Kumon Philippines - Potential 2021 Issue 1

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

JANJun 2021

Editor’s Note In the current setup of online remote and distance learning, there is one skill that can best help students cope with the change of learning setup – that is self-learning. Self-learning is taking in information, processing it, and retaining it without the need for another individual to be teaching for students to gain understanding. This is one of the skills Kumon aims to develop in all children, which has helped our three featured stories achieve success.

Arvin Lawrence Hao developed self-learning through answering worksheets every day. This routine helped instill in him good study habits and time management skills, which helped him succeed in school, become a Kumon Math Completer while in college, and pursue a career as a licensed electronics and communications engineer.

For Anne Gabrielle Escaño, seeing how Kumon developed the skills, confidence and discipline in her two brothers was what inspired her to give the program a try. The main objective of her parents, Mr. Richard and Mrs. Nova Escaño, eventually evolved as she progressed through the program – from being proficient and advanced in math to developing discipline, focus and self-learning to help her achieve her goals.

Being self-learners is one of the benefits Mr. and Mrs. Jamie Paraunda has seen in their three children, Vince Jim, John Paul, and Mary Brenn, as they progressed through the program. These skills, along with their dedication to be and give their best, are their driving force in being the achievers that they are today.

Contents

May the determination and conviction of a self-learner to strive through the challenges and celebrate the triumphs be instilled in us we begin and face the year 2021.

My Life, My Dream

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

JANJun 2021

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ON THE COVER Jan - Jul 2021 Anne Gabrielle A. Escaño

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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.

Arvin Lawrence Hao

Success Beyond Academics: Developing Good Study Habits and Values

Anne Gabrielle A. Escaño

Features

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Kumon Philippines

Becoming Disciplined, Independent, and Successful through Kumon

Regional Article

Self-learning for a fast-changing world

09 Instructors’ Quotes

Regulars 11

Family Article

Passion, Dedication, and Perseverance: The Kumon Journey

My Kumon journey

Becoming Disciplined, Independent, and Successful through Kumon

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he ability to study and learn topics independently is one reason parents enroll their children in learning programs.

For Engr. Arvin Lawrence Hao, this reason, along with a recommendation from a cousin, was the reason he decided to give Kumon a try.

“The first few months in Kumon were fun. I was given a Diagnostic Test and placed in a level below school grade level. It made the worksheets I had to complete fairly easy to do, and it gave me a sense of accomplishment after finishing the worksheets.”

However, when he reached Level D (Long Multiplication, Long Division, Introduction to Fractions), Arvin was having difficulty with the topics. It reached a point that he wanted to quit, but his parents discouraged him from quitting.

“I was close to quitting as well when I was in college, but then I realized how near I was from completing the program. It gave me the drive to continue given the fact that I learned quite a lot during my stay in Kumon.”

His decision to stay until the end goal bore fruit as Arvin has completed the Kumon Math Program while in college and is now a licensed electronics and communications engineer.

Can you recall your last few months before completion? How was it?

The last few months before completion was difficult. I just entered college and answered the last levels of the Kumon Math Program, which were challenging. Finding the time to adjust to my new college life and to answer those worksheets was something. I was fortunate that Teacher Bel allowed me to go to Kumon only when my schedule allows.

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

One challenge was time management. I had to juggle my time between English and Chinese classes, school assignments, Kumon worksheets, and guitar lessons. To overcome that challenge, I

created a schedule so that the tasks won’t seem overwhelming. I focused on one task at a time and moved on to the next after finishing. Also, I allotted a specific portion of my day for Kumon. By doing this, answering worksheets was not too much of a burden How did your parents support you to complete the program and reach your goals?

My parents were very supportive. During my last few years, they did not rush nor pressure me to do the worksheets knowing that I was often tired from school. They told me to take it slow as I was very close to achieving the Jet Plane.

Were you already a self-learner before joining Kumon? How did Kumon develop this in you?

No, I was not a self-learner before I enrolled in Kumon. I believe that the routine of giving worksheets to be answered throughout the week was the main factor that developed the ability to self-learn in me. With this process, it was like Kumon already scheduled what I needed to answer. Initially, I just followed the schedule that was set for me. Over time, I also learned to apply this in my school work and Kumon homework, which further improved my self-learning skills.

