I always felt uneasy everytime I have to sit in a Math class when I was in high school and in college. Mathematics is a haunting beast that tortures me– and this is the reason why I encouraged my husband Jenkins that we enroll Kulay to Kumon. I don’t want my son to be afraid of Math, I want him to love and excel in numbers. Unfortunately, less than a month after we first brought Kulay to the Kumon Learning Center, we have to call it quits.
The Kumon Method
The Kumon is an individualized learning where children get to learn at their own pace. It also stresses on the importance of learning by repetition (Please visit the Kumon website to learn more about the Kumon method). When Jenkins and I attended the parents’ orientation and hearing and reading about Kumon success stories, we were optimistic that the Kumon learning method will make learning math fun and much easier for our son who seemed to show hints of hating the subject. Kulay was optimistic with his first sets of kumon math worksheets but after working on worksheets and doing almost the same thing for about an hour everyday, Kulay started to hate his worksheet time. He says it’s just the same thing and he does it over and over every time. After three weeks, we decided to drop Kulay from Kumon.
Ineffective?
The kumon method may have been effective to other kids but definitely it is not for our son. We wanted our son to love math so we enrolled him to Kumon but it made him hate math more because of the repetitive work sheets. A child can never truly excel in a subject that he hates so we decided to stop giving Kulay those sheets that seem to make learning math unenjoyable.
I’m not sure if Kulay is getting any “input” whenever he goes to the Kumon learning center twice a week since we can’t see him once he’s with his teacher but if the Kumon is primarily just about kumon math worksheets (and I believe it is), I better search for better, printable math worksheets online or buy math workbooks and personally do something and assist my son in his journey to learning Mathematics. That would be a lot of savings when compared to the fees and expenses I will have to spend monthly on Kumon (1,800 pesos a month plus fare).
Enopi
I learned about Enopi three weeks ago while I was doing an online research on why my son is not responding well to Kumon. Some parents have recommended Enopi which happens to be the Korean counterpart of Kumon. Unlike Kumon, however, Enopi includes Critical Thinking Math lessons which, as I understand it, is the application of mathematical theories a child learns from basic math. So far, I have not read a single negative review about Enopi on the web yet. Since Kulay has not tried Enopi however we cannot say for sure if Enopi is really better than Kumon but again, if this is all about work sheets again, I better look for math learning materials and teach my child myself. Afterall, I know how to to do simple and elementary math operations and problem solving.
Lesson Learned
When we enrolled Kulay to Kumon, we thought the program is the magical solution that will help us raise a mathematically inclined child. It has not. The money we spent on enrolling Kulay to Kumon however at least compensated for a lesson I have learned: that I as a parent is the best teacher for my young child. I know my child best and I am the best person to identify the learning needs of my child. This isnt easy and I am not really sure if I can do it but if I can’t help Kulay with his individualized learning, then nobody else can. I might seek the help of others when I can no longer handle the mathematical lessons of my child but with shapes, counting and basic addition? Kulay deserves the best tutor in the world for these lessons: me.
Update
Kulay loves dinosaurs so we started to use this interest to teach him Math. I bought Dino Fun activity pack and another dinosuar activity/wipe out book (all printed by Priddy Books) and so far Kulay enjoys doing the math activities. He even insists that we do some of the activities before we go to sleep 
You can share your Kumon reviews and experiences in the comments below.
