Hang in there!

The following meaningful story is from the Jan 2010 issue of Kumon Centre Newsletter.

Dante Gabriel Rossetti, the famous 19th century poet and artist, was once approached by an elderly man. The old man had some sketches and drawings that he wanted Rossetti to look at and tell him if they were any good, or if they at least showed potential talent.

Rossetti looked them over carefully. After the first few, he knew that they were worthless, showing not the least sign of artistic talent. But Rossetti was a kind man, and he told the elderly man as gently as possible that the pictures were without much value and showed little talent. He was sorry, but he could not lie to the man.

The visitor was disappointed, but seemed to expect Rossetti's judgment. He then apologised for taking up Rossetti's time, but would he just look at a few more drawings done by a young art student?

Rossetti looked over the second batch of sketches and immediately became enthusiastic over the talent they revealed.

"These," he said, "Oh, these are good. This young student has great talent. He should be given every help and encouragement in his career as an artist. He has a great future if he will work hard and stick to it."

Rossetti could see that the old fellow was deeply moved.


"Who is this fine young artist?" he asked.


"Your son?"


"No," said the old man sadly.


"It is me - 40 years ago. If only I had heard your praise then! See, I got discouraged and gave up - too soon."


Students, sometimes the tough gets tougher. However, hang in there! With perseverance, discipline and constant support from your parents and Instructors, who are always with you, you will brave through the storm. And the journey will get better!

Kumon November 2009 Free Trial Campaign

Video: Did you know?

Here's a video containing some mind-boggling facts about today's world that is very interesting to watch.

So what does it all really mean? Below are some excerpts taken from the Life Skills Booklet published by Kumon Institute of Education in April 2004.

In an Information-Oriented Society

As we strongly believe that "superior basic academic ability", "a sense of self-affirmation" and "ability to learn independently" are essential attributes, we will elaborate further on what abilities constitute "superior basic academic ability" in an information-oriented society.

By the term, "superior basic academic ability", we mean a synthesis of three crucial abilities - ability to read and acquire information, ability to think critically, ability to communicate (one's opinions to others).

ABILITY TO READ AND ACQUIRE INFORMATION means:

The ability to read, comprehend and acquire information expressed in any medium such as languages - English, Japanese etc. (includes reading & comprehension, and listening & comprehension ability) or numbers (involves ability to analyse mathematical formula and statistics).

ABILITY TO THINK CRITICALLY means:

The ability to collect and collate information/data, make connections and deductions on the materials that have been presented and come up with logical hypotheses or solutions (ability to think logically).

ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE means:

The ability to clearly express one's own views and comments to others, with regards to the outcome or solutions one has deduced (ability to express oneself).

We can sharpen and hone these three abilities by developing a strong foundation in the three fundamental subjects - native language, mathematics and English.

Although "superior basic academic ability" is necessary in any individual society, the need for it becomes even greater in IT-oriented societies. We need to examine what the information-oriented society will be like and why we think "superior basic academic ability" will become increasingly essential in such a society.

Everyone Will Have Instant and Equal Access to Information, Going Beyond National Boundaries

In information-oriented societies, the amount of data transmitted through the Internet and other means of communication increases significantly, and the quality of this information will exceed that which was available prior to the Internet. These phenomena are expected to reach a point unparalleled in human history. As a matter of fact, anyone, from the comfort of his or her home, can instantly obtain information about any subject from any location in the world. Everyone who has access to a computer is on an equal playing field. This phenomenon was unheard of when society was primarily industry-based and you needed to be a member of an organisation or association in order to have access to their information.

Under these newly emerging circumstances, it will become necessary for people to develop a new set of abilities, such as taking initiative, quickly locating what they need out of the vast ocean of available information, digesting the content, deciding to adopt or reject it after making a value judgment, and utilising it, etc. With the advent of the Internet, it has also become possible for any individual to transmit his or her own message to the entire world, which was an impossible feat before the Internet. It could be said that if the industrial society represented the "era of organisations", the new information-oriented society represents the 'era of individuals".

