Meet the Instructor

Heather Jones

I have been a Kumon Instructor since 2007 and I have loved every minute of it! Previously I was a Head of Maths in secondary schools in Bristol and Gloucestershire and taught maths to students from 11 to 18.

As a teacher, it is immensely satisfying when students have a 'light bulb' moment when they finally understand something they have previously found difficult. Every class as a Kumon Instructor gives me that feeling that what I do is worthwhile.

 

I believe in the Kumon method because it mirrors my own vision of how maths should be taught which is that if you see learning maths as building a brick wall, there is no point on trying to put more bricks on the wall if the bricks underneath are missing or crumbling. At Kumon students move on when they are ready. I monitor their progress very carefully every week. This means that if someone needs extra practice to master a particular skill, they get it, and if someone can move on, they do. This builds confidence, and a desire to succeed.

 

All students benefit from studying with Kumon; those who benefit most come to class every week, do their work and corrections every day, and their parents mark their work every day. The longer students stay with the programme the more they develop their self-learning skills and their independence often exceeding their own expectations of what they can do.

 

Many of my students start in primary school and continue their study into secondary school. As a Kumon Instructor I am in a unique position able to provide continuity in education through that often challenging time.

 

To keep up to date with what's happening in schools I do the occasional day of supply teaching. I can always spot a Kumon student; they're the ones that know their tables instantly, can calculate easily with negative numbers, and most importantly, want to learn, and are not afraid to 'have a go'!