Kumon Math and Reading Center of East Amherst

Kumon is a self-​guided math and reading program for students (pre)K-12. It’s pretty simple, the students are assessed based on their current knowledge of the subject matter and then started on a path that will allow them to progress exponentially. During each level of learning the Kumon program provides packets of classwork and homework. Students follow the directions and complete the work. After they have reached proficiency in the subject matter they are then tested, and after passing this brief test, they advance to the next level.
Every child is different and each child will learn at their own pace. This is the beauty of the Kumon method. It adjusts to each student, allowing them to learn at their individual pace. If they struggle or get confused, they can repeat parts of the whole until they master it. Mastery comes with a built-​in reward system, a classic teaching method, that includes trophies, certificates, and a Kumon store. The store provides daily tangible rewards by hosting a collection of items children can purchase with their earned «Kumon Bucks». This factitious money is earned each week by meeting small milestones such as good grades, fast completion times, etc. Rewards include bags, pencils, water bottles, and more.
So that is a quick overview of the program, but what about the center on Hopkins in East Amherst? This center has been open for over 2 years and is located across from Williamsville North high school. The Plaza has plenty of public parking, restaurants, a fitness center, and a Rite Aid. This Kumon center is located in the center of the plaza, right across from the main entrance. The center is open for class hours on Monday and Thursday from 2:30 — 6:30 pm. It hosts a comfortable waiting area for parents, who typically wait 20 – 60 minutes depending on the proficiency of their child and the amount of assigned work. The main classroom contains tables and stools for children to work at. All materials, such as pencils, erasers, and work packets are provided by the center. On the left wall of the center are gender specific bathrooms, which are spacious and kept incredibly clean. The children also have access to two water fountains, located just inside the main door. In the back of the classroom, just below the parent waiting area window, are the early learner tables. It is here that younger students get hands-​on instruction time by the well trained staff.
The program is the program, it is self-​contained and unfolds according to the center’s instructors. A center itself, is only as good as its team, and the owner and operator of this location is one of the best I have ever worked with. Mr. Daniel Jung is an educator who has not only a background in teaching but also has a strong passion for it as well. He truly enjoys being an educator and you can see it on the faces of the children who attend this center. He is well respected by their parents as well, not only for his personality but also for the intensity for which he cares about each child’s education and well-​being. He knows each parent and student by name, and he has hundreds of students. He also knows each lesson plan by heart, and can call a student aside to help them with ease. I have watched him work first hand and truthfully there is no place I would have my family learning other than from Mr. Daniel. His passion, drive, attention to detail, knowledge, and teaching ability can not be accurately described through these simple words. I encourage you to make an appointment at his center, first impressions are everything and he nails them.
My niece has been going to the center for help in reading. She entered into the center not really knowing how to read anything that did not have an image associated with it. Within a few weeks of learning she has grown her vocabulary and can now read many words on site. Just last night she put together two words and then jumped around expressing to me how she «read it» on her own. Before Kumon, we worked with her using flash cards and even considered hiring a tutor. The work she is doing takes about 30 minutes so she doesn’t get distracted like when we tried to drill words into her memory with flash cards. The reading is fun and matches her level of understanding. She learns by herself where she couldn’t when we just read to her. The program works, she is our proof, and it is all thanks to the way Mr. Daniel instructs it.
This Kumon location is the 1^st in the area and we are lucky to have Mr. Daniel as its head of operations.