One thing that I have learned about Kumon is that all of the centers are not created equal. My child was in Kindergarten when I was first introduced to Kumon. We started with 10 pages a day and she quickly got board and hated the worksheets. The instructor seemed annoyed that she wasn’t paying attention at 5 years old,so we stopped it. I put her in a private school that was about 40 minutes from house and a couple of people said that has success with the Kumon center close to the school. She was in 4th grade. I checked it out and it was completely. There were so many things that the instructor didn’t tell us. First the 10 pages is just an arbitrary starting point. It should take a child especially if there are young about 15-20 minutes to complete a subject(if they are not fooling around). If it takes you longer than that, you can do less pages until you get the concept down. Kumon comes in packets of 10, so you can do 10 pages per day, 5 pages per day, a cycle of 4 pages one day and 3 pages the next two days, 2 pages a day or 1 page a day. When you get to one page a day you are usually in a higher level math. If it’s taking your child a long time, have them go to the instructor and review a concept or decrease the # of pages. The Kumon center where we go is a little chaotic because if a child doesn’t know how to something and they don’t understand from the teacher the center director will work with them personally. Also if they don’t get on the regular day, she has additional appointment times to work with your child personally in a less chaotic environment on another day. My daughter was still counting on her fingers when we went to Kumon the second time. Now she’s in the seventh grade and can whiz through algebra. One other thing that is good is the prizes they give out for doing the work. You accumulate so many points and you get prizes. This will help for the older child. My Kumon center also gives out 5.00 gifts cards to either toys r us, borders or game stop when you have done 100 packets. Kumon has been successful for us, however it’s not for everyone. It can be boring for the kids. My daughter doesn’t like doing them but she doesn’t like doing her regular homework either, but I stress it as a priority. If you are not going to do at home grading and make them correct the packets , you are wasting you and your child’s time. Another thing, I’ve seen parents come in and try to keep pushing there kids to the next level even though they didn’t fully understand the current level. Sometimes they will have to repeat- it’s for their benefit. Also I put my younger daughter in and she liked going to the center, but she also got bored with the work at home. Other parents have told me that Kumon was working well for their young child, you have to see if it works for you. Kumon does not follow the school curriculum, they do basic math skills. It does go all the way up to college level calculus and there are some children who do this. One thing Kumon doesn’t have the critical thinking like Enopi does. I haven’t checked out Enopi but I plan to at least for my 4 year old at first and who knows I might like it better than Kumon. I hope this helped anyone who is considering Kumon and anyone who is currently struggling with Kumon.
Unfortunate what these parents write about Kumon. It shows they never followed the method correctly. If someone wants to make a choice a go with another methodology that is fine; but they should not be missled as to what Kumos is. I was a Kumon instructor and I can tell you that the only students that ever where successful where those who had parents that were honest and that followed the rules of Kumos. A student will NEVER be required to do math for an hour in one day. The time is usually 7 to 15 minutes per day. Kumon is about mastery and NOT about repetition. Parents DO NOT understand at all Kumon. The only thing is that to be successful in KUMON you MUST do exactly what the instructor tells you to do. You should not lie about the times your child takes to do the work and you should do the work every day for 10 minutes. If you don’t you will fail 100%.
Good evening, I began to study Kumon when I am 8 yrs old. I believe that repetition in Kumon builds confidence in a child in such a way that “I have made this more times than anyone else”. When I am in a time that I am losing my confidence in math I always look back on how many sheets they made me finish. It seems something shallow at first…repetition repetition repetition…until it became tiring. And I firmly believe that, the moment you get tired, cried, but still finished a homework, it is the very moment that we students reach another level. It is way out of our comfort zone, we became better persons. I am not here to lay discrimination to Enopi, for i am not in a place where i can judge them since I only attended Kumon not Enopi. I am just here to somehow encourage Kulay that someday when he became older, and he got interested to a field where math is prominent, he could still try Kumon, I believe that kumon is one of those things in life that huge efforts is really directly proportional to the fruits that you will harvest (I also think math is a natural magnet for good girls). Kumon for Kulay will be really effective, not just for these reasons but also for the fact that he has supportive parents. Please dont close your doors to Kumon =)God Bless and Have a nice day.
ello, i would like my daughter try enopi … do u have contact numbers of enopi branch in makati or manila?
You know it really starts with the parents. If the parent does not have faith in a method or does not believe in it but you are enrolled there then don’t expect your child to excel in it. Especially if you think that these methods can work in an instant.
