Completing a Kumon program is something that takes a significant commitment of time and energy, but can yield some excellent academic results. While it may take some students a while to complete the program, those that do typically find that they’ve made helpful progress in the subjects they worked on. Read on to learn more about what you can expect when you’re done with your Kumon journey.
1. Improved Grades
Perhaps the most obvious expected result of finishing Kumon is improved grades. Grade improvements usually start to show during the program, but once finished can be quite profound.
Working through dozens of worksheets on various topics likely serves to reinforce the knowledge of the student far better than classroom instruction can—especially when it comes to math and number-based issues. Some students even find themselves ready for topics well ahead of their peers in school. At the end of the program, students that worked hard and completed their homework faithfully should find themselves with grades that surpass their peers.
The math, reading, and writing skills developed should also last into future classes and curricula that the student will encounter throughout their academic career.
2. Refined Ability to Focus
Many students view Kumon as a tedious or laborious task. After a while, though, almost all students grow to appreciate the process.
That appreciation is a result of recognizing and understanding the desired outcome. Finishing the program not only gives you the knowledge, but it helps you develop an increased capacity to focus and pay attention. For this reason, even students that have difficulty focusing in everyday life see an improvement as they continue in their Kumon program.
It may be hard to concentrate at first, but day-by-day students grow accustomed to the process of sitting down and working through the homework. This increase in focus and willpower lasts beyond the program, since it applies to other aspects of life in addition to Kumon.
3. Development of Self-Discipline
Another major result of finishing Kumon is the development of self-discipline, something that can come in handy during all stages of life. As mentioned earlier, this self-discipline comes hand-in-hand with the growth of focus. However, self-discipline is an all-encompassing trait that applies to much more than just sitting down and studying.
Self-discipline is characterized by actions such as resisting temptation and sticking to daunting tasks to see them through to the end. Finishing Kumon usually imparts self-discipline in the student, as the act of completing the program—which often takes months or even years—requires a great deal of self-control to push through and finish.
4. Enhanced Logical Reasoning Skills
Logic is a highly sought-after skill in many academic and professional fields. Completing a Kumon program helps build a student’s logical reasoning abilities, enabling them to make better-informed decisions in times of crisis or stress.
Logical reasoning skills help students apply scientific know-how and analytical techniques to approach problems. Kumon is also a great avenue for problem solving in general. Those who have gone through the program are generally able to approach problems and apply logical reasoning techniques to find their solutions.
This ability becomes even more powerful when combined with the other skills developed by Kumon.
5. Improved Capacity to Learn
As children grow, one of their major focuses in school is on memorization. Kumon, however, usually emphasizes learning to develop direct knowledge. By working through the worksheets and having an instructor help with difficult topics, students learn more than just how to solve a problem: they learn quite a bit about the underlying concepts that led to the solution.
Because of this, students gain an enhanced capacity to learn, an ability to process and understand new concepts more quickly and easily than the average student. This capacity to learn is useful throughout school, and it opens paths to a wide variety of career opportunities for the future.
6. Increased Confidence
Completing Kumon gives students a sense of accomplishment and development of confidence. It challenges each individual to get better with every step, and this often takes time and effort.
The tangible results of this effort can be very fulfilling and gives students a sense of pride. They know they have worked hard, and they see the results. Gaining a better grade in a class or mastering a specific concept can be a very rewarding feeling.
This comes in addition to the improved abilities gained in each subject. Knowing that they have an increased proficiency in math, reading, and writing makes students more confident in their overall abilities.
7. Ability to Prioritize Tasks
Another skill increased when completing a Kumon program is the ability to prioritize tasks. This important ability applies to everyday life, from school classes and extra-curricular activities to job performance and organizing your own personal life. When finishing the program, students learn how to think strategically and approach tasks in life from the most productive angle.
For example, a student that has gone through Kumon has the ability to decide which tasks should be done first, and how to use their time most productively. This skill positively applies to all aspects of a student’s life and can help them stay on track with their tasks.
8. The Value of Good Habits
Kumon teaches students not just the subject itself, but also helps to instill good habits in them. This could involve doing Kumon work routinely, following instructions carefully, and self-regulating in order to reach the goal within a specific time period.
Students often understand that their worksheets will take some time to complete, and parents and instructors can help ingrain the idea that diligence and focus are essential to success. These habits developed while completing Kumon apply to other domains in life, from job performance and school life to interpersonal relationships. Habits such as goal-setting, deadlines, and patience are invaluable for anyone regardless of age, and finishing Kumon helps to hone those habits.
9. Recognition of Weaknesses and Strengths
Every student learns at a different rate and has varied successes in their studies. Finishing Kumon helps students learn to recognize both their weaknesses and strengths.
This is a useful tool for life, since it helps them to focus on the topics they are weaker in when studying and to prioritize certain subjects when taking tests or examinations at school or university. Moreover, recognizing one’s strengths is just as important as knowing one’s weaknesses. Knowing the material one is good at can help when decide a major in college, as well as deciding which jobs or career paths to pursue.
10. Appreciation for Hard Work
Another lesson landed on those finishing Kumon is the value of hard work. This is a lesson that carries across to all facets of life, from academics and job performance to personal relationships and hobbies. Completing Kumon and seeing the results motivates students to continue their hard work because they are able to see the fruits of their labor.
Those students that finish the program while having maintained good grades throughout the process of work develop an appreciation for a job well done. Once this appreciation is instilled, it serves as a great motivator in the future, and provides the student with a reason to persevere and keep putting in the effort.
11. Improved Memory
Like many other activities, Kumon can actually sharpen the student’s memory. As students complete their worksheets, they hone their memory and learn to recall the material they’ve studied far more quickly.
This improved memory helps them when taking tests and exams since they are able to remember and recall the material quickly. Kumon also helps with more than just recall. As the student progresses up the workbook levels, the difficulty increases.
This means that more complex concepts and ideas are encountered as the student goes through the program. Being able to memorize and understand these difficult ideas is also a great benefit that Kumon can bring.
12. Long-Term Planning Abilities
Finishing Kumon imparts long-term planning abilities to the student. This is obvious during the program itself, since the student must make a plan of action and set goals for each term or year in order to finish within an ideal time frame. However, this planning ability is especially useful when it comes to longer-term objectives.
Long-term goals such as college major selection or career paths often require thoughtful planning. Students that have completed Kumon have an advantage when it comes to this, as they understand quite well the importance of good long-term planning.
13. Improved Time Management
Time management is a skill that is invaluable for a successful life. Finishing Kumon grants students the understanding to prioritize tasks and use their time efficiently.
Tasks like homework and extra-curricular activities can all be managed in a more efficient manner, as the student has learned how to plan out a schedule and stick to it. Furthermore, time management becomes even more beneficial in the face of large, intimidating tasks. Doing something like studying for a test—which can seem like an overwhelming challenge from the outset—becomes much more manageable with the help of good time management skills.
Conclusion
Finishing Kumon can be a rewarding, yet challenging, experience. It requires students to stay focused, diligent, and motivated, as well as have good study habits. The work can be lengthy, but it’s worth it in the end.
Not only is there the obvious increase in grades, but the student often sees improved metacognition, greater self-confidence, enhanced logical reasoning skills, and improved capacity to learn. Finishing Kumon provides students with the tools they need to succeed in their academic, professional, and personal lives.