Kumon Philippines - Potential 2020 Issue 1

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

JAN-JUN 2020

KUMOn

FEATURE A Strong Start Makes A Difference

MY LIFE, MY DREAM Breizel Serenity Lujan Pocholo Miguel Espina

FAMILY ARTICLE The Valdez Family Today

Editor’s Note

ON THE COVER JAN - JUN 2020 BREIZEL SERENITY LUJAN

In Kumon, we believe that developing children’s skills early on gives them the advantage in whichever path they decide to take on in the future. This is why Kumon Instructors capitalize on instructing early learners from journey.

Contents

Pocholo Miguel Espina, CEO of Sip PH, dreamt of

MY LIFE, MY DREAM

enrollment, to give them that head start in their Kumon

changing the world and dissecting its problems. The many skills he has developed in Kumon as a kid, such as forming the right habits, getting things done, and being keen even with the smallest details, pushed him to frame the future of sustainable living as an advocate of environmental preservation.

Breizel Serenity Lujan is an excellent student and a willing learner - all thanks to the Kumon Program! Her parents believe that Kumon is one way of providing her quality and meaningful learning opportunities that count.

Drs. Jun and Alma Valdez view Kumon as the answer to their children’s academic needs. They have witnessed how Kumon molded their five children to grow up intellectually and with the drive of achieving their dreams.

May these stories inspire you to seek the wonders

03 05

A CEO’s Mindset to Change the Word

Pocholo Miguel Espina

Quality and Meaningful Opportunitieis that Count Breizel Serenity Lujan

FEATURES

07

Regional Article A Strong Start Makes A Difference

08

Instructors’ Quotes

REGULARS

10

Family Article The Valdez Family Today

of Kumon in your own child. Who knows, they might dream even bigger than you can ever imagine!

Love,

KPI Potential Team

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Feel free to send us your thoughts on the newsletter!

E-mail: publications@kumon.ph

Tel: (02) 8885-0226 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.

Kumon Philippines

My life, my dream

A CEO’s Mindset to Change the World

Pocholo Miguel Espina Subject

Level

Math

Completer

“There are so many problems in this world that need solving. Kumon has been crucial in forming a habit of dissecting real world problems.”

This mindset allowed Pocholo Miguel Espina, fondly known as Poch, to understand the world he is in while believing that he can always do something more. He learned this from being exposed to changing environments and competitive surroundings at an early age. These experiences propelled him to be in his place today – a CEO of a company that takes pride in environmental preservation and sustainable living.

Like many Kumon students before who are now successful in their respective fields, Pocholo owes his success to his humble beginnings. He vividly recalls his first few days in Kumon as a child, “I started doing addition and thought to myself if I was really that bad in math. My progress then was fairly fast yet it became quite a challenge to manage my own time.”

When Pocholo reached high school, he needed to transfer to a science high school in Davao City. With this, the dynamic of his daily activities had to change, while he adjusted to a new environment. Part of this adjustment affected his class schedule in Kumon Butuan City Center. However, he always found a reason to continue because of his self-motivating attitude, which he learned and developed along the way.

How were you able to adjust with the challenges in school and in your Kumon study?

I moved from Butuan to Davao to attend high school on my own, which meant my parents won’t be with me all the time.

Aside from this, even my Kumon Instructor, Teacher Joy, wouldn’t be there when I need help with my Kumon worksheets.

It was never the same anymore since I had to do my Kumon worksheets remotely.

I didn’t get constant feedback from my Instructors, unlike before when I was still in Butuan, and going to the Center once a week slowed down my progress. I also remembered tackling a challenging topic in Level K (Functions) in the Math Program.

This was the first instance where I had to learn and figure things out by myself and Kumon taught me this in the most abstract way possible.

What pushed you to complete the Kumon Math Program?

I was already in fifth grade when my mom enrolled me in the Kumon Math Program.

I started at Level A (Horizontal Addition and Subtraction) which I easily breezed through because it was more of refining my knowledge of the lessons I’m already familiar with.

