Is Kumon the preferred choice over Mathnasium or Learning RX amongst private school parents?

[Anonymous]

Early reading doesn't predict future academic performance. In fact its the kids who are more creative who do better in school down the line. In those early years they should be learning how to think, problem solve, and not waste time on rote skills.

But, what if the child wants to work on rote skills. Enjoys rote skills. Leave the 4-year-old alone. The 4-year-old is not interested in your theories and research. If the 4-year-old enjoys rote activities let the child enjoy himself. The child has the rest of the life for problem solving. Have you ever noticed how children will do the same things (repeat) over and over again. I'm sure there's a reason for this. Don't screw with it. It's been awhile since you were a child I gather!

[Anonymous]

If your child fell behind due to missing school then Kumon or Mathnasium is find - BUT - if your child has had the problem more than just this year - then the problem is bigger than just missing something - there is a cause that needs attention - that is where LearningRx excels!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Private school parents would never dare subscribe to plebian math tutoring parlors such as Kumon. Math supplementation is never necessary for private school kids in the D.C. area.

Fiddlesticks!! My son is at Beauvoir. I see several kids with their blue Kumon pouches!!

I applaud the irony in the original post.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Early reading doesn't predict future academic performance. In fact its the kids who are more creative who do better in school down the line. In those early years they should be learning how to think, problem solve, and not waste time on rote skills.

my son is finishing up a program with LearningRx and I was surprised at how much problem solving, logic & reasoning were a part of the program. i see my child thinking in different ways and reasoning through problems in ways he never did before.

learningrx tries to improve thinking skills so they really don't do any rote memorization or academic cramming, which is refreshing in light of all the other programs and services we've tried or looked into.

[Anonymous]

My son enjoys the CTY online programs. I enjoy that they have accelerated grade level classes and also enrichment classes, so that he can keep learning but not get too too ahead.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Early reading doesn't predict future academic performance. In fact its the kids who are more creative who do better in school down the line. In those early years they should be learning how to think, problem solve, and not waste time on rote skills.

What you kids aren't capable of both? Anyone can be creative, true talent artist is another thing. Supporting education and supplementing is never a bad thing, can be expensive but worth it to me.

[Anonymous]

I think I (public school parent whose child is doing Kumon) would be seriously irate if I needed to spend money on Kumon in addition to private tuition! I console myself in spending for Kumon that I'm NOT paying private tuition, so it's o.k. if I have to spend a little on extras.

If I was paying $25K for elementary school, I would expect that they would ENSURE my child got basic math skills. With public, you take what they give you and add on where your child needs.... but the cost is $0 (for school).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Private school parents would never dare subscribe to plebian math tutoring parlors such as Kumon. Math supplementation is never necessary for private school kids in the D.C. area.

Fiddlesticks!! My son is at Beauvoir. I see several kids with their blue Kumon pouches!!

Ahhh, that pesky Saint Alban's admissions test..... But, with all due respect, above poster: I think you missed the sarcasm in the post .

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think I (public school parent whose child is doing Kumon) would be seriously irate if I needed to spend money on Kumon in addition to private tuition! I console myself in spending for Kumon that I'm NOT paying private tuition, so it's o.k. if I have to spend a little on extras.

If I was paying $25K for elementary school, I would expect that they would ENSURE my child got basic math skills. With public, you take what they give you and add on where your child needs.... but the cost is $0 (for school).

Actually, tuition has NOT been 25K since 2006. Tuition is more like 31K , but I digress. Here is what I see feeding Kumon's popularity : Private schools follow the latest and greatest in educational theory and they purchase their math curriculums and their text books from educators who embrace these new theorists. This teaching method then hits the fan when the parents of enrolled children ( public and private) don't see their child learning to " carry the one" and memorize times tables as they did. Add to the dynamic here that this is Washington where parents don't just want Johnny to take over the family farm one day, but to go on to Harvard and take over the world.... Any obstacle to that MUST be overcome, any failure to notice a deficit that could one day , horrors, affect a test score must be rooted out. So, off we go to Kumon at age 4 or age 6 or age 7 prior to the ERB or whatever test is imagined will be the fatal test result that is responsible for DC's life going horribly wrong.

The parents of kids applying to schools see "the competition" ( read: their child's classmates) doing Kumon, so what good mother would not give her child " the same advantage"
After, all every parent knows at least one "very nice family" whose child did not "get in" to their first choice school.

WHAT, does any of this have to do with age appropriate learning and school/play balance no one seems to ask.

Kumon meanwhile is raking it in hand over fist and probably its owner/francise founder laughing his/her ass off while he/she counts their money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Early reading doesn't predict future academic performance. In fact its the kids who are more creative who do better in school down the line. In those early years they should be learning how to think, problem solve, and not waste time on rote skills.

But, what if the child wants to work on rote skills. Enjoys rote skills. Leave the 4-year-old alone. The 4-year-old is not interested in your theories and research. If the 4-year-old enjoys rote activities let the child enjoy himself. The child has the rest of the life for problem solving. Have you ever noticed how children will do the same things (repeat) over and over again. I'm sure there's a reason for this. Don't screw with it. It's been awhile since you were a child I gather!

PP, I am not sure that everyone gets your irony. Could you please use italics or something.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP,

Maybe if you explained your reasoning? I'm PP 9:12. My child did Math Kumon in Grade 4.
I'd wait and see what your child needs once your child starts school.
Again, being advanced in pre-K or K can make school boring for your child. Plus it's hard on teachers! My sister teaches K at a private school in Connecticut. The stories she tells ...

Let me guess: X town in Connecticut has a web blog where parents and teens home on vacation post that their county has " SAT scores among the highest in the country" and " among the highest number of National Merit Finalists in the country" and " among the highest % of admits to the top 25 US World Report listed Universities in the country"

Parents in Morristown , NJ as well as Northbrook Illinois , Beverly Hills, Suburban Philadelphia, MOCO Maryland , Fairfax, VA all making exact same claim. " we are the best" , "our kids are the brighest" " more of our kids are going to HYP" on and on and on.

It is hysterical as if none of these perfectly normal reasonable people cannot see that they are chasing a holy grail that does not exist and their community of supposed superiors just as much thinks it is the center of the universe as the next affluent community down the road.