Obtaining the Latest Knowledge Is Vital in a Fast-Paced Society

Scientific and technological advancements are not limited to the field of information and telecommunications. Tremendous advancements are also taking place in many other fields that deeply touch upon our personal lives, including biotechnology, medicine, science and energy. Under these circumstances, the knowledge we gained in the past becomes obsolete very quickly, and it has become crucial that we develop the initiative to constantly obtain the latest information.

It Is Necessary to Have Ability to Read and Absorb Information/Knowledge, Process It, and Communicate the Outcome to Others

What abilities do we need in order to absorb the information and knowledge that we obtained and use that information and knowledge? The three abilities we mentioned earlier come into play - ability to read and acquire information, ability to think critically, and ability to communicate. The ability to read and acquire information is necessary for absorbing information and knowledge; the ability to think critically is necessary for applying that information; and the ability to communicate is essential if we wish to put across our views to others. All of these abilities can be developed through the study of such academic subjects as native language, mathematics and English.

Ironically, it is this easy access to the vast sea of information in this IT age that further accentuates the importance of one's ability to read, comprehend, think and communicate. And, as a natural consequence, learning and building a strong foundation in the fundamental subjects of native language, mathematics and English becomes even more critical.

Some people may think that, in an information-oriented society, once we become adept in handling PCs, the step-by-step, "old-fashioned" way of studying is no longer necessary. On the contrary, however, the advancement of computers and the Internet requires that, in order for us to fully utilise such tools, "superior basic academic ability" must be developed and to do that, the honest, hard work of studying is absolutely necessary and becoming more so that ever before.

There are many more passages in the Life Skills Booklet about the importance of "superior basic academic ability". This blog will attempt to share more in subsequent postings so stay tuned!

Cancellation of 2009 Kumon ASHR Ceremony

In view of the Influenze A (H1N1) worsening pandemic, Kumon has been advised by the Ministry of Health to reconsider organizing any huge-scale ceremony. As a minimum of 1,000 participants are expected to be involved at each venue, and they belong to the high-risk group (below 12 years of age), Kumon does not want to put students’ well-being and safety in jeopardy. Thus, we regret to inform you that the ASHR 2009 Ceremony at all regions will be cancelled.The centre will present the plaques and certificates to these students during next year’s Recognition Day. We hope that parents will understand our decision. We also wish to congratulate the students who achieved ASHR Gold Status this year. They are:

Emily Yong

Sophia Ting

Basil Kuok

Denver Goh

Fidelia Woung

Terence Ting

Benson Yeu

Madeleine Goh

Catherine Ting

Lang Onn Ling

Samuel Lau

Andy Tang

Matthew Lee

Kelly Hii.

Well done, all of you! :)

Funny Rap Video about the Prevention of SARS

The following video was made by Singaporean comedian Phua Chu Kang about the prevention of SARS. Although it was made a few years ago, it's also applicable to H1N1. Enjoy :)

Maths Formula For Life

A small truth to make life 100%

IF

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

IS EQUAL TO

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26

Hard Work

H+A+R+D+W+O+R+K

8+1+18+4+23+15+18+11=98%

Knowledge

K+N+O+W+L+E+D+G+E

11+14+15+23+12+5+4+7+5=96%

Love

L+O+V+E


12+15+22+5=54%

Luck

L+U+C+K


12+21+3+11=47%

(don't most of us think this is the most important???)

Then what makes 100%?

Money? NO!!!


M+O+N+E+Y



13+15+14+5+25=72%


Leadership? NO!!!



L+E+A+D+E+R+S+H+I+P

12+5+1+4+518+19+9+16=89%


Every problem has a solution, only if we perhaps change our attitude.

To go to the top,
to that 100%,
what we really need to go further...a bit more...