When I reached Level J (Algebra) onwards, my progress started to slow down. I only realized that I wanted to complete the program when I reached Level K (Functions) albeit the challenges I’ve encountered in

school and in Kumon. I thought to myself that I only had four levels left to finish until I can finally say that I’ve completed the program; so I took this challenge to heart.

Luckily, it was also around this time that they shortened the program to Level 0 (Advanced Differentiation and Integration, Differential Equations).

I work best when I enjoy doing what I do so I did my best to find joy in learning to keep me motivated until I completed the program. Added to this, I didn’t worry about the succeeding levels because I believed that if I finished a certain level, what I’ve learned from it is enough to equip me for the succeeding levels.

How did Kumon help you in the different aspects of your life?

Kumon has contributed three things to how I perceive life: 1. Getting things done. If there’s one thing I really learned from Kumon that I still apply until today, it is getting things done in a specified time. This is where I got my go-getter attitude wherein I try things out until it works. And if it doesn’t work, then I’ll always find another way.

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My life, my dream

2. Habit-forming. A lot of this has to do with the repetitive aspect of doing my Kumon worksheets. Besides merely repeating and practicing, doing these in a timed manner even pushed me to become better. This kind of pressure worked well with me and I was happy pushing myself towards excellence.

3. Understanding minute details.

In a practical sense, the math skills I’ve learned in Kumon helped me crunch numbers in an instant through being wary of the little things. This is essential for me, especially in the business industry where I have to be sensitive with what these numbers mean – be it in profits or in market shares.

How did Kumon contribute to who you are today?

I would liken what I’ve learned in Kumon to what I’ve experienced upon doing Levels M (Trigonometry, Straight Lines, Circles), N (Loci, Sequences and Series, Limits of Functions, Differentiation), and O (Advanced Differentiation and Integration, 4

Differential Equations) in the Math Program.

These levels required armchair thinking and problem-solving skills. When I checked my answers in these sets of equations, I would find out that my answer was correct but the solutions are different from that of the answer book!

It means that there is no one-solution book to all and that the only one stopping you is yourself. With this mindset, I founded an environmental enterprise that champions waste management solutions for the people and the planet. It’s called Sip PH, a Filipino enterprise that champions waste management solutions for the People and the Planet. We also help corporations, Lower Government Units (LGUs), and other entities move into more sustainable practices. I really wanted to do something for the environment, inspired from my activities that involved nature like climbing and diving.

I strongly believe in the lessons we get from experience, which Kumon has been able to offer perfectly.

When people are more tactile, visual, and auditory, it allows them to grasp the idea better rather than sticking through abstract theories.

What advice can you give to other Kumon students who are also struggling to complete the program?

I believe that everyone walks at their own pace. It’s better to enjoy the things you do rather than pressuring yourself so much if you are not able to do a certain thing. You may get continuously discouraged if you think that you’re bad at something or if you feel like you can’t do it anymore. Just make it happen and go through it. If you are able to push yourself beyond what you’re capable of, then it’s already a big step ahead! People have different experiences so never forget that starting something is much better than doing nothing at all.

Quality and Meaningful Learning Opportunities that Count Breizel Serenity Lujan Subject

Level

Ambition

Reading Math

Completer Level J

Civil Engineer Banker

Education has always been a priority for Mr. Doroteo Carmelo “Dot” and Mrs. Ma. Johanna “Jhoi” Lujan. They believe in providing their daughter, Breizel Serenity “Brei”, with quality and meaningful learning activities that will further develop their daughter’s skills, and lead her to better opportunities. This is why enrolling Brei in the Kumon Program was the best choice for them. “My sister introduced Kumon to my wife and I since her son was enrolled in a Kumon Center in Makati City. She gave us good feedback about the benefits of Kumon, which was why we decided to give it a try as well,” shared Daddy Dot. With the Center located just a few blocks away from their residence, attending Kumon classes became an easy and essential part of Brei’s weekly routine. In fact, Kumon became a big influence in Brei’s academic and character development – specifically developing her to become an independent and hardworking student with an affinity for music and books.

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

Yes, I remember a little bit. I was about three years old when I did my Kumon Reading Program worksheets. I found it enjoyable since the worksheets were easy and I already knew how to read at that time. It was like playing and reviewing my lessons in Kindergarten.

Do you experience any difficulty with your worksheets? What do you do to answer those difficult problems?

I have experienced a lot of difficulties in both the Kumon Math and Reading Program worksheets, especially when I am answering problems in the higher levels. There are times that I can’t really understand what is said or asked, so I ask help from my dad. Sometimes, my dad may not know or understand as well. He would tell me to just read and study it all over again in order to get the idea of what I am reading so that I would be able to review what is being asked. This practice has helped me complete the Kumon Reading Program worksheets and continues to help me go through the tough Kumon Math Program worksheets.

read a lot since we enrolled her first in the Kumon Reading Program. We decided to go for the Kumon Reading Program first because we wanted Brei to be able to understand questions better, gain a better comprehension of things, and become

Mr. and Mrs. Lujan, how has Kumon changed Brei’s learning attitude and character?

Brei was enrolled at the young age of three. At that time, we didn’t know what were her interests and tendencies in studying since she was only a toddler.

Through Kumon, Brei has developed a good study attitude and proper study habits. She also began to 5

My life, my dream

an analytical reader. She also became independent and developed techniques on how to solve and answer questions.

How has Kumon helped Brei excel in school and in her extra-curricular activities?

The Kumon Program continues to help Brei become an excellent student and willing learner. The summer before grade one, we decided to enroll her in the Kumon Math Program as well and this decision has led to Brei gaining more achievements. In school, she was the top one of her class in kindergarten and is a consistent honor student now in grade school. There is no pressure on her in her math and English subjects – she gets high grades and is either the top one or top two student in her class. Also, she was recently recognized as top 3 in the Math Trainers’ Guild (MTG) exam, despite it being her first time to join.

For her extra-curricular activity, we encouraged Brei to learn a musical instrument because we want her to have a talent that she can grow and learn from today until her later

10 6

years. We chose piano because this instrument develops her sense of hearing (since the piano has a perfect pitch) and increases her brain’s capacity to keep and recall information (since her brain continues to be active as she practices and memorizes notes). Aside from that, Brei also develops confidence and critical thinking.

How do you support Brei in her Kumon study?

I (Daddy Dot) am the one who personally attends to and reviews her on her studies.

My wife is the one who reminds us on what needs to be done and reviewed.

We show Brei that we support her 100%.

Sometimes, she gets pressured because of the challenging topics and because the Kumon Program is not only a pastime for her. She knows of the importance of the Kumon Program because we always remind her that she can benefit a lot from it. We then encourage her by always showing our support for her in Kumon, and we emphasize that we will always support her in the same way – be it in school or in her extra-curricular activities.

How has Kumon helped prepare your child for the future?

We believe that Brei will be future-proof since she has already undergone the challenging stages in the Kumon Math and Reading Programs. Through Kumon, she has learned how to comprehend, analyze

and answer statements and questions better. She has also learned to be patient and to persevere with whatever task is before her. She knows how to deal with certain situations since she will just need to recall what she has learned and apply it to whatever situation she is in. All these things are essential for Brei to succeed and be what she wants to be in the future.

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

Be patient and understanding. Sometimes, Kumon can get frustrating and confusing on our part. Sometimes, it can feel like a burden. But always remember that the cost and the time we spend will all be worth it because it is all for the future of our child.

I believe that Kumon is a guarantee for our child’s good and bright future. Even though it differs for each child, since one child can progress fast and another child can take some time, we must always try to support our child until he or she reaches the goal. We must be proud of his or her achievements and surprised of what he or she will be able to do. Just always support them all the way – be it financially, morally, emotionally and with all your love – selflessly.

