In my Center, I have seen my students in

feel super easy and homework is finished

diverse phases and forms of challenges.

in 5 mins; other days, they feel challenging

They struggle with new and difficult lessons,

and even impossible (cue: tears and

grapple with the load of worksheets to be

tantrums). Through the Kumon journey,

done, and even juggle balancing their time

our students gain an important life skill -

between school work and Kumon home

resilience. We are committed to nurturing

work. These are some of the adversities

your child to embrace the difficult or the

they face every day. As a Kumon Instructor, I

unknown in his/her worksheets and to never

have a role in helping my students develop

give up when it gets tough. When a page is

resilience. By encouraging them to never

full of errors, we figure out why, correct our

give up when confronted with hardships

mistakes and learn from them. Resilience

and to learn from their mistakes and move

gets us through Kumon which, just like life,

forward, I believe that I can boost their

is full of ups and downs but ultimately an

resilience within them.

enriching experience for all!”

Ms. Caley Lim

Kumon Brunei

12 Potential Philippines

Teacher Wunnie Tan Kumon Philippines

Preparing a strong foundation for the Future

Family Article

By: PCOL Martin Defensor, father of Matthew and Naomi Defensor

In recent years, both of our children, Matthew (11 years old) and Naomi (7 years old), have officially become the country’s “mathletes” where they have the opportunity to compete with other kids from other countries. Whenever they compete abroad, my wife and I also have the chance to be with them and share their excitement and competitiveness. Sometimes, we were even more nervous than them.

Our family’s bond has become stronger as we have accomplished our goals together. During these times, we feel that we belong to a team – “Team DEFENSOR” as we coin it. In fact, our children’s success in international competitions can be attributed to their

zeal and dedication to excel and win, their long and painstaking reviews and preparations, their strong foundation in Kumon.

Beginning in Kumon When our first born child, Matthew, was only three years old, we noticed his promising talent in math. This was when we decided to look for something to help him harness his potential. The realization hit us when we passed through Skyway (from Alabang to Makati) and we saw a huge billboard of Kumon on our right (just before Sucat Exit). So we thought, “this could be it!”

That week, we attended a Kumon Parent Orientation and we were impressed by the sight of small kids doing Math and Reading topics advanced for their age and grade levels. Right there and then, we enrolled Matthew – not knowing that this would be one of the best decisions we have ever made for him.

Not very long after that and much to our delight, Matthew showed incredible progress. We were very pleased to see him doing addition of fractions at the age of five. So when we had our daughter, Naomi, we decided to enroll her in Kumon too when she was only two and a half years old.

Jul - Dec 2020

13

Family Article

Celebrating Victories After months and years of doing their daily Kumon worksheets, our children have learned the value of perseverance, patience and hard work. They appreciate that their school lessons are so much easier and that they are both excelling in school because they are already used to doing more advanced lessons in Kumon.

Not only that, Kumon has taught them time management, self-discipline and good study habits. Even at a young age, they know that they have to finish their homework and worksheets early so that they will have time to play.

For us, this basic foundation gives our children an edge over kids their age especially in terms of academic achievement. Matthew has become

14 Potential Philippines

a world champion in the Hong Kong International Math Competition and a 1st-Runner Up in Thailand International Math Challenge. He has also won several Gold Medal Awards in Math, English and Science subjects in Singapore, China, Japan, Malaysia, and received the Highest Recognition in the US and Australian math challenge. He has also been hailed the national champion of the “Diwa Pasiklaban sa Paaralan� last year and has a lot more strings of successes since he started competing. Gladly, Naomi is steadily following his footsteps, also winning medals from international and national competitions.

Providing Support Being in the Kumon program demands a lot of dedication and determination from our children. On our part as parents, we always give

our 100% commitment and support to them. There have been times when Matthew and Naomi cry because of disappointment and exhaustion and we ask them if they want to quit.

But they always insist that they can do it and that they want to become Completers. We continue to teach them the value of hard work and perseverance, and we don’t stop encouraging them to continue even though there are times that the progress seems so slow.

Also, during the times that they feel weary and distracted, we ask them to take a little break by playing, reading some books, practicing their musical instruments or doing anything they like to do. Then, after that short breather, we urge them to go back and finish their worksheets.

Somehow, ever since they have started Kumon and up to this time,

Family Article

they have managed to continue and patiently move towards their aspiration of completing both the Math and Reading Programs.

Overcoming Challenges As working parents, our challenge in our children’s Kumon study is our availability and time to be with them when they do their worksheets. We understand that we need to find time for us to be with them and guide them as they are doing their school works and worksheets. Thankfully, Matthew has overcome the stage that he still needs our help with Math. As he is already a Completer in Reading, and his lessons in Math are way beyond our basic math knowledge, we find ourselves devoting our time now helping Naomi with her worksheets in Math and Reading.

We regard Kumon as essential in the building of our children’s educational milestones. We have lofty goals for them and we realize that the only way we can help them reach those goals is to buttress those milestones with a very strong learning foundation system. We are convinced that the Kumon system has proven to be effective in helping us reach our children’s goals.

For now, we are so happy with the successes and academic accomplishments of our children.

Even during these times that we are facing a pandemic and are experiencing some setbacks, we made a strong resolve not to allow these things derail our plans for them.

To our fellow Kumon parents: Yes, being the parents of achieving kids is very rewarding. There is so much joy and pride that you feel every time your children bring home successes and winnings. Just focus on that vision and on those moments of glory. The steps towards that goal will be challenging both for you and your kids. There will be times that you will be on the edge of quitting, but never ever give up! Whenever you feel disappointed and exhausted, just take a break for a while, and then go back to the task when you feel alright and ready. Again, NEVER, EVER GIVE UP!

Jul - Dec 2020

15

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)