Meet the Instructor

Marie Gibb

My teaching life began in the secondary sector where I took responsibility for the delivery of physics, chemistry and biology to children aged 11 and over. Following this I taught maths, science and English for many years in a 9 to 13 middle school near Salisbury, before being appointed deputy head and head of maths; a role I thoroughly enjoyed. Regrettably, well before I wished it, I was forced to retire due to injury and it seemed that my link with education and teaching was at an end. However, retirement did not suit me, as I missed the joy of being a part of the education process and so I started to look around to find an alternative to the classroom system.

Searching the Internet led me to the site of Kumon Educational UK, and from there I never looked back. Although I am now more of a facilitator than a teacher, the Kumon method is all I would have liked in my classroom of 30+ children but could never achieve, due to the truly individualised nature of the programme. As a teacher I always did my best to provide exactly what each child needed, but the often inappropriate curriculum dictated what had to be taught and the pace of that teaching. I therefore always felt that I was failing many of the children in my care.

With Kumon I can provide just what each child needs in the two most important areas of the school curriculum. In this way they learn at their individual pace, with their daily work at just the right level and in a very appropriate quantity. In achieving this I am rewarded with confident, happy students who go on to excel in all areas of their school life, through their improved study skills, motivation and concentration.

Kumon not only changes the lives of my students, it also allows me to do what I enjoy, which is encouraging each and every child to reach their full potential and aim to be the best they can be. There is no more rewarding position in the world for anybody who has an interest in the education of our children.