Kumon Math and Reading Center of Livermore – West

When my son began Kumon he had barely passed kindergarten, was difficult to teach due to an attention deficit, and had a «I can’t do it» attitude. The school wasn’t very helpful in making recommendations to help bridge the academic gaps over the summer, but luckily I had an aunt who recommended Kumon.
Upon meeting Anh, the Director, I was impressed with her knowledge and the methods they used, but admittedly concerned if my son’s difficulty in focusing and learning was going to be a mutual fit.
The tutors were patient with him. Even though he barely spoke during sessions, they made an effort to connect and build trust with him. Before long he opened up and went in willingly to each session. Within 2 weeks, I saw an incredible difference.
Helping bridge the academic gap– yes, I expected that from them. They delivered. Boosting his confidence? This is what blew me away. Suddenly we had comments that «school is too easy», the attention deficit significantly decreased, and he was pulling out Kumon booklets and completing them on his own. Truthfully, I thought we’d just enroll him over the summer, but now I stretch our budget every month to keep it going. I have intentions of keeping him enrolled throughout his schooling.
Here’s why it works– personalized tutoring (often just 1, sometimes 2 kids per tutor), they start the kids where they are comfortable (directly building their confidence), students must master each subject before the move on (unlike school, where the curriculum keeps moving whether you’re with it or not– this builds a solid knowledge foundation), they are rewarded for their hard work with Kumon dollars (used to buy prizes) and because of the daily system (they complete booklets daily that creates remarkable fluency in each subject).
Enrollment is a big commitment on the family, as there are daily booklets of 3 to 5 pages (with the exception of 2 tutoring days per week) to balance with school homework and activities. That said, it is more than worth it. There is also flexibility if you are unable to complete booklets, plus you can temporarily suspend your account if needed (such as for travel).
I’m just continuously impressed with Anh and her team of tutors. The progress my son has made is astounding. No longer do we have behavioral problems in the classroom and his ability to focus is profound when you consider where he started. I highly recommend Kumon to anyone– both kids who are excelling and those who are behind. I wish that our school systems could adopt the Kumon methodology, as every child deserves this kind of educational support.

Both my girls started going to Kumon and right away I see a change in them. More confident and excited about math. Chitra is a class act. Thank you.