A child’s innate love of learning needs to be fostered and supported. An environment that encourages a love of learning through engagement by providing hands-on experience is exactly the enrichment Kumon Centre of Oak Bay cultivates for its students.
As Benjamin Franklin trimly proclaimed: “Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.” The act of doing instills the learning.
At Kumon, lead instructor Minh Le, and her highly-qualified staff teach a carefully crafted curriculum of math and reading programs. Material covered is intended to benefit students from preschool to high school and beyond, to help them acquire the best post-secondary education options. Enrollment is open from age three through high school.
Taught under the tutelage of Le, her staff carry varying backgrounds—from a former journalist and a teacher, both retired, to a university math professor. Le holds a wealth of academia experience and is an extensively trained and certified professional instructor.
“The goal of Kumon is for us to be able to cultivate that love for learning for these kids,” says Le. “I’m really passionate about Kumon because of my background: I have a bachelor’s degree in education, a bachelor’s degree in social work, and a master’s degree in clinical counselling. I worked a lot with kids in my years prior to coming to Kumon.”
Kumon is the springboard to give children an edge in their academic journey. The programs help your child excel as a self-learner, build confidence, acquire focus and a strong work ethic. During the time at the centre, students fulfill personal growth and improve self-esteem while they build a pathway to job opportunities and advancement in their future careers.
During class, students receive relevant and effective worksheets, and individualized instruction to help them learn new concepts on their own through daily practice.
“The centre is open year-round to support student learning,” Le says. “They attend twice a week to do their work and receive support, guidance and daily Kumon homework. Their homework is tailored to their specific needs and their own pace. The maximum time we expect them to spend on homework is 30 minutes per subject.”
At Kumon, the programs are not based on a pass or fail model. When a student doesn’t grasp a concept and requires guidance, the necessary steps are taken to ensure the child can work on it until it’s mastered.
“The curriculumis given at every level and once all those assignments are completed, students take the achievement test to determine where they are at,” explains Le. “When they have mastered all the concepts in that level, they move on; if they haven’t mastered all the concepts, then we review whatever concepts are needed. Students then retake the test and move on.”
Le stays in touch with many students after they leave, and recalls a particular experience that filled her with pride. “One of my students who completed the reading program recently secured a part-time job where she’s enrolled in the university. She told me she got hired because her employer was impressed the Kumon reading program was on her resume; that was a rewarding moment for me.”
Le adds, “The reading program really prepares students well, not just reading and writing, but organizing information, making it easy for the reader to grasp.”
Kumon’s virtual learning sessions can be attended in combination with in-person sessions. “With virtual sessions, we support students and prevent gaps in their learning,” says Le. “It’s not about them staring at the screen, it’s about them doing their work. The camera is focused on their worksheet so we see how they approach the work. This provides information for planning and guiding them in their learning.”
“To cultivate that love of learning in students and make them feel confident and curious about what to learn and how and why it works, is my passion,” admits Le. “That’s what innovation is about. And that’s how we prepare kids for the 21st- and 22nd-century.”
For more information or to schedule a free orientation visit, kumon.com/victoria-oak-bay, email oakbay_bc@ikumon.com or call 778.746.3185.