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My Kumon journey

How did Kumon and the ability to self-learn help you in school? In your chosen career?

Kumon helped me a lot, especially during my high school days. When the teacher discussed the math lesson, the topic was already familiar to me, which allowed me to focus on the more challenging topics and made learning and understanding the lessons easier for me. It also made me independent in doing things and not reliant on people for every single problem. This boosted my self-confidence and self-esteem and allowed me to help instead of being a burden to people I meet.

How did Kumon shape your character and outlook towards life?

Kumon taught me how to be responsible, especially during the first few years when I had to finish ten to twenty pages of worksheets every day. It also taught me to be disciplined. No matter how busy I was, I knew that I had to start and finish my assignments. I always reminded myself that, even when traveling abroad, the learning continues.

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

What is your most significant learning from your Kumon journey?

Keep on persevering. Kumon is not easy, especially when your Kumon level is way above your current grade level. But always remember that repetition is the key, and it will get easier as time goes by.

I believe my most significant takeaway from Kumon is my ability to manage my time well. I can manage my time efficiently so that I can accomplish a lot of things without it draining me too much by the end of the day.

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Success Beyond academics: Developing Good Study Habits and Values

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arents are the best assessors for educational and learning programs. Seeing the advantages of a program in their child pushes them to encourage their friend’s children to do the same or enroll their other children in the same program. This was the case for Anne Gabrielle A. Escaño. Her parents, Mr. Richard and Mrs. Nova Escaño, were encouraged to enroll her in Kumon since both of her older brothers were also enrolled in the program. Anne agreed to this since she was inspired by how Kumon helped her two brothers improve and excel.

“My brothers were enrolled in Kumon at an early age. I was inspired to see how Kumon helped them improve their skills in Math and their study habits; in the process, it developed their confidence and self-discipline as well.”

For Mr. and Mrs. Escaño, the objective was for Anne to learn and be proficient in math and be advanced in her school lessons. However, their goals for her in Kumon evolved. It is now more of being able to discipline oneself, be self-reliant in accomplishing tasks, and focus on her studies despite difficulties and challenges being faced.

“As parents, we place importance on teaching her the value of perseverance and self-discipline to encourage her to endure any challenges, to help her resist distractions and doing unnecessary activities, and to encourage her to keep on pursuing her dreams. We hope that, as young as she is, she will learn the values of perseverance and self-discipline.”

Through Kumon, Anne continues to develop these values, academic skills, good study habits, and more as she tackles advanced topics in the Math Program and as she continues to navigate through and excel in the new normal of blended learning.

Anne, do you remember your first few weeks in Kumon? What was it like?

My first few weeks were challenging, considering that the Kumon Method of Learning is quite different from what I am used to in school. I had to learn how to be independent and to observe my schedule in answering my daily worksheets. With the guidance of my Kumon Instructor and my parents, I was able to hurdle these challenges during those first few weeks.

Did you experience any difficulty with your worksheets? What did you do to answer these problems?

Did these become easier for you?

Like most Kumon students, I experienced difficulties adjusting to Kumon and completing my worksheets within the allotted time. At first, I had to ask

my Kumon Instructor, siblings, and parents for assistance, especially when I had to answer challenging problems and topics yet to be discussed in school.

However, as time went by, I have become more independent in completing my worksheets with determination and perseverance. I have also developed the ability to focus on my goal and reach it.

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My Kumon journey

Mr. and Mrs. Escaño, how do you support Anne in her Kumon study? How do you motivate her, especially in her low moments?

We’ve provided Anne with a study area conducive to studying, and we always remind her to follow her schedule in answering her Kumon worksheet and avoid distractions. We ensure that she has healthy habits to focus and make the most of her time spent studying and answering Kumon worksheets. Whenever she gets tired of doing Kumon worksheets, we try to find enjoyable activities for her to do like playing the ukulele, singing, and dancing. More importantly, we always assure Anne of our love and support.

How has Kumon changed her learning attitude and character? What opportunities/benefits did Kumon give your child?

