Kumon Singapore: Is it for your child?

Kumon Singapore: Read all about the Kumon learning method, and decide whether it is suitable for your kids.

Kumon Singapore, the learning centre, is often a debated topic on parenting and education forums. But, why does it incite so much dialogue? And why do people have such a love/hate relationship with it?

What is Kumon?
The Kumon Method is an individualised learning method. This is a place where your child will attend classes with several other students; each student in the class might be doing different assignments that are best suited to their ability. Students start with the level where they can attain a perfect score by studying on their own.

Each student will then be given a set of worksheets to work on for the rest of the week. The worksheets given have been designed in a way that allows students to figure out how to solve problems on their own. It is however usually up to the parents to make sure that their child completes the daily exercises.

Now that you know what Kumon is, we break down the good, the bad, and sometimes-ugly aspects of this world famous enrichment class. These pros and cons will help you to evaluate Kumon before you consider it as the best option for your child.

The Price factor

Good: At $120 a month for 8 sessions, the Kumon Singaporeprogramme is considered affordable as you are paying approximately $15 per session.

Franchise factor

Good: Being a franchise, you can literally find a Kumon centre all over Singapore. What this translates to is that your child would not have to travel too far to get their Kumon lessons in. It is a definite plus in terms of convenience.

Bad: However, being a franchise means that the quality of the teachers will vary from centre to centre. What does this mean for your child? A child at a ‘better’ Kumon Singapore centre might have a better experience than, let’s say, the child who attends an average centre. In this sense, it’s all about luck when choosing a centre for your child, since Kumon is so inconsistent with quality.

The Learning factor

Good: Kumon works on the basis of fostering self-learning (along with self-discipline). It includes another type of method called rote learning, which means learning or memorising through constant repetition.

Bad: What this means is that lessons can get boring. This is especially true for those who have been in the system for a longer period of time. The worksheets that the students do are standard and although the equations change, the mode of teaching doesn’t. This type of learning can bore a student and in turn make them start resenting lessons.

There you have it, the good, the bad, and the ugly – when it comes to Kumon. Kumon Singapore definitely has a lot going for it, but enrolling a child heavily depends on a case-by-case basis. It may be ideal for some and a waste of money for others.

Tell us what you think about Kumon, and if it is something that you would consider for your child.

Check out the story of one child who was enrolled in Kumon, and see if this is for your child: