Kumon. Anyone used it? Can you recommend?

[HotCrossPenguin]

Have just made an enquiry for my DS's. Don't know a lot about it, but figured that a few MNetters might!

The Superkids Maths Worksheets suggested by caterpiller is one of the links listed on:

www.coxhoe.durham.sch.uk/curriculum/Numeracy.htm

and there are other free worksheet downloads listed on there as well.

Yes, there are some typically MN extreme remarks on here. For starters, I'm not the sort of parent who 'dumps' my kids anywhere. All I said was that often, kids, and mine are an example of this, can and do work better for someone else rather than being sat at the table at home. At home there are other distractions, siblings wandering into the room asking questions etc. dog barking (my house anyway) phone ringing etc. DH is an Accountant, and is very good at sitting with them and helping them with homework they don't understand. I'm quite in favour of after school tuition, that's all. I think that in a class of 30 (unless they're in a private school which mine aren't) they can miss out on quality learning time. However, don't think I'll be pursuing Kumon as I had the information pack through today and it's £45 per subject per month. Per subject being Maths and English. My DD's tutor does both with her for £7 for half an hour, so I'll probably hold out for a slot with her, and in the meantime look out for some workbooks.

BTW, thanks for those links flamingtoaster, will have a look.

Anyone come across MathsWhizz? It's a BETT Awards Winner and is an individual online maths tutor which is in line with the national curriculum and the numeracy strategy. It's in use in 15% of primary schools (3000ish) so it works with what they're doing in school and the home edition is just as fun.

The exercises are animated and if the children aren't 'getting it' then it explains it in a different way. They get credits for doing the exercises which they can spend in the online shop on their online bedrooms so they are excited to get on the MathsWhizz site and do some maths. It's good for all sorts of children from those who are stuggling, to those who have aptitude but no confidence, and those who are gifted and talented.

The cost is a lot less than Kumon by the sounds of it and a child who does 2 to 3 sessions per week of between 20 and 45 minutes each (dependent on age), will on average increase their maths age by 2 years in 1. It's suitable for children from Reception to Year 7 (and soon years 8 and 9 too).

Mini IQ associates (of which I am one) can get you a reduced price trial month for £19.99 (instead of the usual £27.50 through Maths Whizz themselves) and an annual subscription lots cheaper too.

If anyone wants to know more I'd be happy to tell you.

Oh, I quite forgot, the Maths Whizz website is MathsWhizzDemo and the code you need is UK-0000833

Sounds good, homebird.

HotXPenguin, it really is annoying almost every time one asks for schooling information on MN, one gets people accusing one of being in the wrong.

I've asked about Kumon before and got rude responses. My instincts were spot on too-My dd1 paid a price because I felt so at sea with my role in teaching her maths last year (which turned out to be almost entirely my unspoken responsiblity as far as the school is concerned), for a time she and her teachers thought she was no good at it. DH and I have struggled making our own worksheets and spending a fortune on books and finding a tutor and hours tutoring her ourselves (instead of doing fun stuff as a family). The result has been that she her confidence has improved and she is enjoying it now, and very proud to have moved up a group with her friend who is also trying hard.

I think Kumon could also have achieved this too, and I wish we had done that instead from the beginning instead of her falling behind, losing her confidence and having to struggle to catch up later.

So there!

has anyone mentioned rainforest maths? very good especially for animal/nature loving kids. Free too!

rainforest maths

I didn't mean to have a go at parents who want to do Kumon but the OP asked for opinions and that was my experience of it. I suppose that the family that I worked for paid for extra tuition in everything so the kids had no free time for anything at all and they hated it. I just think that it is so easy to get into that mind set whether it is good for the kids or not.

If you feel that Kumon/other tuition is good for you then go for it, but if you ask for opinions expect to get some that you may not like

It's one thing to relate actual experiences of Kumon, or to provide experiences of comparable alternatives (i.e. that the parent who is not a confident teacher themselves or they wouldn't be considering it, could try as easily or in addition.) and this thread is full of those helpful suggestions which I have also taken down to add to my arsenal, I'm sure I found the lovely rainforest maths on a similar thread.