Regional Article

A Strong Start Makes A Difference

Studies have shown that the first five years of a child’s life are crucial to their development. It is an incredibly important time for them to develop essential learning and life skills that have a direct impact on their future achievements in school and the adult they will become.

What makes Kumon unique and different?

program and our Instructors develop early learners through all the stages.

Children as young as three years old can enroll in programs offered by Kumon. Its unique method of learning is tailored to suit each individual child’s ability and needs, allowing your little ones to take small steps towards their goals. Through this learning journey, your children will also become more independent, resilient and confident.

As children continue to progress in Kumon, they’ll eventually be able to join their letters, form sentences and write neatly with speed and accuracy.

Here’s how the Kumon Method of Learning helps to build these early foundational skills.

Developing motor skills Your child’s mastery of their fine-motor skills, or the use of hands, will allow him greater independence, as well as good handwriting skills. Handwriting is such an important skill to have for future reading, communication and written expression.

This is why it is important to make sure the building blocks for handwriting are solid.

Before the young ones are able to write letters and numbers, they will need to have proper pencil grip and a certain level of pencil skills. Kumon understands the importance of fine motor skills in unlocking a child’s full potential, and its Pencil Skills Program is specifically designed to develop a child’s ability to write.

Our exercises gently progress children from coloring pictures with a thick crayon to carefully drawing straight and curved lines, as well as intricate designs with a pencil.

We know there are many stages before a child can write with dexterity, and our

Instilling academic ability and skills Kumon develops academic ability in our early learners. They are exposed to their very first reading and mathematical concepts.

Depending on their ability, the early learners enrolled in Kumon Math will be learning to count, read, trace and write numbers, whereas those enrolled in Kumon Reading will be learning to recite words, phrases and short sentences, as well as tracing and writing the alphabets.

These worksheets are colorful with attractive pictures to keep the little minds engaged while learning.

Our early learners will learn to read and follow instructions, and to follow a clear study flow – academic skills that are important to prepare them for school later.

Nurturing good attitude towards study Children are keen to learn by nature and our engaging worksheets facilitate their learning while keeping their interest burning. Our Instructors and assistants help by assigning worksheets that are “just-right” for them.

Our Kumon Instructors and assistants, as well as our Kumon parents can help support this interest by praising them and celebrating their little milestones and achievements to encourage our little early learners.

“Parents should give their children acknowledgement and praise; they should be patient and should not rush; they should not easily become angered and should strive to provide their children with things that interest them,” Mr. Toru Kumon wrote in The Strengths of the Kumon Method on how he thought parents should support their child’s development.

Having observed the common traits in Kumon Centers, where Instructors have nurtured many children to become excellent students, Mr. Minoru Maeda, president of Kumon Asia and Oceania, shared his hope for our Kumon Instructors.

“Both Instructors and parents can convey to young children the feeling of ‘let’s enjoy learning in the Center’, so as to spark their interest to learn actively, and grow up to enjoy learning,’” Maeda wrote in one of his monthly messages to Instructors.

“Instructors, I hope you and your assistants can also respond to early learners with smiles, and do not forget to praise and encourage them,” he continued.

When children are young, they are learning sponges. Every new experience, every word they learn, every behavior they adopt, are all about honing and molding the holistic child, which will eventually form the basis of their lifelong journey.

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Instructors’ Quotes

“Welcoming children who just learn for the first time is the most nervous moment, and yet at the same time, it is fun.

When they dare to enter the classroom they have just visited, it is actually their first extraordinary achievement. By getting enough information beforehand, we try to get to know them better and make them feel comfortable. By fully supporting them, they will not feel alone.

Ibu Earlyn Yolanda Kumon Indonesia

The next step is to direct and give them opportunities to do anything independently, like looking for their worksheet folder, preparing stationeries, and even taking off shoes by themselves.