ATTITUDE



A+T+T+I+T+U+D+E



1+20+20+9+20+21+4+5=100%


It is OUR ATTITUDE towards Life and Work that makes OUR LIFE 100%!!!

ATTITUDE IS EVERYTHING

Change Your Attitude...And You Change Your Life!!!

~Author unknown~

Credits to Molly Low, the instructor from Kumon Kuchai Entrepreneur's Park. Thank you for sharing this.

Kumon Road Show 2009

On 22-23 August 2009, the centre successfully organised a road show at Wisma Sanyan., the tallest building in Sarawak. The objectives of the road show were to create an awareness of the Kumon Brand to the people in Sibu as well as to allow the public to get to know Kumon better. It also served as a publicity stint since there are still a lot of people in Sibu who have never heard of Kumon before.

Almost all the assistants were involved in the road show and they all worked relentlessly hard - from making the posters, transporting the materials needed, to explaining the Kumon Method of Learning to the public. They are truly a committed bunch. Although it was tiring, all of them had fun and gained valuable experiences through participating in the road show.

Before the road show, the centre had been busy preparing the posters for a mini exhibition. The centre displayed posters about the History of Kumon, The Main Characteristics of the Kumon Method of Learning, Kumon Jet-Plane Progress & Life Skills, The Elements of Kumon English Programme and the Study Goals for Kumon Maths and Kumon English Programmes. Last but not least, photos of ASHR students up to June 2009 were also displayed at the booth. Those students were proud and pleased to see their photos being displayed at the road show. Every Kumon student who visited the booth during the two days was given a Kumon balloon. Kids just can't resist balloons so they were all very happy to receive balloons.

Although the response was not as enthusiastic as expected, the Instructor and assistants still enjoyed it thoroughly. It was good exposure for the assistants as they found themselves able to explain the Kumon Method of Learning even though they had never done it before. Previously, they were all quite shy to answer enquiries but through practice, they became bolder and were able to explain it really eloquently. That's also the essence of the Kumon Method of Learning - Practice Makes Perfect! The Instructor was very proud of the assistants who really worked very hard to help create more awareness of the Kumon Brand to those who visited the booth.

Apart from the mini exhibition, there were also Number Board Challenge and Multiplication Tables Challenge. For the Number Board Challenge, children could try their hands at the Kumon 30, 50 and 100 Number Board. Those who managed to complete it within the stated time was given a Kumon balloon while those who didn't, took home a lollipop. It was a hit for both parents and kids as the Number Board Challenge really tested a child's hand-eye coordination, number sense and mental calculation. There was also a Multiplcation Challenge for P3 and above kids. They had to answer 30 multiplication questions shown on flashcards within 30 seconds. Not many kids managed to achieve it since this required them to be very fluent in their multiplication tables. Most children who took the challenge could recite the multiplication tables well but when faced with random questions, it took them a while to think of the answer. Again, it showed that a lot of practice is needed to become truly proficient in doing multiplication.

Here are some photos from the road show:

Our booth, outside KFC and Pizza Hut



Assistants busy getting ready



View of the booth from the First Floor



Lots of Kumon balloons



Display of ASHR Students' Photos



With Basil, an ASHR-3 student



Choy Yee from the Instruction Team explaining Kumon to some interested parents



Chief Assistant Maria with Emily, also an ASHR-3 student



Number Board Challenge



Pre-schooler Assistant, Katherine (left) and Maths Assistant, Hie Yee
helping with the Number Board Challenge



Chief English Assistant, Golda (left) and Higher Level Maths Assistant, Siew Lee (right)



The centre's first Maths Completer, Stephen asking Sunny and Choy Yee
to sign his balloon as a keepsake



The Instructor and Stephen



Group photo

A big thank you for Mr Sunny Sin and Ms Wong Choy Yee for helping out at the road show. Finally, sincerest gratitude for the assistants who had worked hard to make this road show a success. Hope we can do it again next year! :)

The centre's first Maths completer - Stephen Tang Bing Wei

After two years and four months, the centre finally produced its first Maths completer on 21 August 2009! He is none other than Stephen Tang Bing Wei (aged 16) whom we mentioned in the post about the Recognition Day. It was a very emotional experience for Stephen, the Instructor and the assistants present.We couldn't be prouder of you, Stephen! Well done!

