Kumon; work of the devil?
Discussion
There is a row brewing in the 911 household, about Kumon. For those that don't know; Kumon is a study method outside of (but in addition to) normal school work. It is based on learning by repetition and involves completing a work book excercise EVERY DAY (no exceptions!) ad infinium.
My little boy (8 years old) has been doing English for about a year and Maths for two years. The O.H. enrolled him in this with good intent (at the time).
He now detests doing the maths to the point where he has been reduced to tears of frustration and anger. The O.H. is insistant that this is just a protest against discipline and we (he) should battle through it. I see it as something quite different. I can see that he hates the repetition and monotony, and I think that this constant 'forcing to study' is ultimately going to make him switch off from learning all together.
I cannot bear to see him so upset but the O.H. can't seem to see it!
Has anyone on here had any experiences of Kumon?
My little boy (8 years old) has been doing English for about a year and Maths for two years. The O.H. enrolled him in this with good intent (at the time).
He now detests doing the maths to the point where he has been reduced to tears of frustration and anger. The O.H. is insistant that this is just a protest against discipline and we (he) should battle through it. I see it as something quite different. I can see that he hates the repetition and monotony, and I think that this constant 'forcing to study' is ultimately going to make him switch off from learning all together.
I cannot bear to see him so upset but the O.H. can't seem to see it!
Has anyone on here had any experiences of Kumon?
No, but I passed my Sociology A-Level by using a similar technique.
Parrot fashion learning over the period of 3-4 weeks - constant reading and re-reading of the same garbage.
If it helps, I feel no satisfaction whatsoever at passing like that and the very thought of the subject makes me feel a little queasy. Plus I can't remember a damn thing about it. Didn't help me learn anything, just got me through a boring subject at the last minute. If that's how they approach teaching, I'd ditch it.
Parrot fashion learning over the period of 3-4 weeks - constant reading and re-reading of the same garbage.
If it helps, I feel no satisfaction whatsoever at passing like that and the very thought of the subject makes me feel a little queasy. Plus I can't remember a damn thing about it. Didn't help me learn anything, just got me through a boring subject at the last minute. If that's how they approach teaching, I'd ditch it.
I am suprised that Maths can be learned adequately by repetition.
Im with you on this one. That is an awful lot of maths to do age 8 or 9.
Children are supposed to enjoy thier time, not work like adults.
I also believe that kids attention spans are not generally good enough for too much extra curricular learning.
But what the f
k do I know?
Im with you on this one. That is an awful lot of maths to do age 8 or 9.
Children are supposed to enjoy thier time, not work like adults.
I also believe that kids attention spans are not generally good enough for too much extra curricular learning.
But what the f
k do I know?It realy depends on his learning style.... How does he learn best?
If he can only learn parrot style then Kumon will work well.....
The thing is, does he understand the concept of the maths he is doing, or is it simply a case of doing the sums to produce an answer....
IMHO, if he had been taught properly IE, the theory of why the calculation does what it does, comming up with an answer kumon fassion makes sence...
I am crap at maths, the only way I am ever going to imrpove is to do simple calculations over and over and over again....because that is the only way I can learn...I already know the theory...
If he can only learn parrot style then Kumon will work well.....
The thing is, does he understand the concept of the maths he is doing, or is it simply a case of doing the sums to produce an answer....
IMHO, if he had been taught properly IE, the theory of why the calculation does what it does, comming up with an answer kumon fassion makes sence...
I am crap at maths, the only way I am ever going to imrpove is to do simple calculations over and over and over again....because that is the only way I can learn...I already know the theory...
As a dyslexic I found that one way to learn how to spell some words was purely based on writing the fing things out so many times it was burnt into my brain (still can’t live without spellcheck in the real business world though!)
The problem with learning by repetition is you reach a point where you get ‘brain block’ and no matter haw many 100 times more you try there are somethings you just aren’t ever going to get right this way, so you have to give up on it or find another way to remember the spelling or formula, etc.
Unless it is a vital foundation which they are having trouble with (ie 3x table, not the 14xtable!) then I would leave it.
That said speak to the teachers. Some of them might have their heads way too far removed from the real world for comfort but 99% will try to help.
The problem with learning by repetition is you reach a point where you get ‘brain block’ and no matter haw many 100 times more you try there are somethings you just aren’t ever going to get right this way, so you have to give up on it or find another way to remember the spelling or formula, etc.
Unless it is a vital foundation which they are having trouble with (ie 3x table, not the 14xtable!) then I would leave it.
That said speak to the teachers. Some of them might have their heads way too far removed from the real world for comfort but 99% will try to help.
My school was brilliant at teaching you how to pass exams but didn't do a great deal to foster a real understanding of a subject.
I've no idea about this Kumon teaching system but eight sounds rather young to be giving a child additional homework on top of their usual schooling. Whether you think its a opposition to discipline causing the tears or not, if they hate doing homework now its only going to get worse. I'm sure there was a report saying that giving really young children homework was ultimately counterproductive for everyone as it just resulted in the child hating school work and the parent making you do it.
But heck, when I was eight I was out climbing trees and playing football, jumpers for goalposts etc....