We give praise no matter how small the progress they can make in the Kumon Center.

Our hope is to make them go home smiling and ask their parents, “When will I come back to the Kumon Center?”

Ms. Tan

Hwa Ch

Kumon M

oo

alaysia

“A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.” – Laozi “Kumon very much embodies this quote. The first few worksheets of a new topic are presented in a strikingly simplistic manner in order to promote a fundamental understanding in the students; especially in early learners.

The complexity of the worksheets slowly builds upon itself in such a way that allows the students to see the connection from one level of understanding to another. The Kumon progressing system also allows me, an Instructor, to ensure that the fundamental building blocks are not forsaken as students progress further in their Kumon journey.”

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Instructors’ Quotes “Instructing early learners is challenging as much as it is exciting. As most of them don’t have formal training yet when they start with Kumon, instructing them can be overwhelming.

But it is also at this stage when their minds are more pliable and thus, their potential limitless.

We hope to train them properly by doing the following: • Know each student.

• Be extra patient and kind in teaching them.

• Establish a clear study approach in the Center so that it can easily be replicated at home.

• Seek the parents’ cooperation in establishing a routine at home and constantly communicate with them.”

Teacher Ces Robelo Kumon Philippines

“The path of learning poses many challenges, conquering them needs great courage and perseverance.

In order to equip early learners with the right study approach for advance learning, we build a systematic learning plan and work together with parents to achieve our learning goals.

By guiding and motivating students to keep trying, and praising and encouraging them frequently - we want to build young and confident self-learners who enjoy studying on their own!”

Ms. Barbra Tan Kumon Singapore

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THE VALDEZ FAMILY TODAY BY: TEACHER LEAH ALVERO OF SAn PABLO CITY CEnTER Having a clear eye for your children’s education is very important to Dr. Alma Malabag-Valdez, an ophthalmologist, and her husband, Dr. Ernesto Valdez, Jr., a urologist. Both wanted to provide the best education possible for their five children: Ernesto Miguel, Maria Patricia, Isabel Kristine, Maria Antoinette and Luis Antonio.

“We did not want our children to be left behind in school especially in Math and Reading,” said Dr. Alma. She felt that these two subjects were something they could not teach their children which is why they were on the lookout for a supplemental learning program. Also, they did not want to hire a tutor for their children because they felt that a tutor would only teach the same lessons taught in school.

Thus, back in 2001, when they heard about Kumon from fellow parents, the couple decided to find out more about the Kumon Math and Reading Programs.

Beginnings According to Dr. Jun, though they initially had some reservations about the program, they decided to give it a try. Thus, in December 2001, they enrolled Ernesto Miguel in Reading and Isabel Kristine in Math. After several months, they decided to enroll their other children as well. By May 2003, all five children were enrolled in both the Math and Reading Programs.

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Like other Kumon parents, both doctors faced numerous challenges in supervising their children’s Kumon studies. Number one was time, or the lack of it, since all the children were running for honors and were involved in many extra-curricular activities.

In fact, it was hard for the couple to see their kids struggling to do their Kumon worksheets on top of their other activities and school work. There were instances when the children themselves wanted to give up their Kumon studies.

At times like these, Dr. Alma shared, “We don’t tell them ‘No,’ or ‘Yes.’“ She told them that they will play it by ear. She said that they did not force their children to give up their extra-curricular activities nor let them quit their Kumon. Instead, they trained their children to manage their time, believing in their ability to prioritize and accomplish their goals.

Completers Then, Achievers Now From 2001, when the children were first enrolled in the program, to 2019 spans many years. We take another look at their children today, all grown-up, and all Kumon Program Completers.

The eldest, Ernesto Miguel, is now a graduate of BS Biology major in Zoology from UP Los Baños. He is studying Japanese and preparing for his next Japanese Language Proficiency Test this December.

Miguel says, “Kumon has been a part of my life for a time. It wasn’t all smiles and sunshine, but the time I spent enrolled in the program helped me a lot in ascending the educational ladder.”