First of all, some details about Stephen. Stephen joined Kumon in July 2007 when he was in Form 2. His starting point was Level A. 25 months later, he completed 15 levels to reach Level O (differentiation and intergration or calculus). It has been an incredible journey for both Stephen and the Instructor. He has been very disciplined in adhering to the consistent learning as taught by the Kumon Method of Learning.

Stephen officially completed Level O at the end of June 2009. The Completion Test was scheduled on 21 August 2009 so that Stephen could have 2 months to do his revision. He has rather heavy workload from school and he is also involved in quite a number of extracurricular activities at school. Therefore, it was decided that he should at least have 2 months to revise before sitting for the test. Stephen made good use of the two months by doing many revisions in which he redid the worksheets several times and not just merely studying them so that he could remember how to do the questions.

On 21 August, he arrived at the centre at around 4.30 p.m. The Instructor was anxiously waiting for him to arrive. When he got to the centre, he looked visibly nervous and told the Instructor so. When food was offered, he declined, citing that he had no appetite. He then went into the room for higher level maths students to do some last-minute revision. At around 5 p.m., Sunny the Area Manager and Choy Yee from the Maths Instruction team arrived at the centre. Stephen was briefed through the test before it began. The goal was set to complete all 18 questions. Although he showed signs of nervousness in the beginning, he seemed very well prepared. He flowed through the first four questions without any problems. At Question 5, he struggled a little. He started to struggle more from Questions 7 to 12. However, he remained calm all along. At certain point, he got confused and doubted his own workings so he erased and redid the question. Looking at his smooth flow and in order not to break it just because he started to get confused, Choy Yee gave him some hints. The hints were really minimal but he understood them very quickly. There were only 2 questions which he did not manage to complete within the 90 minutes.

After that, Choy Yee proceeded with the marking. Stephen managed to recall the method to attempt one of the incomplete questions after he was given the reassurance that he was on the right track. So this correction was totally done by himself. The next correction was done by studying the solution key. This particular question is one of the toughest out of the 18 questions. Stephen took the initiative to ask Choy Yee questions regarding the part of which he was not clear. After he completed the test and corrections, there was a discussion session for about 40 minutes.

According to Choy Yee, most students were nervous before the test so a brief overview of the questions was usually given. Students would also be taught some techniques to draw back their confidence. Although Stephen was nervous at the beginning, he was able to handle it very well because once the test began, he progressed flawlessly. Stephen explained that he had studied the first part of Level O very thoroughly. This strategy had benefited him because he had high confidence in attempting the first part of the test. Most students who took the test were usually weak with the tedious formulas in the beginning of Level O. This was not observed in Stephen. Therefore, he had really taken a great deal of effort to study Level O. He is also a quick learner, as shown by his very positive study attitude. he was eager to learn and thought deeply about the explanations given.

During the 40-minute discussion, Stephen and Choy Yee talked a lot about his future plan. He was already starting to plan for his university course. He is interested in doing computer science so some topics that relate mathematics to computer were discussed. He is definitely more advanced than his peers and this will enable to contribute a lot to the society in the future. Level X never seems to be an optional level for Stephen but just the next level after Level O.

When Stephen finally emerged from the room, party poppers were let out by the assistants who were standing in line to congratulate him. The Instructor congratulated Stephen and passed him a present. It was a very emotional scene as the Instructor nearly teared when Stephen said, "Teacher, I have finally completed Kumon." Other students who were at the centre at that time also witnessed the scene. Hopefully, they had been inspired to complete Kumon just like Stephen had done.

