Student Profiles

With more than 22 million children worldwide who have studied with the Kumon Method, we have a wealth of individual stories of the transformation which Kumon has brought about in their attainment, attitudes and ambitions. Here is a small selection of such stories, which illustrate the diverse range of students who benefit from Kumon's personalised study programmes.

Esme Ward

Northumberland, Age 7

Esme's hearing problems started when she was three years old, and this obviously affected her speech development as she also has a stammer. She always enjoyed school, despite receiving speech therapy.

 
She has been studying the Kumon Maths Programme for a year and a half, beginning on level 7A, and has now progressed to 3A. While she has always loved doing her Kumon, she struggles when the work changes. After discussion with the Instructor, she changed her routine to the morning and worked on a reduced number of worksheets.

 
Esme's confidence has grown immeasurably, she loves the incentives that are built into the programme and is now much more motivated than many of her friends at school.

Kirtana Kalidindi

Leeds, Age 9

Kirtana always enjoyed learning new things at school and Maths was one of his favourite subjects. However, he was not quick at remembering number bonds or solving problems which required independent learning skills, and this made him fearful of the subject.

 
He started the Kumon Maths Programme fifteen months ago and during that time he has progressed from level 3A to level E. He acclimatised very quickly, enjoying the challenges, the praise and reinforcement his parents gave him and especially the new worksheets. The confidence came from knowing that making mistakes – and correcting them – are an integral part of the path to improvement.

 
Within months, the effect was evident in improved speed and self-belief. Teachers soon noticed that he was contributing in class and was enthusiastic about the subject, and in due course he was promoted to the top set.
 

Kumon has had a marked effect on his attitude to other subjects as well. His new found self assurance is evident in other subjects and he is now much more interested in new challenges and topics. He is ambitious to sustain his progress, complete the Kumon programme and continue to enjoy his work on every level.

Madeleine Bell

North of England, Age 9

Madeleine is a competitive Year 5 student who has been studying the Kumon Maths Programme for 15 months. She has reached Level C and, three months after starting the English Programme, has achieved Level AI.

 
She was previously unsure of herself, reluctant to answer in class, and while her performance in core subjects was satisfactory, she herself was not satisfied with the standard of her work. Kumon study integrated easily into her daily routine and she found that Kumon reinforced her school work, and her confidence grew rapidly.

Specific improvements were observed by her teachers in mental Maths, attainment test results, as well as English, spelling and science – an excellent example of the wider benefits of Kumon study.

 
Her long term goal is to be a teacher, for which she believes a solid grounding in numeracy and literacy is essential – and Kumon will be an integral part of that.

Remy Ling

North East of England, Age 8

Remy is a bright student of high potential (and a keen photographer) who has been studying Kumon English and Maths for over two years. She began both programmes on level 4A, and has now reached level E in Maths and F in English.

Her early school years were clouded by discomfort and frustration, centring on a dislike of Maths. Not that getting to grips with the Kumon Method was initially any easier; the concentration required was a major challenge. Superficially, Remy was an excellent student, easily able to focus on reading aloud for extended periods of time. However, these concentration skills soon evaporated when she was asked to focus on work she wasn't interested in.
 

The biggest hurdle was getting Remy to believe there was long term benefit to be gained from doing something she didn't want to do at the time. It took three months of almost constant struggle before she began to see the true benefit of Kumon, before she began to complete work without a fuss only to discover that she enjoyed the success she was experiencing and was finding a renewed sense of her own motivation. The open-ended challenge that is at the heart of the Kumon Method has been the key to unlocking Remy's considerable potential.

 
Fractions, decimals and mental arithmetic started to come more easily. With her basic skills secure, Remy went on to discover that these very skills made maths problem-solving far more satisfying and her enthusiasm for the subject was ignited.

 
Her objective test scores have improved dramatically as has her rate of progress, and she too has started to notice her increased confidence and achievement in science. Hoping to be a doctor in the future, in her own words Remy now wants to 'grow her brain'.