He adds, “Learning through the Kumon Method of repeated daily exercises and homework was a unique way to acquire knowledge I haven’t learned yet at my current level at school at the time. It was a challenging form of training, but learning new things, independently, every day as I advanced, was very rewarding. Kumon going far beyond what was taught in my classes at the time brought gratification when I learned something more advanced, something most students of my age at the time didn’t know of. There was no feeling of dread whatsoever whenever I would move up a lesson/ level because I was taking steps my classmates have not taken before.

Through Kumon, I developed patience and persistence and true understanding of the problem or learning material by finding a solution on my own, so long as I never backed down. The Kumon Program, if I may use an analogy, shows you that learning is a vast land, where you can get off different roads to get to interesting places, by exploring and finding your own paths to reach solutions. It teaches you to depart from the most transited road.”

Parents’ Article Next, Maria Patricia, a Completer of the Math and Reading Programs, just passed the Physician Licensure Exam last September. She took up BS Biology major in Zoology, from UP Los Baños graduating Summa cum laude and class valedictorian.

She took up Doctor in Medicine in UP Manila and will take her residency in orthopedics in Philippine General Hospital starting December 31.

Now looking back, she says, “Kumon helped me see the value of doing something every day with diligence despite how small it may seem. It helped me see that in order to get a good grasp of complex concepts, one must go back to the basics and master them. These approaches guided me throughout college, medical school, and even now as I improve my knowledge and skills as a future orthopedic surgeon.”

Isabel Kristine, a Reading Program Completer, is currently taking up Medicine in UP Manila. She finished her BS Biology, major in Zoology, from UP Los Baños graduating Magna cum laude and earning the Best Thesis Award for her work on parasites. Isabel is still trying to decide on becoming a pediatrician or an internist.

According to Isabel, “Kumon has taught me to be comfortable at learning at my own pace. It has also taught me to continuously strive for self-improvement.”

The youngest among the girls, Maria Antoine e, is also a Reading Program Completer. She is currently pursuing her

dream to become a doctor in UP Manila.

She took up BS Biology, major in Cell and Molecular Biology, also in UP Los Baños, and graduated Magna cum laude. She wants to specialize in dermatology.

Antoinette says, “More than skills, Kumon has taught me at an early age that real progress isn’t always linear, and is mostly made through baby steps. But if you work at something long and hard enough, you’ll be surprised to see how much that consistency has led to so much growth.”

And the youngest, Luis Antonio, is a second year Mechanical Engineering student in UP Diliman. Like his sister Patricia, he is also a double subject Completer. A consistent achiever, his dream is to build space shuttles.

According to Luis, “My experience in Kumon helped me understand the importance of repetition and improvement upon past mistakes. When first faced with a difficult set of Math problems, or a Reading passage that was difficult to analyze, I would often find myself staring at my worksheet not knowing how to begin answering the problems in front of me.

I would end up having to repeat those problems or worksheets, and sometimes I would even be set back to an earlier set of worksheets to review the previous lessons. I used to feel really bad about this, especially because I once thought that doing things

perfectly the first time was the be-all-endall. But the learning strategy used in Kumon helped me understand that there was nothing inherently wrong in making mistakes -- it’s alright to not understand something the first time around, as long as we make a consistent effort to learn and grow. Whenever I was able to diligently and regularly study the material I needed to answer, I was able to eventually understand the underlying concepts behind them, and finally answer my worksheets. I learned that as long as we keep trying our best, making mistakes and not understanding things at first is not something we should be ashamed of.”

This family’s Kumon journey may have ended years ago, but the children continue to benefit from it. According to their parents, they, too, learned the value of discipline and perseverance along their family’s Kumon journey.

Dr. Alma and Dr. Jun are convinced that “Kumon answered our needs – not just the needs of our children, but our need to see our children grow up intellectually, to grow up as persons with drive and discipline, looking forward to achieving their dreams.”

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