The following is the Result Report of Stephen's Completer's Test:

The comment said:

Stephen, well done! You have great study attitude. You learned all the basic and foundation skills in Mathematics. This will equip you in your future study. Most importantly, the self learning skill will benefit you in every aspect of life. Congratulations! Let's contribute to the society with your skills acquired from Kumon. - Instruction Team -

You have made Kumon Jalan Pahlawan, Sibu proud. In addition, being the first Maths completer, you will always be special in our eyes. We hope that more students at the centre will be inspired and motivated by your perseverance and success. Go on to make Sibu and Malaysia proud by contributing to the society using the valuable life skills you have gained from Kumon. Well done, Stephen!

Quotes about Success

Here are some very meaningful quotes about success which can be applied to the Kumon learning journey. Read and be inspired :)

Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened; vision cleared; ambition inspired, and success achieved.
- Helen Keller -

I can not do everything, but I can do something. I must not fail to do the something that I can do.

- Helen Keller -

Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.
- Thomas Edison -

Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal.
- Henry Ford-

Success is never final. Failure is never fatal. Courage is what counts.
- Sir Winston Churchill -

The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack of will.
- Vince Lambardi -

A man is not finished when he is defeated. He is finished when he quits.
- Richard Nixon-

Successful and unsuccessful people do not vary greatly in their abilities. They vary in their desires to reach their potential.
- John C. Maxwell -

Kumon Road Show

The centre will be having a road show at Wisma Sanyan this coming weekend (22-23 August 2009). It will be held at the area outside KFC and Pizza Hut. There will also be a mini exhibition to explain to the public what the Kumon Method of Learning is. In addition, we will also display photos of our ASHR students (based on the June 2009 list). Please come to show your support and say hello! All Kumon students who visit the road show will receive a Kumon balloon. We will also have Number Board Challenge which will be open to the public. We hope to see you all there!

Student Profile: Basil Kuok

From now on, this blog will start featuring some of the excellent students studying at the centre so that parents and students alike can learn from them. This is by no means an attempt to glorify these particular students. Rather, it is hoped that through observing these excellent students, we can learn from them so that we can nurture more excellent students.

The first student on the list is Basil, aged 7. Basil joined Kumon in May 2007 when he was only a Kindergarten 1 student. He joined Kumon Maths at Level 6A because he had problems with reading numbers after 11 in English. In the beginning, he was a timid boy who preferred to look at his feet when he walked into the centre. Today, 2 years and 3 months later, he's one of the Gold students at the centre. He's currently a Primary 1 student studying Level D in Kumon Maths. He's also a bronze English student, doing Level BII. He has become more confident and outspoken. He is also very disciplined and enthusiastic about taking on new challenges.

Lately, Basil has been stuck doing the same worksheets (D81-120) for almost two months since he achieved ASHR Gold in June. His completion time was long (over 25 mins for 5 sheets) and he no longer looked happy when he came to the centre. He found D101 & D111 to be difficult. AS a result, he didn't like doing them. Observing this, the Instructor told his mother that she would ask him to start from D81 as sometimes children pick up momentum and motivation when they are asked to start from an easier set. The mother agreed. Two hours after the Parent Meeting, Basil's mother called up the Instructor to tell her that Basil objected going back to D81, stating that he was sick of doing the same worksheets again and again. He told the mother he already knew how to do them. Upon hearing this, the Instructor gave Basil a challenge: She'll assign D101-105 as classwork the next day and if Basil could finish it within 20 mins, she would not repeat the set. Basil agreed.

So on Friday (14 Aug), when Basil came to the class, he was asked to do D101-105 in front of the Instructor. He was told that he would get D106-110, D111-115 & D116-120 as his homework for the next three days. If he could do all four sets within 20 mins, he could proceed to D121. Basil agreed and sat down to work on the worksheets. His last attempt on the same worksheets was 25 mins with 3 perfect scores.