In Kumon, materials may seem boring unlike Enopi but in reality, materials that students may encounter may not be as colorful as the ones in Enopi. In Kumon, mastery is the key. That is why repetition is given. You practice because you want to be good in something. That is what it’s like in Kumon. You have to have patience, discipline and perseverance.If you start your child early in Kumon and inculcate in them good study habits, independence and discipline then everything else follows. Like in school, they can be ahead of their class. I think the ratio of Instructor to student in Kumon is 1:30. Why? because students are taught to be independent and learn on their own. We really underestimate the potential of children that they can learn things by themselves and not spoon feed everything to them. Kumon works. And I know a lot of people who can attest to it.
Indivualization is a must. When an instructor fails to understand a student, the program will not be sucessful.
Most of the time the parent(s)expect quick results.
Some times 2-3 years worth of problems can not be fixed in 6 months. The parent(s) need to research before enrolling.
Indivualization is a must. When an instructor fails to understand a student, the program will not be sucessful.
Most of the time the parent(s)expect quick results.
Some times 2-3 years worth of problems can not be fixed in 6 months. The parent(s) need to research before enrolling.
Well I hate to be the one who turns over the apple cart, but it is very possible you have an undisciplined child, who could also be lazy. Both of my sons are in KUMON and my eighth grader is in pre-calculus. KUMON is a way of life. It is part of the program, like eating and drinking water. A very high percentage of the children who are achievers in math have taken KUMON. Nothing worthwhile comes easy. Excelling in math takes work and you will find out soon enough if you are not discipline.
Well I hate to be the one who turns over the apple cart, but it is very possible you have an undisciplined child, who could also be lazy. Both of my sons are in KUMON and my eighth grader is in pre-calculus. KUMON is a way of life. It is part of the program, like eating and drinking water. A very high percentage of the children who are achievers in math have taken KUMON. Nothing worthwhile comes easy. Excelling in math takes work and you will find out soon enough if you are not discipline.
my daughter had the same experience as with kulay.she had hated doing her assignments over and over again and telling me her brain explodes everytime she sees those worksheets.after a yr. i already dropped her from kumon, though she learned a bit from there.
my daughter had the same experience as with kulay.she had hated doing her assignments over and over again and telling me her brain explodes everytime she sees those worksheets.after a yr. i already dropped her from kumon, though she learned a bit from there.
Hi! I am have been an E.nopi instructor for almost 3 years now. While we may be using worksheets, just like other supplemental learning programs, you can be rest assured that we do interact with our students and we take time to explain new concepts to them as our student teacher ratio is 1 teacher to 5 students (maximum). Furthermore, the E.nopi homework will not and is not designed to interfere with the child’s other activities like studying, playing etc. We give very minimal homework, just enough to enable the child to practice their skills at home, on a daily basis -Sundays excluded. The objective of the program is to enable the student to work independently, but we will not deprive them of explanations. As we always say,”It’s fun learning!” Hope you could visit one of our centers to get a free parent orientation. Thanks.
Hi! I am have been an E.nopi instructor for almost 3 years now. While we may be using worksheets, just like other supplemental learning programs, you can be rest assured that we do interact with our students and we take time to explain new concepts to them as our student teacher ratio is 1 teacher to 5 students (maximum). Furthermore, the E.nopi homework will not and is not designed to interfere with the child’s other activities like studying, playing etc. We give very minimal homework, just enough to enable the child to practice their skills at home, on a daily basis -Sundays excluded. The objective of the program is to enable the student to work independently, but we will not deprive them of explanations. As we always say,”It’s fun learning!” Hope you could visit one of our centers to get a free parent orientation. Thanks.
