Cillian's incredible Kumon journey on the maths programme

Six years ago, six-year-old Cillian joined his elder siblings on the Kumon Maths Programme. Now aged 12, Cillian has grown tremendously in confidence and independence thanks to his commitment to Kumon.

Instructor, Ritsuko Ogata at the Putney study centre, was so thrilled with Cillian’s Kumon progress that she asked him to write about it and we’re delighted to share Cillian’s journey with you now.

“When I first joined the maths programme, I found the initial worksheets easy and I was delighted to be participating at the same time as my sisters. I also found great support from the Kumon staff and saw other children that I knew all studying towards a common goal. With this initial phase of enthusiasm I got into a good habit of doing daily work. I knew when I should finish my Kumon work and would complete it independently. My ability to sit still and concentrate for extended periods of time improved significantly. As Kumon is an individual learning programme I was also able to move up several levels quite quickly when I had achieved the required standard in terms of both speed and accuracy.

"As the levels became more difficult I would, occasionally, complain to my parents about the worksheets. As I have developed emotionally and intellectually, I can now see that it was inevitable that there will be periods of frustration when faced with new challenges. What I found is that with the support of my parents (including the odd push) and my Instructor Ritsuko, I developed perseverance in conquering challenges. 

"I found that it worked best for me if I completed my worksheets before I went to school in the morning – I was more alert and focused yet the flexibility of Kumon is that you have to determine what works best for you with your commitments.

"Kumon has also assisted my development in terms of my school work.  Often, school work is easier, because it has already been covered in my Kumon studies.

"As I am now in secondary school, I have had to adapt my routine because I have more homework to complete. I have, however, been able to manage this transition as through my Kumon learning journey I have developed three important skill: perseverance to complete a task, the ability to learn independently and responsibility for my own work.”

We wish Cillian the very best as he progresses through the Kumon Maths Programme!

If your child needs support with their maths and/or English schoolwork or you’d like them to develop greater self-learning skills, why not book a Free Assessment with your local Instructor and start their Kumon journey today!