He looked quite happy and confident to be doing the worksheets. Even though the Instructor was showering him with praises while he was doing the worksheets, he didn't get distracted at all. He completed question by question without pausing, as if he had memorised the answers. Below is a video showing how he attempted the questions:

Amazing, isn't it? Basil managed to complete the worksheets in 11 minutes with 5 perfect scores.

He looked a little shocked when the Instructor told him this. After that, he was all smiles as he went off to do his English class work. That day, the Instructor learned a very good lesson: It is very important to observe the students to discover their real potential. She discovered that Basil has been craving for attention. She had thought that he was independent enough to do his work without close supervision so she had not been paying him too much attention. That day, she learned that even an excellent and confident student such as Basil needed attention and encouragement once in a while. Although she needs to pay attention to the weaker students, she still needs to look after students like Basil so that they have the confidence to go on.

So well done, Basil! We are very proud of you. Keep up the good work and we look forward to seeing you complete Kumon one day!

English for you

Here's something about the English language that has been making its round in forwarded emails. Enjoy :)

You think English is easy???

Read to the end . . . a new twist

1) The bandage was wound around the wound.

2) The farm was used to produce produce .

3) The dump was so full that it had to refuse more refuse.

4) We must polish the Polish furniture.

5) He could lead if he would get the lead out.

6) The soldier decided to desert his dessert in the desert.

7) Since there is no time like the present, he thought it was time to present the present .

8) A bass was painted on the head of the bass drum.

9) When shot at, the dove dove into the bushes.

10) I did not object to the object.

11) The insurance was invalid for the invalid.

12) There was a row among the oarsmen about how to row .

13) They were too close to the door to close it.

14) The buck does funny things when the does are present.

15) A seamstress and a sewer fell down into a sewer line.

16) To help with planting, the farmer taught his sow to sow.

17) The wind was too strong to wind the sail.

18) Upon seeing the tear in the painting I shed a tear.

19) I had to subject the subject to a series of tests.

20) How can I intimate this to my most intimate friend?

Let's face it - English is a crazy language. There is no egg in eggplant, nor ham in hamburger; neither apple nor pine in pineapple. English muffins weren't invented in England or French fries in France. Sweetmeats are candies while sweetbreads, which aren't sweet, are meat.

We take English for granted. But if we explore its paradoxes, we find that quicksand can work slowly, boxing rings are square and a guinea pig is neither from Guinea nor is it a pig.

And why is it that writers write but fingers don't fing, grocers don't groce and hammers don't ham? If the plural of tooth is teeth, why isn't the plural of booth, beeth? One goose, 2 geese. So one moose, 2 meese? One index, 2 indices?

Doesn't it seem crazy that you can make amends but not one amend? If you have a bunch of odds and ends and get rid of all but one of them, what do you call it?

If teachers taught, why didn't preachers praught? If a vegetarian eats vegetables, what does a humanitarian eat?

Sometimes I think all the English speakers should be committed to an asylum for the verbally insane. In what language do people recite at a play and play at a recital? Ship by truck and send cargo by ship? Have noses that run and feet that smell?

How can a slim chance and a fat chance be the same, while a wise man and a wise guy are opposites?

You have to marvel at the unique lunacy of a language in which your house can burn up as it burns down, in which you fill in a form by filling it out and in which, an alarm goes off by going on.

English was invented by people, not computers, and it reflects the creativity of the human race, which, of course, is not a race at all. That is why, when the stars are out, they are visible, but when the lights are out, they are invisible.

PS. - Why doesn't 'Buick' rhyme with ‘quick’?

You lovers of the English language might enjoy this.

There is a two-letter word that perhaps has more meanings than any other two-letter word, and that is 'UP.'

It's easy to understand UP, meaning toward the sky or at the top of the list, but when we awaken in the morning, why do we wake UP? At a meeting, why does a topic come UP? Why do we speak UP and why are the officers UP for election and why is it UP to the secretary to write UP a report?

