The sky is the limit! Programme Completer, Diya, uncovers her confidence through Kumon
For the thirty years that Kumon has been operating in the UK, thousands of parents have observed first-hand the transformative effect that regular Kumon study has on their child’s confidence. Diya, a young student from the Kumon Chelmsford North Study Centre, is an excellent example of just what can be achieved through such a commitment to daily study with Kumon.
We’ve been following Diya’s progress since we first met her in 2017. As a delightful seven-year-old who had joined Kumon two years earlier, her charmingly shy demeanour shone through as she told us about her Kumon studies which she diligently completed every day alongside a busy schedule of extra-curricular activities. Now, aged 10, she has achieved the commendable feat of reaching the very end of the Kumon English Programme whilst still only in primary school. Even more remarkable is the transformation in her confidence; no longer fearful of making mistakes, she now radiates self-assurance as she shares with us her sense of pride in her achievement.
“I’m very proud of completing the Kumon English Programme”, she told us. “My next goal is to finish the Maths Programme! The study centre team has been fantastic and have been helping me from the time I started Kumon. They’ve always motivated me and encouraged me to work harder. I would recommend Kumon to my friends because it is such a good environment for kids to learn.”
Diya’s parents, Anurag and Meghana, first considered Kumon for Diya when she was four-years-old, as a means of supplementing her school education with a tailored approach that would suit her style and aptitude. They told us,
“We heard a lot of good feedback about Kumon from our friends and through our own online research, and we believed it would be a great value-add to Diya’s learning. The beauty of the Kumon programmes is that they are tailored to each individual child’s need. The child is consistently challenged to learn new concepts at their own pace; to practise and master the fundamentals before moving onto the next module, which builds on the foundation of the previous one.”
Diya feels that this structure has helped give her an excellent head-start at school. “The Kumon English Programme has introduced me to new vocabulary to use in my story writing. I’ve also improved my comprehension skills and my grammar, and I’ve started including more detail in my answers. I’ve enjoyed being introduced to a variety of different authors. The broad range of stories I have read will help me get a better understanding of English literature as I move up into secondary school.”
As many Kumon families will testify, the benefits of Kumon study stretch far beyond academic improvement. Alongside a marked growth in her self-belief, Diya’s parents have noticed her develop a range of other life-skills, which benefit her across all school subjects as well as continually supporting her extra-curricular pursuits. They told us,
“Kumon has enabled Diya to develop discipline, commitment, and perseverance, and the ability to learn her own strengths and weaknesses. Most importantly, she’s developed a positive and proactive mindset which helps her take on each new challenge: she always tries to give everything her best shot!”
Diya’s parents are in no doubt that her excellent relationship with Kumon Instructor, Eirini, has been instrumental to her success. As a Kumon Instructor, how does it feel to nurture a child through to accomplishing programme completion? Eirini’s pride in Diya is clear to see:
“It has been a real pleasure to watch Diya develop so many skills through the Kumon programmes and grow so much confidence. She has definitely changed since she started Kumon: although she was always very keen to learn, she was also afraid of making mistakes. We worked together with her parents on this, and we managed to turn that around.
"And look at her now! She takes on new challenges without hesitating and is willing to just give everything a go. She really enjoys her work - you’ll always see her with a smile and enthusiasm. I am so proud of Diya! She is an inspiration and a role model for all our students.”
Diya is a remarkable example of how dedication to daily practice truly pays off. Armed with her new-found confidence and broad set of skills, her future looks extremely bright.
For Diya, the sky is the limit!