Kumon has greatly helped Anne develop effective study habits, including pre-

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paring and following a daily schedule and setting specific goals during study times. She has learned to cultivate self-discipline and the attitude of not giving up easily, particularly when the lessons become more challenging to understand and problems more difficult to solve. She has developed self-reliance and the determination to prepare ahead of time, which is very important to succeed in life. Because of this, she has become independent in accomplishing her assignments/ tasks in school and carrying out her duties and responsibilities as the Vice President of their school’s Supreme Student Government.

How has Kumon helped Anne adapt to the current learning situation?

As Anne is already used to accomplishing Kumon worksheets on her own, we believe that it has helped her easily cope with the blended learning method adopted by their school during the

pandemic. Like most of the students’ experience, she is faced with different challenges in the present learning method; but she can make the most of what is currently available. She remains motivated to learn and does not complain of the difficulties she’s facing from time to time.

Anne, how did the ability to self-learn help you in your current learning situation?

Being trained to self-learn in Kumon has greatly helped me cope and adjust quickly to my school’s current blended learning method during this time of the pandemic.

My daily routine, which I faithfully observe, includes accomplishing modules, attending online classes, and completing Kumon worksheets.

I’m confident that I can do well in all these activities with my family and teachers’ support.

What changes/developments have you noticed in yourself now?

Kumon has helped me develop good study habits and self-learn, which I’m already applying in my studies. I enjoy studying and the challenge of excelling in school, both in academic and extra-curricular activities. I am a consistent “With Highest Honors” student and currently the Vice President of our school’s Supreme Student Government. Kumon played a significant part in developing my confidence and motivation in realizing my dreams.

What are your dreams?

I dream of having a fulfilled life and being able to serve and inspire others.

In particular, I dream of becoming a renowned physician who helps those in need and makes a difference in our community. I also hope to travel to many more beautiful countries together with my family and experience/learn different cultures. Of course, I aspire to be a Kumon Math

Program Completer. I lift up to God all these dreams and aspirations that I may be able to follow His will and glorify Him in everything that I do.

Mr. and Mrs. Escaño, how has Kumon helped prepare your child for the future?

More than learning the techniques in answering different mathematical problems, Kumon has helped us impart the values of self-discipline, perseverance, and independence to our child. Through Kumon, we are grateful that we could find an excellent avenue of teaching these values to Anne as it will help maximize her potential and make her a step closer to reaching her dreams and aspirations in life.

journey, foremost, we have to explain and let them understand why they are doing the Kumon program and what’s in it for them. This way, they will be inspired to accomplish their worksheets, follow schedules, and eventually, complete the program. We also need to provide them a study area/environment conducive to learning. On the other hand, we should also consider giving them adequate study breaks and engaging them in enjoyable activities to avoid burnout. It is important for our children to achieve a good studylife balance.

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

As parents, we should always be there for our children, to give them our unconditional love and constant encouragement.

To support them succeed in their Kumon

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Regional Article

Self-learning for a fast-changing world The pace of change in the 21st century has been faster than it has ever been. New jobs have been created, digital adoption has also been accelerated, and as most have experienced, a new mode of learning, working and conducting meetings. In these instances, self-learning could be one of the ways to acquire knowledge.

According to the US Department of Education1, self-learning enables individuals to develop curiosity and willingness to try new things, view problems as challenges, desire change and take pleasure in learning.

For Kumon students, self-learning is an important skill throughout their Kumon journey as the Kumon Program is designed to be a self-learning program, with little to zero reliance on the Instructors. Working out the answers or solutions on their own is not only rewarding for children, it also helps to solidify the learning.

As children start to take ownership of their own learning, they develop confidence and motivation. More importantly, they develop the self-learning skill that will benefit them not just in Kumon but in their future academic pursuits and professional career.

Kumon founder, Toru Kumon, is a lifelong believer of the benefits of self-learning. This was sparked by his own experience in self-learning as a child. When he was in fifth grade, his math teacher informed the class that if they could learn from the textbook on their own, they could advance. He felt happy to be able to study at his own pace and did so enthusiastically. Toru Kumon later moved to Tosa Junior High School (equivalent to lower secondary) and was similarly exposed to a self-learning method, where the teacher taught only the basics and encouraged students to learn by themselves.

“This method suited me very well. If I advanced beyond the school grade level, I would have an easy time studying in school.

In addition, I didn’t like to be forced into studying or having to listen to teachers’ lectures, so an educational policy which encourages students to learn what they liked at their own pace by themselves was just right for me.” ”‘From this time forward, I began to think that all the other schools should adopt this policy of achieving the greatest result with the least amount of effort, so their students can enjoy their school life more.” Toru Kumon wrote in his autobiography Give it a try – Yattemiyo.

Toru Kumon later went on to become a math teacher in Tosa Junior High School, where he graduated. He used his belief in self-learning in his own teaching career. He would encourage his students to learn on their own and he would take the time after school to guide his students on the additional learning that the students were taking. Such was the efficacy of the learning method that the majority of the students he helped reached high school level mathematics within a year.

Children’s inherent desire to learn is what forms the central tenet of Kumon’s self-learning methodology. Instead of standing in front of the class and writing on the board, examples, explanations and hints are provided in the worksheets. Students learn from these examples and attempt the questions on their own, under the guidance of the Kumon Instructor when necessary.

This learning methodology was helpful to Kumon students when many countries were in lockdown during the outbreak of COVID-19. As some Kumon Centers remain 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.

Self-learning is an important life skill and the benefits are far-reaching. Kumon students have known to be able to apply this skill, beyond Kumon -in their academic pursuits, interests and in their professional career.

This is the true purpose of the self-learning methodology that Toru Kumon prescribed for all Kumon students, as it helps our children beyond learning. #beyondlearning

1

https://www.tcdsb.org/schools/holyspirit/thefuture/ESDLCA/Documents/SDL%20article%201.pdf

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Kumon Feature

Instructors’ Quotes “

Self-learning comes from the personal desire to gain new knowledge.

In the Kumon Method, children learn by the examples and doing the worksheets without specifically being taught. Through doing exercises on their own, students gain confidence in their studies and develop the desire to advance further. Learning becomes more purposeful for them, as well as enjoyable, which leads to better results.

Children who learn through experience find ways to work faster and more efficiently, and that involves time management, self-assessment,

Ms. Sharilla

Kumon Malaysia

and setting their own goals. These are important skills that are very much important later in their studying life and more so when they join the workforce. In fact, kids who are adept at self-learning have more opportunities in develovping other skills and they do so by developing one particular skill set as they go along. Self-learners also possess a

“

strong commitment towards completing tasks and they stick to a plan until they achieve their goals.

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“

Home study over the COVID-period helped me realize, even more, how

effective the worksheets are in enabling children to work independently to access learning. I think it’s been exciting to see how children have really made Kumon their own while studying at home. I’ve found my students to be very focused on their studies. Zoom has also been a

“

great opportunity for me to observe how they’re really focused and

Ms. Kim Jarvis

working incredibly well.

Kumon Australia and New Zealand

“

With improved student-parent-Instructor trinity, we could experience the best ever self-learning during this pandemic. Since parents are part of online sessions now, they have perceived the essence of Kumon in a better sense and vibe well with our expectations which makes self-learning easier. Motivation is the drive behind student progress during these times. Irrespective of the situation, constant motivation and praise makes them stay focused and do their sheets confidently. In Kumon, cordial relationship between student-parent-

Ms C. Umamaheshwari

Instructor is the magical bond that makes wonders.

Kumon India & Sri Lanka

“

“

The longer we find ourselves in this pandemic, the louder the message grows: Self-learning is an essential skill that every student must master. If we train children to think critically and figure things out on their own, we are easing the burden on parents who are now forced to juggle work, parenting, and teaching. We are also raising resilient learners who can handle challenges and navigate the

Teacher Aylene Belarmino Kumon Philippines

unknown. That we get to do this on a daily basis in Kumon is one of life’s greatest blessings, especially in this crisis.

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Local News

Passion, Dedication, and Perseverance: The Kumon Journey Written by Mr. and Mrs. Jaime Q. Paraunda, parents of Vince Jim, John Paul, and Mary Brenn T. Paraunda

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eing a competent parent is a lifetime task. Nurturing your child to become skilled and self-sufficient, however, is an entirely different matter.

