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Kumon

10 replies

CantFeelMyFace · 12/06/2018 09:40

We started this as 7 year old was behind at school and he has been doing column addition for pretty much 1 year-started with simple sums and now on three figure numbers. He is really bored, same thing over and over and I'm struggling to get him to do it. Anyhow, he is below average and worse than last year according to his school teacher Shock

I think there is very little variety and not enough of a challenge/ lateral thinking and am tempted to stop pouring my money down a drain. What would you do? And, to prepare for year 3 in Sept, any ideas for how not to fall even further behind over the summer?

Thanks

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user789653241 · 12/06/2018 10:34

If you don't mind online learning, there are a lot of great free/paid sites.
If you prefer worksheet, getting a good work books is better than spending money on Kumon imo. I think there are some good in Kumon, but, maths is not just about doing calculation quickly.

BottleOfJameson · 12/06/2018 10:40

Are you able to help him at home? If not it's probably more efficient to find a nice, local tutor.

brilliotic · 12/06/2018 10:48

I think that doing a little bit of maths every day can be hugely beneficial. For most children, there is not enough practice at school, they learn a concept but don't get a chance to really 'master' it before moving on, instead they re-visit the concept a few weeks/months later, when again they don't get enough chance to practise.

The way I see it, Kumon can in some cases give you this extra practice, and you as a parent don't have to worry about planning/deciding on content etc.

But it is an expensive way of achieving this, and doesn't seem to be working for your child. And as you say, no 'challenge/lateral thinking' - no, I do believe Kumon is not designed for this at all. More for just practising the basic concepts and techniques until they are completely fluent.

You could look at online programmes/apps instead, perhaps? They can be more engaging. You could combine some that provide practice, with some that are more problem solving focused. Also you as a parent have the possibility of changing the level the child is working at, rather than just following the Kumon tutor's advice, if you feel it is too hard/easy/boring. Of course, that in turn requires you to put some thought into it and engage with it more than you have to if you completely outsource it to e.g. Kumon.

That said, you mention your Y2 child is doing column addition, doing well at it presumably? At our school they only introduced column addition in Y3, quite recently actually. It is not part of Y2 curriculum. Your child should not be 'behind' because of column addition. Is the problem more that he struggles with more basic things, which Kumon have ignored, and instead drilled him with stuff he isn't even expected to know yet? So he has been practising column addition for a year now, you say, but hasn't practised the stuff he ought to have been practising, the Y2 curriculum stuff?

Tomorrowillbeachicken · 12/06/2018 10:49

This one is paid but it fab
www.busythings.co.uk/

CantFeelMyFace · 12/06/2018 12:59

Thank guys. He has done nothing other than addition, over and over. So, he's pretty good at that now but actually due to boredom is starting to get that wrong too!! And I can't get him to sit down and do it because hes so fed up of it he just wants to play football instead Grin

I am thinking its a waste of money. I started because I'm an awful teacher and quite impatient. But, doing work books will ensure variety and also let me keep an eye on how he is doing. That website looks v good too, tomorrow. thanks

OP posts:
Tomorrowillbeachicken · 12/06/2018 13:24

Could you set you numbered washing baskets and make him score two goals each turn then use them as two digit numbers. After second turn he has to add them together

CantFeelMyFace · 12/06/2018 14:00

Wow tomorrow, that is innovative- I'm such a douchebag when it comes to inventing stuff-will def try that mix of football and maths Smile thanks

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Beetlebum1981 · 12/06/2018 14:11

There are lots of online games for children that they like playing. We use something at school called Sumdog where they can play against other children online (you just get the name of who you're playing against e.g. Alice) and lots love doing that.
Schofield and Sims do very good workbooks too.
If he's bored I'd stop shelling out your money - perhaps see if you can get a tutor every other week. Sometimes if you ask at school there might be a teacher willing to take it on.

CantFeelMyFace · 12/06/2018 14:16

Definitely Beetle, now that he's got his head around addition and subtraction which was the bit I was tearing my hair out trying to explain, I think i'm on firmer ground and can get away with not paying 63 quid a month for a load of worksheets that I can get online or in a book....

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AsleepAllDay · 12/06/2018 14:20

Not a parent - did it when I was younger and after a while I just disengaged. I never enjoyed maths so the higher levels felt like a lash for my back

BUT where it was invaluable was the earlier levels which drilled in mental arithmetic - I last did it ten years ago but my mental maths is amazing

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