Kumon - thoughts/experiences?

[ladywotlunches]

Hi all

I'm toying with the idea of trying the Kumon classes for my 7 year old boy, who this year seems to have really lost his passion for learning, after being so keen in the first two years at school.

If you have used Kumon (or have children in a class currently) please could you tell me your experiences? Do they like the classes/work, is it a lot of commitment, do you feel like you are just giving them a little bit more confidence, and building a learning habit? I want this to be fun for him, not feel like I'm 'hot-housing' him for entry exams (which is not the plan).

Alternatively does anyone have any suggestions on how I could help him get his learning mojo back myself? I have been working part time this year but finish this week, so will have the rest of this school year at least to spend some time with him, and I was thinking about using some of the work books you can get to help supplement their learning in English and Maths. Perhaps half an hour a day with that sort of thing may be all he needs? I'm also hoping that when he's in the juniors from September, that the learning patterns will be stronger anyway as he moves up a level. (And his class/school will be more settled - they've had lots of change this year).

[Saffron]

What kind of creative outlets does he have outside school?

[ladywotlunches]

He plays the cornet - lessons are through school but private. He enjoys that and the practice - Its the same with his swimming lessons - he loves to show us how he's progressing (and with football that he does at the weekends).

As to more traditional creative activiites, he's never been a massive fan of painting and drawing so much. Homework tasks that involve creating posters and the like rather than just questions/tasks, are met with even more groaning!!!

He is not behind at school - he's in a high performing class and in the top groups within that for most things. But he's lacking confidence I think, so I want to show him that its good to be challenged with schoolwork, and not to just give up when the going is a bit tough - its only going to get tougher!

[Growlybear]

My daughter went to Kumon maths classes for about five years, and I think it was a wonderful system. She was bored stiff with the level of maths given to her when she was in Year 1, and wanted to do more advanced work. When she started at Kumon, she was put back to a very basic level, so that the four functions became completely automatic, but quickly moved up through the various levels. She stopped Kumon classes at the end of Year 6 when she left primary school, as she felt that it would be too tiring for her to continue after a long journey to and from secondary school. All Kumon students were expected to do between 10-30 minutes of work every day, including holidays. My daughter suited the discipline of Kumon, but several of her friends who also started dropped out because they weren't prepared to make the committment to working every day; but it's pointless doing Kumon unless you're going to do it properly. There was always an element of competition in my daughter's class, and the children were awarded stickers for achievements which could be saved up and converted to gifts from the Argos catalogue.

My daughter really did benefit from Kumon classes, and by the time she left, much of the work she was doing was at GCSE level. All children have a weekly class at the local Kumon centre, and I think it's important that they gel with the tutor. for most of the time she was going to Kumon classes, my daughter really enjoyed it, and it was of huge benefit to her when she started secondary school.

[david_carnell]

ladywotlunches Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> He plays the cornet - lessons are through school

> but private. He enjoys that and the practice - Its

> the same with his swimming lessons - he loves to

> show us how he's progressing (and with football

> that he does at the weekends).

>

> As to more traditional creative activiites, he's

> never been a massive fan of painting and drawing

> so much. Homework tasks that involve creating

> posters and the like rather than just

> questions/tasks, are met with even more

> groaning!!!

>

> He is not behind at school - he's in a high

> performing class and in the top groups within that

> for most things. But he's lacking confidence I

> think, so I want to show him that its good to be

> challenged with schoolwork, and not to just give

> up when the going is a bit tough - its only going

> to get tougher!

So to summarise, he's not behind at school (in fact is performing ahead of most of his peers) and already has three extra curricular activities that he enjoys and is progressing well at.

He's SEVEN.

Perhaps just let him enjoy being seven. It sounds like he has plenty to do without further tuition. Let him doing nothing. Let him be bored. Let him use his imagination. That's what seven year olds are meant to do isn't it?

Yes, life does get tough later on. All the more reason to let him enjoy his childhood. And if you feel he must do something for more confidence then why not a group activity like scouts or woodcraft folk? He's likely to learn more there about confidence and teamwork than in any classroom.

[espelli]

It sounds like your little boy hasn't lost passion for learning at all - he is loving learning to play his cornet and improving with his swimming. It sounds more like he may need a slightly different approach to homework - one that praises his effort in the process rather than focusing on the product. He is able to see how his effort is paying off with his other activities but sometimes we have a different approach to academic learning - as in that you are clever or you are not and if you are clever you are often expected to be able to do things without effort, which can send the message that if you do find it difficult you aren't clever enough. Carol Dweck is the expert on this http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mindset-How-Fulfil-Your-Potential/dp/1780332009

[ladywotlunches]

David, I tend to agree with you. My natural inclination would be to do just that. But as a mother I live in fear of letting him down, and not allowing him to fulfill his potential, which I know he has. I'd much rather he spent time in the garden than in more class time.

