President Kazu Shibata of Kumon North America visited our Center on January 29. He was very impressed by our bright students, and had a chance to meet up with Mieko Janvier. 

 

Mieko's son Yuki has attended Kumon Steeplechase for almost three years and is reading 2 years above grade level. Mieko was a Kumon student as a young girl in Japan, making Yuki a second generation Kumon student! We're proud of you, Yuki!

A few parents have asked if they could purchase a number board. I will be placing an order on February 23; if you are interested in purchasing one (the cost is $30), please prepay with our checkin people and let us know whether you want a 30 board, a 50 board, a 100 board, or a letter board.

 

Kumon measures "Honor Roll" (also known as ASHR) four times per year: March 20, June 20, September 20, and December 20. Whether a child attains Honor Roll, and what level of Honor Roll, is determined by the highest worksheet the child has completed by that date. It has nothing to do with how long the student has been enrolled, but rather how far above grade level his work is. Students are recognized for being six months, two years, and three years above grade level. When a child attains six month Honor Roll, I publish his name in the Houston Chronicle, in the CyFair section (published on Thursdays). When a child attains two year Honor Roll or higher, his picture is also published. Click here to see the most recent Honor Roll ad, published January 29 for the Decvember Honor Roll. Wow! it was a half page!

 

The MARCH HONOR ROLL is particularly important as it determines the trophies for our annual Awards Ceremony, to be held April 18 in the Berry Center. Trophies will be awarded for all those reaching Honor Roll in March, as well as those attaining G by 5, Math Level J completion, and Program Completion. If you wonder whether your child will qualify, you can refer to the charts below or just email me..

 

 

Many students find math level D to be the most challenging of all the math levels.  Even the most advanced students often say that level D was the most difficult level they have completed so far.  Once they finished level D, however, most found pre-algebra and algebra EASY! What is math level D, why is it so challenging, and what can parents do to help their child succeed?
 
 What is math level D? Level D can be divided into three sections.  1)  Pages 1-80 introduce double and triple-digit multiplication. While this section is challenging, with practice, most students are  able to master it relatively quickly. 2) Pages 81-150 cover long division (double and triple-digit) and are, by far, the most difficult.  This is the material that most students, even those in middle and high school,  will admit during their initial enrollment testing that they never really understood.  3) Pages 151-200 are an introduction to fractions and include reducing in one step and Greatest Common Factor (GCF).
 
What do students need to know to succeed in Level D?  1) The key to long division is understanding estimation.  If you do not understand estimating, please see me for assistance. 2) The SCT (standard completion time) in level D is 3-4 minutes per sheet.  You can no longer complete 10 sheets in 10 minutes.  This material takes time and you must learn to be patient.  Still, if your homework time is becoming excessive, you may need to ask for a reduction in the number of sheets. 3)  Most importantly, remember that this is the last step before Pre-Algebra and you are almost there! 
 
What can parents do to help their child succeed in Level D?  1) Be patient!  This section is truly much harder than it looks.  2) Be understanding and encouraging, even if your child needs to repeat this material several times.  3) Provide praise and encouragement. 4) Never complain that your child isn't moving fast enough.  He is doing the best he can!  5)  If your child is ever going to want to stop Kumon, it will be in this level. Don't let your child quit now.  Completing level D is a real milestone for most students.  It's the gateway to success in  algebra and beyond.  Help your child see what she can accomplish  when she persists.   
 

Located just across Jones Road from us, The Backyard Grill is a great family friendly restaurant. Our kids love it! There is a coupon for a free kid's meal there at the bottom of this email. Just print this out and take it in. Enjoy!

 

As much as I really enjoy being able to chat with each of you and learn more about your children, I respectfuly ask that you not request a parent meeting during class. During class I am attempting to focus on the children. My goal is to talk with each child during each of their Center visits to make sure everything is on track. I would love to meet with you, however, outside of class hours. The best times are right after class on Mondays or Thursdays, or during the day (between 9 and 3 most weekdays by appointment). Please schedule your appointment by talking with the people at the check in window. You can also check on your child's progress via email.