We are witnesses to the development of our children guided by the Kumon Program. As parents, we only want the education that we believe is best for our children, and letting them experience Kumon is one of the best decisions we ever made.

Even in their early years, we have been nurturing our children to become goal-oriented, passionate, and assertive in facing the daily challenges life would give them. Our family’s strength continues to grow as we support each other in achieving our

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wants and goals. The constant reminder to be the best and dedicated to pursuing goals has been our children’s driving force in being the achievers that they are today.

From One Child…

Vince Jim (20 years old) has always been on the path of living up to his dream—becoming an overall achiever. Ever since he was six years old, he already experienced numerous feats from continually being active in his school events. His talents have been continuously blooming, and we saw his capability of doing so much more at his age. Janica (23 years old), being his constant motivator and an achiever in the field of medicine, witnessed that numerous students from her class had been enrolling in Kumon and were getting better with their progress in math. So, she

thought, “Why not let my brother enroll in this program as well to see how much it will improve him?” And so, she then always reminded us almost every day to attend the Parent Orientation. We witnessed some students already studying algebra, writing essays, and doing grammar deconstruction as early as six. With the realization that our children can also have the same feat, we were entirely convinced to take up the challenge and let our child experience the Kumon journey.

“Nay, Tay, they have been doing all the basic operations orally; their worksheets seemed to be clean, but all their answers are correct!” This was one of Vince’s statements as he and his brother John Paul (15 years old) enrolled in Kumon together shortly after the

orientation. Vince was amazed seeing children do something like that. It then became his drive to become a Kumon Completer – a star that he wanted to reach with these abilities.

Enrolling him in the Kumon Math Program at the age of 14 was not too late for further improvement. Starting in Level C (Multiplication, Division), as dictated by Kumon’s Diagnostic Test results, he managed to establish himself by becoming the family’s first Kumon Completer. Having been equipped with the Kumon Program’s values and teachings, he was able to participate and excel in MTAP Math Challenge since 2014 and was also given a chance to clash head-on with Philippine Science High School last 2015 with their one-point difference in the Quiz Bee. He was also able to experience being selected as one of the participants in the Philippine Math Olympiad last 2016 and 2017 and in the Math and Science contest hosted by the Ateneo de Davao University in the entire city of Davao.

His one year and one month journey in Kumon proved to be useful amid the pressure from all the academic endeavors he has chosen to be part of. Together with our support, his passion and perseverance held him on his roots as he managed to graduate with High Honors from Ateneo de Davao Senior High School.

The Kumon Program managed to influence him in terms of the value of time management, hard work, and perseverance until now as he studies at the University of the Philippines – Manila.

…to Two More The program undeniably is the same for his two siblings as well.

Being the achiever he is, John Paul managed to develop his own study system and honed his time management skills through Kumon.

He manages to complete tasks in the given set of time limits that he

provides, and he manages to complete his worksheets and assignments on time.

He has the tendency to be a bit lenient with himself and sometimes decides to set a lazy day for himself; however, the work that he does shows a quality that continually exceeds our standards.

Although he tried joining math-related competitions yet failed to be part of it, he consistently takes a cue from his brother’s footsteps to set his own path of becoming better himself.

As parents, we do not expect all of our children to be achievers through our own standards. Kumon stands by this and lets each student enrolled in the program process their matters into their own hands and lead them to be the dictators of their daily activities in their lives. This bore fruits of success as John Paul consistently improves himself in the field of arts as he also pursues academic excellence by receiving a with High Honors distinction in his class.

He proves to everyone that we are set to have different paths, yet we have the same definition of success in our hands.

Inspired by her siblings, Mary Brenn (12 years old) continues to embody her two brothers. This makes her a combination of both of them – showing promise as a

leader and a person who will be competent in her high school years. Aiming to graduate as the class valedictorian in her last year in elementary, she usually spends her time studying her academic subjects aided by Kumon’s Math and Reading Programs. As of the moment, she is consistently first place in every contest she joins, be it mathor science-related (or a combination of both), and even in the creative arts, such as cooking, dance, and singing contests.