It's quite another to keep saying it's not needed and should be dismissed out of hand, in favour of the clueless parent struggling like I have, especially if the dismissive posters have no apparent genuine knowledge about Kumon.

Oh, don't worry mishw, I'm well used to getting opinions that I don't like on MN, but it wasn't so much your opinion that got my back up, rather the part where you said something about 'dumping children in a maths hot house.' Interestingly, I can't find that post on the thread now. I think a lot of people would have taken umbridge to that, tbh, and another poster referred to the remark too. Anyway, not getting into a war of words about it, as I said probably won't be pursuing Kumon now, it seems far too expensive, when there are other options that may have just as good results.

HCP I thnk you'll find it wasn't me who said 'dumping children in a maths hot house'

I'm glad that you've found a solution to your problem and I hope it works for you

majorstress - thanks for that link; just been playing onit with DD and she really likes it!

fab site, have bookmarked it as well

Love the rainforest link - many thanks

mishw, in that case I apologise. Perhaps that's why I couldn't find the remarks, I must have been looking at your posts instead of someone else's. Just looked back at thread, it wasn't you, it was sparewheel.

Sorry, the "dump" and "hothouse" comment was a bit intemperate . I think I've just had a bit too much exposure to competitive parents.

No worries, glad we're all friends again

does your school not offer guidance to wha tyour child should work on, i`ve go t two sheets on from my sons class tailored individually for my ds to practice on a t home..ideas etc as he loves maths and wants to keep trying new things plus they take out a small group of children who are better achievers at maths to give them extra work during school hours

RANT alert RANT alert
Maths homework consists of one very easy activity that takes less than 5 minutes, supposedly every two weeks but in fact much less often. Instead she gets tailored words books and literacy which she finds easy-but a big volume and daily work, well no wonder that is easier, practice makes perfect, right? My friend's child of the same age in another district gets maths every day as well as literacy and I think this is what my dd needs.

In fact this is what the school, and the nation needs!!!!

We get a letter about once a term, not tailored at all, about what the whole class are doing in each area. Very little suggestions of what to DO. I found that my dd couldn't do some of the maths things (tell time, not reverse digits i.e. 12>21), and that would be that, next month a new list of different goals would come. But she still couldn't do last terms, or the terms before, even when I tried to teach her myself, blindly. Then at the rare teacher meetings I am told she is great at literacy but not at math (derr). I fact she is average (in a low-standard school) so gets no extra help. But the work brought home at the end of the year seemed to have almost no maths in it! Some of the worksheets she did this year I saw in the class had every single thing wrong, and no corrections. How is she supposed to learn it? Obviously not at school.

jesus

Hmmn, a school that doesn't teach maths! Intriguing ! Sounds like you're not going to have much joy with them either, from what you've seen. Is there a Maths Co-ordinator for the school you could talk to?

MIne do Kumon literacy.!

They are not dumped in a hot house and it is because my DS in Yr 3 has literacy levels for a year 1 child.

Kumon is getting his basics straight for him. His Kumon tutor assessed him and said he is not a phonics child, so we are working with him differently. Its giving him time to go over and over the basics and improve his literacy.

I do Kumon as I was desperate he was getting left behind at school and didn't want him ending up not being able to read.

I just wish they didn't charge £45 per subject though, that's so expensive. Don't know whether or not we'll pursue it or not, DH is thinking about it.

Sparewheel, don't worry, I'm probably being a bit sensitive at the moment, as too have had my fill of competitive parents!

I'd just like to second a vote for maths-whizz. I've been using it with my seven yr old son and it;s doing the trick.

He has off days like everyone else, but with a bit of persuasion he usuall gets back on. He'd be hopeles at Kumon, but 'cos this is on the computer and very interactivee he enjoys it more.

I got mine through Mini-Iq and saved a load on an annual subscription making it around £19 per month. (my friend's a rep).

let me know if you want her details, she's in West london.