Espelli, thank you for your thoughts. That hits the nail on the head I think. Whenever he finds a piece of work more challenging, he just gives up and declares himself too stupid to do it. Which is what upsets me the most, as I know he CAN do it with a little thought and attention. I'll check out that book.

[Saffron]

Ladywotlunches, don't live in fear - you seem like an amazing mother! I think Dave and Espelli have made some excellent points. Also, you yourself say that your son has had a lot of changes at school this year. Maybe some breathing space is just as important as academic support? Bring on the summer sunshine and time in the garden! But also, what does your son think about possibly starting Kumon? If he's receptive to the idea, then there's no harm in giving it a try. If he really balks at the idea, then maybe you need to address the issue through an entirely different avenue? xx

[Pugwash]

My grandaughter now aged 14 went to Kumon maths for about a year when in primary school. She enjoyed it and her maths work went up considerably. She decided when she wanted to leave - the exercise was that she was ( and still is) a shy child and needed her confidence boosted. At her secondary school she is in the 'superleague' students performing far above their peers - she and others are working at Maths levels 2 years above their chronological age. Many of her classmates in this section having done the Kumon classes.

[Gill2]

I tutor from home and feel that it can be detrimental for children to have extra lessons if they are not eager. Everyone has stages where they are really interested in something then lose interest. If you son is a high achiever (even if he was an average achiever) he can enjoy maths in an informal setting, it is not necessary for him to have extra lessons. There are many maths concepts that children can gain through playing. Make it a game - in the garden if each flower has ten petals how many petals do you think there could be on 4 flowers? When going up or down stairs count is 2's, 5's 10's , every now and again say '25 so how many steps do you think we have come up?' How far do you think it is to the end of the garden? Let's measure it together. Make sure you guess with him and obviously get some right but get some wrong and laugh about it. It is important that you are relaxed and make it fun. Just every so often ask a question if he is keen then a little later ask another but do not over do it. Children learn best when they are having fun, keep him wanting more. Good luck

[ladywotlunches]

Thank you all again for your advice, thoughts and votes of confidence (I knew I'd get a rounded response from the forum!). Saffron, he's not at all keen on "some weird lessons club" and I can see it becoming more of a threat than an incentive, so I will just leave it for now. What I have been hoping is that come September things will be smoother with the school and with the fresh year, he'll be right back into studying again.

Gill2, thanks for your tips. I've got some time at home starting from next week and hopefully over the summer, so I can devote more of my brain power to thinking of learning that doesn't seem like learning to him!

From what those who have experienced it have said, Kumon does sound like a balanced way of focussing on the core subjects (with work from home and 1 class/week), so I'll keep it in mind for the future, when he's more ready.

[canela]

It doesn't really sound like he has lost interest in learning - just that he is not interested in the kind of homework he gets. A lot of homework for young kids is arts based, drawing posters, making cards etc, as it's assumed that this will be a fun and relaxed activity to do over the weekend. But not all kids are naturally drawn to art. My son has the same thing - will rush through any kind of drawing homework but will happily spend a lot longer on writing or something science-based.

I know it's hard but i would try and use the summer to chill. Kids do a lot of learning and hard work at school and they need a break.

[jonbateson]

I am a teacher with a specialism in teaching gifted and talented students. I would say at this age it is far more empowering to follow his lead. Let him decide what he wants to find out and how, he might want to visit a museum for example or he might prefer to go online. If you learn with him that will help, and you can model how to go about figuring out things you don't know about.

Another activity that some children enjoy is to do a role reversal type thing, give him a period of time, day/ week in the summer and a budget and talk bout what you might do together. Then he can organise/ research/ book tickets/ plan routes etc this may lead on to using excel or similar to keep track of spending, just follow his lead.

[ladywotlunches]

Hi Jon, and thanks for your idea about the role reversal. He'd LOVE to do that. He's already keen on planning journeys via public transport (I think they do a bit of that at school) when he hears that someone is off on a journey. Great tip! And good to know that being relaxed with learning is a good thing at this age.

The latest ofsted report on how schools are failing brighter pupils brings that sense of fear back again. Perhaps the first years of secondary is where Kumon or other additional learning could really help.

[jonbateson]

I haven't had time to read the article yet,but I wouldn't get too hung up on schools failing children, in some cases yes but in others there are all sorts of opportunities. It depends on the school, the training of the teachers, the G&T co-ordinator if they have one, how learning is supported at home and the attitude of the students.

I'm pleased you think that idea will be useful and yes, keep relaxed and go at his pace and his interests, it may be worth talking with his teacher at school to see how this is playing out in the classroom.

Maria (this is dh's log in)