My child is with Enopi.. I attended the orientation of Kumon and enopi and searched what other parents say about these methods on the net..I decided on Enopi because it has both Basic math and critical thinking math, the materials are colorful(higher chance of sustaining a child’s interest) and no short cuts on how to solve problems, it also complements his lessons in school ..my little one used to be so stressed with math, but now- enjoys it and even asks for additional math work. But again.. you know your kids better… what worked for us may not work for you…
My child is with Enopi.. I attended the orientation of Kumon and enopi and searched what other parents say about these methods on the net..I decided on Enopi because it has both Basic math and critical thinking math, the materials are colorful(higher chance of sustaining a child’s interest) and no short cuts on how to solve problems, it also complements his lessons in school ..my little one used to be so stressed with math, but now- enjoys it and even asks for additional math work. But again.. you know your kids better… what worked for us may not work for you…
My son was a student of Enopi for 2 years and it really gave the advantage in some lessons, sometimes review of his class lessons. We stopped because the center nearest to us closed and my son got accepted to the enrichment program in school. I haven’t tried Kumon so I can’t say much about it but Enopi was really helpful to my son. The worksheets are very colorful and there are cartooons that kids love.
My son was a student of Enopi for 2 years and it really gave the advantage in some lessons, sometimes review of his class lessons. We stopped because the center nearest to us closed and my son got accepted to the enrichment program in school. I haven’t tried Kumon so I can’t say much about it but Enopi was really helpful to my son. The worksheets are very colorful and there are cartooons that kids love.
why don’t you guys also try NumberWorks its a math tutorial specialist, they use computers so the kids have lots of fun doing the math activities…i.m a SPED teacher so i encounter a lot of kids that find reading and math really challenging anyways they are relatively the same price…they started in alabang saw an ad that they are also in greenhills and katipunan
hope this helps
why don’t you guys also try NumberWorks its a math tutorial specialist, they use computers so the kids have lots of fun doing the math activities…i.m a SPED teacher so i encounter a lot of kids that find reading and math really challenging anyways they are relatively the same price…they started in alabang saw an ad that they are also in greenhills and katipunan
hope this helps
hi, i have the same feelings with you. my son has been with Kumon for a year now & it seems no improvement, it even got worse. I already had my high blood pressure because of too many mistakes in the worksheets. Luckily my company is paying 75%of the tuition fee, otherwise I will not enroll my son.Now my dilemma is how can he learn to love Kumon..I will try that Enopi..
hi, i have the same feelings with you. my son has been with Kumon for a year now & it seems no improvement, it even got worse. I already had my high blood pressure because of too many mistakes in the worksheets. Luckily my company is paying 75%of the tuition fee, otherwise I will not enroll my son.Now my dilemma is how can he learn to love Kumon..I will try that Enopi..
how much does it cost if i enroll my kid??
how much does it cost if i enroll my kid??
I would give Kumon a try again when your child is older. We had the same experience starting at Kindergarten. Tried again in 2nd grade and it worked out great. Kumon should not take an 1 hour a day. 15 – 20 mins a day at the most. I can see why he hated it. My kids are now in 5th and 3rd grade and kumon is 2nd nature to them. We go to the Kumon centers 2x a month only but do the packets every day at home or in school. I check it for correctness everyday. I have a copy of their answersheet so it’s very quick.
I would give Kumon a try again when your child is older. We had the same experience starting at Kindergarten. Tried again in 2nd grade and it worked out great. Kumon should not take an 1 hour a day. 15 – 20 mins a day at the most. I can see why he hated it. My kids are now in 5th and 3rd grade and kumon is 2nd nature to them. We go to the Kumon centers 2x a month only but do the packets every day at home or in school. I check it for correctness everyday. I have a copy of their answersheet so it’s very quick.
My family has had a lot of success with Sylvan. They test their students first to determine the need, set goals and timelines and get results.They also built self confidence in our kids!
Thanks Ces but I’m based in Davao City. I checked the MSA website and they do not have a branch here.
y dont u try MSA..it’s teaches math n i’ve heard alot of positive comments re its method.it has a branch in katipunan n elsewhere
goodluck