Kumon - Motivating my son - Please help...

Nicki

Person_one wrote: »

Thankfully, nobody I know in real life ever feels the need to discuss 'Kumon' so I've never heard it pronounced! Does it really matter?

Only if the word grates on you every time you see it because you think it's a cutesy way of spelling "come on"

pulliptears

Nicki wrote: »

Only if the word grates on you every time you see it because you think it's a cutesy way of spelling "come on"

It does matter Nicki you are quite correct, and if I'm honest I shied away from it because of the cutesy name.

My fault entirely, had I read the website I'd have seen the name came from its founder, but I think that coupled with the tutor I know probably led me to found biased opinions.

Anyway, it was a passing comment, I now know more about the scheme so back to OP's thread!

Mojisola

csrivats999 wrote: »

My 6 year old son is doing both maths and english at kumon but not a single day goes by without him saying how much he hates kumon :-(
Its proving very hard to explain the benefits and I end up almost forcing him to do it:-(
I know he is capable of doing it but he does not like the daily chore of doing it.
Any ideas how to make it an enjoyable learning experience for both him and myself.

Different children do well with different methods. It doesn't sound as if this approach suits his personality.

mrcow's post (No. 17) gives loads of other good ways of improving his maths and language skills. Give some of them a go and see if he's happier doing those.

cloudy-day

csrivats999 wrote: »

Its proving very hard to explain the benefits and I end up almost forcing him to do it:-(

The above stood out for me. He is SIX years old, not an adult like you but a child. Of course he doesn't understand the benefits!

Many good suggestions here but why continue with something that your child obviously hates? If you're not careful you'll put him off numbers for life.

Love the other suggestion - get someone to make you do something you hate every day in your holidays and see how you feel!

Nickitree30

My 12 year old son does Kumon and I wish he had started doing it at an earlier age! My ex OH arranged and pays for it (and I'm so glad he does, I can't afford to ) The difference in his confidence in his abilities is amazing.I'm not trying to push him into being a maths genius I just wanted him not to feel hopeless every time he did maths at school or with his homework. We had tried lots of other methods at home and nothing else seemed to stick. It only takes ten minutes a day. Yes sometimes he has balked at doing it but he has persevered and sometimes I find he has already done it when I ask him to.
Six is young but if he has been having problems in class surely it is better that he gets a good grasp of the basics now from Kumon and can build on that than waiting until he is older.

soccermom

Why are you making him do it when he clearly dislikes it, find something he will enjoy that will make him love/like maths not hate it.

One of my sons is currently doing maths A level, he never had extra classes but achieved a level 5 at SAT's (you don't have to have extra lessons to achieve that standard) and A* at GCSE.

However he loves football and him and a group of mates in primary used to discuss the football league tables.

The teacher used to say to me I don't mind they are discussing maths and working out the mathematictal solutions to different problems to someone winning the league and getting relegated.

My point is don't make it so formal find something he loves and apply the maths to it. It won't seem like he is doing it. Applying maths to everyday situations makes it more fun.

How about taking him to the shops and asking him to find something that costs 99p etc and make it more of a game.

Don't be too keen to nail down everything with them so early believe me they get sick of it soon enough at secondary.

rachbc

Nicki wrote: »

We all bring our children up differently. If you feel it's important that they spend ALL their time at this age playing outside, and are happy for them to do less well than they could academically, then that's fine.

My son spent his early years being a kid (and all the time not at school playing, kicking back, having fun in lots fo differnt ways). Academically? Well he's 13 and working at level 8 for maths so it doesn't seem to have affected his performance too badly

rachbc

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

Children do tend to fall back a great deal in the school holidays if they just play and don't do anything educationally related.

http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/cgi/news/release?id=106803

That refers to doing less reading - not not doing additional teaching during the summer. My kids both got new books yesterday! They also feed and cleaned out some baby pigs, went to the park and helped make dinner. Not that I claim any credit - they are staying with my paretns for a week :j

m_curiousity

Just wanted to add that I did Kumon maths for years from about 8-14....and it took me from a C+/B- to an A in GCSE. I hated doing it at the time but am grateful I was made to do it now, so just treat it like homework and persevere is my advice...he'll appreciate it when hes older!

BitterAndTwisted

My sister's two children did Kumon math from about that age as well. The decision was made because they felt that the kids were struggling with their lessons in school. The kids both hated doing their ten minutes day and there was no end of carping and complaining but they stood fast. Parents know what's best for their own children and sometimes in life you just have to knuckle down and get things done even if you don't like it or would rather be doing something else more interesting.

Their eldest child started to enjoy maths and science at school and it boosted her confidence no end to have something that she was good at. She graduated Uni a couple of years ago with a First Class Honours degree in a science subject and her brother is now in Uni doing science as well.

I think it's the best money they ever spent and the family made sacrifices in order to afford it. Good for them, I say.