We call UP our friends. And we use it to brighten UP a room, polish UP the silver; we warm UP the leftovers and clean UP the kitchen. We lock UP the house and some guys fix UP the old car. At other times the little word has real special meaning. People stir UP trouble, line UP for tickets, work UP an appetite, and think UP excuses. To be dressed is one thing, but to be dressed UP is special.

And this UP is confusing: A drain must be opened UP because it is stopped UP. We open UP a store in the morning but we close it UP at night.

We seem to be pretty mixed UP about UP! To be knowledgeable about the proper uses of UP, look the word UP in the dictionary. In a desk-sized dictionary, it takes UP almost 1/4th of the page and can add UP to about thirty definitions. If you are UP to it, you might try building UP a list of the many ways UP is used. It will take UP a lot of your time, but if you don't give UP, you may wind UP with a hundred or more. When it threatens to rain, we say it is clouding UP. When the sun comes out we say it is clearing UP...

When it rains, it wets the earth and often messes things UP.

When it doesn't rain for awhile, things dry UP.

One could go on and on, but I'll wrap it UP, for now my time is UP, so........it is time to shut UP!

Author unknown

What is Kumon?

Here's another video explaining what Kumon is. Although it was made a few years ago, the message is still true and relevant. At Kumon, we aim to develop each individual child's ability to the maximum so that he or she can grow up to be a sound, capable person who can contribute to the global community.

Kumon advertisement in the UK

Here's a cute Kumon advertisement that is/was shown in the UK. Though it looks simple, it gets the message across. Enjoy :)

Centre Photos

Recently, the centre underwent some renovation as we expanded into the shoplot next-door. The centre is now more spacious and more conducive to learning. Here are some photos.

Enlarged waiting area. Now parents and students can wait in comfort.

Entrance to the classroom



Students' Folders Area



Instructor's desk i.e. check in/check out area

The door to the preschoolers' room



One side of the wall in the preschoolers' room, full of colourful stickers



Added in an extra Kumon U-shaped table to accommodate more students



English section, separated from the Maths section



Colourful picture done by the assistants with this quote: "There is more treasure in books than in all the pirate's loot on Treasure Island." ~ Walt Disney ~





Maths section. Added in extra tables and chairs to accommodate up to 30 students at one time



Staff pantry. The staff can finally have a more comfortable place for their meals

Centre Video Footage

Here's a little video footage showing students enrolled at our centre. Enjoy!

2009 Recognition Day

On 7 March 2009, the centre organised the second Recognition Day for more than 45 ASHR students.It was held at The Paramount Hotel, Sibu to recognise the achievements of the students as well as their effort and determination towards the completion of the Kumon programme. That day, more than 120 proud parents and their children turned up for the event to celebrate the children's achievements. The students were all dressed smartly in their formal attire and you could see beaming parents milling around busy taking pictures of their children. For many of the parents and students, it was the first time they had attended such event. It can be proudly declared that Kumon is one of the very few known education organisations that puts so much effort into celebrating children's successes. The children were evidently thrilled to be invited to the event. They realised that their hard work and perseverance had not been in vain. Many felt a renewed sense of achievement and were encouraged to continue their Kumon studies with vigour.

ASHR students are not born geniuses, they are nurtured.

In Kumon, we believe in developing the potential of each individual child. We believe that every child can be an achiever. Mathematics and Languages offer a vehicle to help students acquire the ability to think rationally, and the ability to analyse, comprehend and express their thoughts rationally. These are essential life skills that students need in order to continue to grow and learn in this dynamic age of change, and ultimately realise their dreams.

ASHR students are not born geniuses. Many of them enrol in Kumon and start re-learning the basic fundamental skills needed for Mathematics and Languages. They work through many repeated practices, and experience difficulties at some point in their studies. With strong parental support at home and constant guidance and encouragement from their Instructors, their efforts and perseverance pay off greatly.

