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Slow Day In Des Moines: Just Rework a Kumon Press Release
Ohanian Comment: And the reporter actually claims to be offering a deeper look at Kumon methods. If this is deep, what does shallow look like?
At first glance, the Kumon Math & Reading Center has the atmosphere of an elementary school classroom. Children arrive with pencils in hand to complete a packet of worksheets. Instructors grade the work, awarding praise and colorful stickers to those with the correct answers.
A deeper look at the West Des Moines after-school supplemental educational program proves that it's much different. The children, who vary in age by up to 15 years, complete assignments individually designed for their abilities. They seldom raise their hands to ask questions, and a day's work is completed in about 30 minutes.
Sushil and Julie Monteiro of West Des Moines waited in the lobby recently as their daughter, Sureena, 6, completed several worksheets of double-digit multiplication problems. They said the combination of the instruction Sureena receives at the 3-year-old Kumon center and the public school system provides "the best of both worlds," since the latter focuses on creativity.
Sureena, who has completed worksheets nearly every day for three years, is two to three years ahead of her class.
"It's like a small baby learning to walk," Sushil Monteiro said with pride. "How do they learn? It just happens. She already has a strong math base. She is well on her way."
The Kumon Method of Learning was developed more than 40 years ago in Japan by Toru Kumon, a high school math teacher whose son was struggling with second-grade math problems. The worksheets he created provide math and reading help or enrichment today to 3 million children worldwide, said Kay Sinhaa, West Des Moines center co-director.
The process begins with a placement test, which indicates the level of proficiency, or "where they left the path," she said. A typical reading exam, for example, tests reading comprehension, word familiarity and spelling by asking students to read aloud, fill in missing letters and answer questions about a story.
Instructors assign a series of worksheets, depending on the results of the test, that begin with a level that is comfortable for the student. A student progresses to the next level after accurately and efficiently completing the earlier level within a specified amount of time.
The worksheets are graded on the spot, and students must not only correct wrong answers before they leave, but find out why their answers were incorrect. They participate in supplemental activities, such as reading aloud or practicing math problems with flash cards, while they await their results.
"It's intensity-focused," said Reggie Sinhaa, also a center director. "It's structured and repetitive. They have to master it."
The goals of the program are to make high school academics easier for students, which requires good study habits, independent study skills, a strong foundation in math and reading, the ability to apply basic skills to new concepts and to problem-solve, according to program materials.
"It's a rather slow process," Kay Sinhaa said. "Parental involvement with instructors and their children is key."
Although students are expected to complete the worksheets every day, the center, which serves about 100 clients in the Des Moines area, is only open from 3 to 7 p.m. Mondays and Thursdays. Parents are provided with answer sheets so they can work with their children at home, which has been successful for Leena Patel's 8-year-old daughter, Radha.
"Doing it every day has taught her discipline," the Urbandale woman said as Radha completed a worksheet of long-division math problems. "What they learn sticks with them."
Age doesn't seem to be a factor. Children as young as 3 participate in the Kumon program. Knowing how to read and write is optional.
"We introduce the basics such as nouns and grammar to them," Kay Sinhaa said as she listened to toddlers read sentences, such as "The plate is on the table," to their parents.
"The most important thing is not to wait for them to be frustrated," she added. "Daily monitoring and planning is ideal."
The program costs $85 per subject per month, plus a $50 registration fee. Parents are not required to sign a contract and instead pay on a month-to-month basis.
There are 1,300 more Kumon Math & Reading Centers in the United States, including one in Cedar Rapids. For more information, call 225-8666.
Kumon Centers
WHAT THEY DO: Provide a supplemental educational program for reading and math to students ages 3 to 18.
ADDRESS: 1959 Grand Ave., West Des Moines; 225-8666
HOURS: 3 to 7 p.m. Monday and Thursday
ON THE WEB: www.kumon.com
— Amy Lamar
WDM learning center uses intense method
Des Moines Register
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http://desmoinesregister.com/news/stories/c4780927/22438618.html
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