I've no idea about this Kumon teaching system but eight sounds rather young to be giving a child additional homework on top of their usual schooling. Whether you think its a opposition to discipline causing the tears or not, if they hate doing homework now its only going to get worse. I'm sure there was a report saying that giving really young children homework was ultimately counterproductive for everyone as it just resulted in the child hating school work and the parent making you do it.
But heck, when I was eight I was out climbing trees and playing football, jumpers for goalposts etc....
I would suggest listening to your child, and if your other half thinks they should persist then I'd have them do one of these exercises everyday 
If they're doing ok at school with maths then let them be, it's not worth loading them up with it as they will be bored for every maths lesson for their whole life and it will never again be something they enjoy.
If they struggled before, they'll not do any better if they learn to hate it as well, and you still run the risk of them being bored in maths lessons. I bet their teacher would really love you then!
If they're doing ok at school with maths then let them be, it's not worth loading them up with it as they will be bored for every maths lesson for their whole life and it will never again be something they enjoy.
If they struggled before, they'll not do any better if they learn to hate it as well, and you still run the risk of them being bored in maths lessons. I bet their teacher would really love you then!
We are just about to sign up my 8 year old daughter to Kumon to help her with her maths.
2 years sounds a long time though. I have friends who have used it for a max of a year to give their child a boost in confidence to just to get to grips with basic maths.
My daughter just struggles with certain basic things and is losing confidence as a result. Her school is very academic and if you are outside of the 'average' the school doesn't seem to cater for you. The school also tends to teach a year ahead anyway.
Reading the literature it will mean 10 mins a night + 1 hour with a tutor per week.
I will see if it works or not but at £50 per month I hope so!
2 years sounds a long time though. I have friends who have used it for a max of a year to give their child a boost in confidence to just to get to grips with basic maths.
My daughter just struggles with certain basic things and is losing confidence as a result. Her school is very academic and if you are outside of the 'average' the school doesn't seem to cater for you. The school also tends to teach a year ahead anyway.
Reading the literature it will mean 10 mins a night + 1 hour with a tutor per week.
I will see if it works or not but at £50 per month I hope so!
911motorsport said:
There is a row brewing in the 911 household, about Kumon. For those that don't know; Kumon is a study method outside of (but in addition to) normal school work. It is based on learning by repetition and involves completing a work book excercise EVERY DAY (no exceptions!) ad infinium.
My little boy (8 years old) has been doing English for about a year and Maths for two years. The O.H. enrolled him in this with good intent (at the time).
He now detests doing the maths to the point where he has been reduced to tears of frustration and anger. The O.H. is insistant that this is just a protest against discipline and we (he) should battle through it. I see it as something quite different. I can see that he hates the repetition and monotony, and I think that this constant 'forcing to study' is ultimately going to make him switch off from learning all together.
I cannot bear to see him so upset but the O.H. can't seem to see it!
Has anyone on here had any experiences of Kumon?
Was he behind when you enrolled him or just you wanted to push him ahead of the rest of the class ,I can be a pushy parent along with everyone else but sometimes they do need to just be kids My little boy (8 years old) has been doing English for about a year and Maths for two years. The O.H. enrolled him in this with good intent (at the time).
He now detests doing the maths to the point where he has been reduced to tears of frustration and anger. The O.H. is insistant that this is just a protest against discipline and we (he) should battle through it. I see it as something quite different. I can see that he hates the repetition and monotony, and I think that this constant 'forcing to study' is ultimately going to make him switch off from learning all together.
I cannot bear to see him so upset but the O.H. can't seem to see it!
Has anyone on here had any experiences of Kumon?
I have know idea of your situation but if it was me I think I would be giving him a break from it all for a few weeks then try him back on the course 
some interesting points. As per some of the comments; my over-riding concern is that this will supress his thirst for learning. He's already pretty much top of his year at school so it's not like he needs this forced on him. I know the O.H. means well but I'm now decided. There's gonna have to be be things said in the house tonight
I don't understand how it applies to maths. Surely the whole point of maths is gaining an understanding of why things work. Really, apart from being able to pass an exam, what is the point of constantly repeating the same thing over and over until you memorise it.
If, at the other end of it all, you still don't understand it and can't apply it then it's all been a waste of time! Knowledge without application is pointless.
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Stuart
If, at the other end of it all, you still don't understand it and can't apply it then it's all been a waste of time! Knowledge without application is pointless.
-
Stuart
Well, our son is 6 and already the school is offering something similar. Hubby and I have decided that those intense tutoring classes are absolutely not going to happen to our kids. I can understand getting private tutoring if he is falling well behind his classmates but otherwise let him be a child I say!
I'm not a great fan of after-school classes although our son does swimming once a week (his choice and I support it because I think it's an important skill for life) and he also asked to do French for 1 hour a week. The school doesn't do a second language at his age so I agreed to that too but that's more than enough, I reckon.
In other words, if he doesn't want to go to the classes, I agree with the OP that he shouldn't have to.
I'm not a great fan of after-school classes although our son does swimming once a week (his choice and I support it because I think it's an important skill for life) and he also asked to do French for 1 hour a week. The school doesn't do a second language at his age so I agreed to that too but that's more than enough, I reckon.
In other words, if he doesn't want to go to the classes, I agree with the OP that he shouldn't have to.
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