"Every Child is an Achiever. It is never too early to develop the potential of young children; likewise it is never too late to reach out to those who have long suffered."

The event started at 2.15 p.m. for the registration process. At 3 p.m., the event started with the opening address from the Instructor, Ms Penny Law. After that, a video about Kumon completers were shown. This was followed by the sharing from Mr Sunny Sin, the area manager for the East Malaysian centres. Then, another video about the Kumon Jet Plane Progress was shown.

The next thing on the agenda was a sharing by a Kumon parent, Mdm Siet Hiang Ngo.Mdm Siet enrolled her son, Terence, into the Kumon Maths programme in April 2007 when he was studying in Primary 1.Like other students, Terence was given a low starting point of Level 3A at enrolment. Amazingly, by December 2007, Terence had progressed to Level D.At that time, he almost wanted to quit Kumon because the worksheets were getting very difficult. With encouragement from the Instructor and his mother, Terence eventually completed Level D. He was very motivated to reach Level E100 by June 2008 because he wanted to get the Gold medal. Mdm Siet shared how she often worked together with Terence whenever he faced problems in the worksheets. She is truly a shining example of how a committed parent can help a child’s Kumon journey even more enjoyable and successful at the same time.

Currently, Terence is in P3 and he’s studying Level I worksheets meaning that he’s doing high school materials that are at least more than 6 years ahead of his own school grade.

After that inspiring speech, another video titled “Kumon Around the World” was shown.This video was made to commemorate Kumon’s 50th Anniversary in 2008. Those present were able to see what other Kumon centres and students were like in countries around the world. For many, it was a true eye-opener. Today, the Kumon Method of Learning is available in more than 45 countries and regions, with more than 4.23 million students worldwide.
After all the students were seated, it was time for another speech. This time the speaker was Stephen Tang, the centre’s first would-be completer. Stephen shared about his personal Kumon journey with the parents and students present. Stephen was thought to be an average student when he enrolled into the Kumon Maths programme in July 2007 when he was in Form 2. He was given a Level A starting point so that he could brush up his calculation skills. However, within four short months, he had managed to progress to Level G, showing his high ability.Jaws dropped, perceptions changed. From then on, the Instructor progressed him more boldly and every time, Stephen performed beyond expectations. He was always seen deep in thought while poring over the worksheets and solution books.No matter how noisy the surroundings might be, he was never distracted. He was also very persistent and showed a great deal of patience and perseverance.He finally completed Level O in June 2009. He will be sitting for his completer’s test on 21 August 2009. By then, he will be the first Maths completer in the centre, making him the first to complete the Kumon programme in Sarawak.He is truly a role model to all the students at the centre.The event was coming to an end. Lastly, the Instructor gave a closing address. In her speech, she encouraged the students to work harder to qualify for June 2009 ASHR. She also urged the parents to take a more active role in their students’ studies, supporting and encouraging them to continue even when they were doing advanced materials. Finally, a video footage of 2008 ASHR ceremony was shown so that parents and students were able to see what it was like.Many longing faces could be seen among the audience as the children started dreaming about getting a gold medal in front of so many people. After that, parents and students were treated to a simple afternoon tea outside the banquet room.Cameras were whipped out once again as students posed with fellow students or assistants.The event had been a successful one thanks to the efforts of the centre assistants who lent a big helping hand on the day. Now, let the photos do the talking.

The Instructor and the assistants before the event started

Opening address by the Instructor



Sharing by Mr Sunny Sin from the Kumon Office



Sharing by a parent - Mdm Siet Hiang Ngo



Sharing by a student - Stephen Tang





Group photos of the proud students who received awards that day



The Instructor and Terence Ting



The Instructor and Stephen Tang



Instructor, centre assistants and Area Manager, Mr Sunny Sin

We look forward to next year's Recognition DAy where even more students who be recognised for the achievements. Let's work together to reach that goal!