Thoughts on Kumon?

[AML]

I've noticed an increasing number of children doing Kumon. Wise ones, what are you thoughts on Kumon?

[Guest55]

Please don't touch it!!

It does not teach problem solving which is the heart of mathematics.

If you want to speed up basics like tables then there are free online resources and games to do that.

[Tinkers]

Some of the girls in DDs maths class (year 11) did kumon she tells me.
Her comments were, you can tell whi has done it. When it comes to doing stuff quickly (mental maths or factorising) they are faster than she is, but not significantly.

However, as G55 has mentioned, when it comes to problem solving it hasn't done them any good at all. Given the nature of gcses, particularly the new one, this is a key skill and it doesn't seem to help with that at all.

[Daogroupie]

I used to be very negative about Kumon. I agree it does not help at all with wordy problem solving maths which now looms large in 11 plus Maths.

However I have changed my mind on it since the advent of CEM in North London. The HBS CEM Maths was 50% of the mark and a lot of questions in a short amount of time. I know 13 students who got through to the second round and the ones that had done Kumon found the timing a lot easier to deal with than the ones who had not.

So I think it helps with the speed of CEM and MC maths but not with standard format maths.

As G55 already posted there are free online resources to get up speed in times tables. We used one and it really helped. DG

[Guest55]

So, DG, as you agree that you can get free resources which replicate what Kumon offers - can you suggest why would anyone would actually PAY for this boring repetitive style of tutoring?

[Daogroupie]

because I know of many busy parents who would rather pay for someone to do it for them. They are simply not prepared to put the work in and some are not really interested enough to do it.

I think Kumon fits in with busy work schedules and is portable and can be done in the car, on holiday and at home. Siblings can go at the same time and be on different levels.

For some 11 plus is just a problem that they are prepared to pay someone else to fix. DG

[Guest55]

So the fact that Kumon is actually damaging the very parts of maths they need to succeed at Secondary school and is completely opposite to the aims of the new Primary curriculum does not matter to them? I'm shocked they think so little of the consequences.

[Daogroupie]

They would not be aware of that. They are just concerned about the 11 plus and know the primary school is not going to help them with that. DG

[Guest55]

I've also never met a Kumon tutor who is a qualified teacher with recent classroom experience. Why would parents not do some very basic research about Kumon before signing up for it?

[Tinkers]

I've also never met a Kumon tutor who is a qualified teacher with recent classroom experience. Why would parents not do some very basic research about Kumon before signing up for it?

Some of my DDs friends actually work as kumon tutors (around the 15/16yo age) so defintely not qualified teachers.

I suspect it’s like 11+ tutoring, some parents don’t bother to check out what the tutors are teaching. It’s just a case of throwing money and child at the tutor and hoping for tutor to work their magic (or not).