For more than 60 years, the Kumon Method has had a unique approach to tutoring. The founder of Kumon, Toru Kumon, believed that developing a child’s character was as important as developing a child’s academic abilities. To this end, he placed great emphasis on creating a method that would help children become self-reliant, confident and persistent learners; characteristics he believed to be critical for success in upper high school and beyond.

These key character traits are developed by having students progress at a pace suited to their ability and by studying Kumon’s specially designed worksheets that promote independence. With encouragement and consistent study, students can experience the joy of overcoming challenges by themselves rather than becoming accustomed to one-on-one teaching. This gradually builds confidence and self-belief with the benefit being that children will often go on to seek out knowledge for themselves and pursue their own interests.

Of course, the Kumon Instructor plays an important role in each student’s progress. By paying careful attention to each child’s academic ability and progress, the Instructor is able to set work at a level that will allow each child to excel. Their aim is to support each student in developing skills to the point where they can experience the joy of learning by themselves.