From Challenges…

However, even the strongest tree gets uprooted by the winds. The Kumon journey is not as easy as one’s routine.

Being in the Center, submitting worksheets, doing daily assignments, submitting another set of worksheets—it gets as tiring as everything else. Balancing daily activities with Kumon proved hard for our children, especially before and during exam weeks. They got busy attending many school activities and got jam-packed schedules that often get tangled with their personal lives. We have seen them sleeping late at night to finish their scheduled worksheets along with school projects. Sometimes, we

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Local News

catch Vince drinking water at three in the morning during his breaks, and we always scold him for sleeping like that straight for many weeks. There were also times when Vince and John Paul asked us to have their worksheets decreased to half or even a fifth of what they’re supposed to solve.

These were times that progress seemed so slow to all of us, and all three of them experienced such damper.

passionate about experiencing the Kumon journey. In this turning point, we have assessed that our children should control their progress in Kumon, as they know themselves and their capabilities better than us. This gives us as parents the opportunity to trust them more on their decisions. And this, we think, is the most significant benefit Kumon could provide.

As working parents, we had a hard time supervising and guiding our children with their homework. This was due to lack of time and the fact that we were faced with math lessons beyond our basic math knowledge due to Vince’s incredible progress throughout the program. Sometimes, this is what we fail to see as parents. We tend to leave our children with something we’re confident that they can handle, and we do not know what comes after the hard work they do. This has been a pressing issue for the whole family during their journey, especially with Vince. He tried to balance his academic, Kumon, and personal aspects during his last year in junior high school.

Aside from being an excellent foundation in our children’s math and reading skills and being a stable educational milestone, Kumon aims to develop a child’s attitude and discipline. What goes beyond their vision, mission, and goal is that Kumon also seeks to unite the whole family in this tiresome yet very fulfilling journey. Even in this pandemic, we make sure to be the children’s rock and let nothing derail their opportunities to academic and personal successes.

As parents, what we do is to be dedicated to giving support with 100% consistency. We tirelessly remind the three of them, along with Janica, of the value of perseverance and hard work, and we always say that the only thing that hinders them in achieving their goal is themselves. Yes, it does get tiring, which is why we remind them to rest. But we always make them remember that after resting, we continue to march on with our journey, facing obstacles along the way. It’s a good thing that all of them did not even think of quitting; thus, making us believe that they are genuinely 10

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…to Achievements It’s unbelievable to think that many things have happened in such a short period since our children have taken up the challenge to become Kumon Completers. We did not expect that Kumon can help change our child this much, yet we have witnessed this kind of development that would not have been possible without the program. Their passion, aided by what they have learned in their classes, helped them complete the program and become achievers in their ways.

Vince Jim, the second Completer in Mabini (Tagum) Center, breezed through his high school years with flying

colors. He achieved what most would not dare to dream, and he has a brain that makes him a walking calculator.

John Paul, proven to be the master of time management, balanced his academic work and personal pursuits at the same time – while not forgetting his daily obligations to the family.

Lastly, Mary Brenn is continuously becoming a new version of herself every day – becoming more and more passionate in finishing her Kumon journey with the continuous pursuit of academic excellence and personality development.

However, these achievements would all be figments of fiction if not for our eldest, Janica, as she was the one who pushed us to enroll her siblings in the Kumon Program when we were still skeptical about it. She also encouraged her siblings not to stop, even if it was getting hard for them.

As parents, it is our dream to see our children at their best without letting go of the goodness in them. We are the sole witnesses in all the ups and downs in their journey. We see the sweat and tears behind their trophies and golds, and the only thing we can do is support and guide them every step of the way and see their smiles in the end. Their achievements are our joy and pride, and there is nothing in this world that could give us greater reward than to see our children satisfied.

We remind every parent that we only need to focus on that vision and that investing time to look after our children is the best we can do to make them feel that they have our support.

There are times that they grow tired, and that is okay—never consider it as a setback. Our children are humans, too, so let them take as much rest as they need. Their passion will drive them to complete the journey; let yourselves be the first to see it. Everything will be worth it in the end. In life, there is no shortcut; you only reap what you sow.

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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)