By Noel Smith
Briana Seibert is dedicated to helping children learn the cornerstones of any education, math and reading. With her Masters in Education from UCSC and her experience teaching at the preschool and elementary school levels, she knew there had to be a way to help children reach their potential.
“Every child deserves to have the opportunity to do their best,” Briana said. “Whether they are in being home schooled, in a public school or a private school, whether they need help to catch up or need the challenge to reach their potential, the Kumon method works.”
Briana continued, “The first thing that Kumon offers is that each child receives a free math and/or reading placement test. This is because every child is different and will be treated and taught individually. I have some students that were 2-3 grade levels behind when they started. Our program can help them to catch up and surpass their grade level in a year or year and-a-half. Other students are simply not being challenged and need the supplemental work to keep them interested and engaged in education.”
The walls of the Center are lined with trays holding math and reading lessons that range from preschool to 12th grade.
The classroom has worktables and a variety of chair sizes because the students also range from preschool through high school.
What you won’t find in the Kumon Math and Reading Center of Aptos are computers. The Kumon math and reading system requires only paper and pencil… and a mind ready to learn.
Starting at the level determined by the initial placement test, each student progresses at his or her own pace through an individualized program of worksheets assigned by the Instructor. Students attend two sessions per week at the Kumon Center doing assignments that take about 30 minutes per subject. At that time they are given assignments to do at home for the other five days.
Children who are not used to success in school find themselves able to do the worksheets as they are encouraged by the Kumon instructor who is available to help them as they need it. In this way, as students build their knowledge of math and reading at their own pace, they become more confident and motivated with each worksheet. These worksheets are the key to the Kumon Method, and to your child’s success.
Covering everything from counting to calculus, from phonics to Shakespeare, these carefully designed and relentlessly fine-tuned worksheets have been effective for millions of students.
Each worksheet provides examples of how to solve the problem, enabling students to self-learn new concepts on their own therefore building confidence in themselves and in the concepts being taught. The lesson on each worksheet teaches a step slightly more advanced than the lesson before, making it more likely that the student will achieve success on his or her own. The assignment is complete when the student has done every problem correctly making sure that the student is ready for the next worksheet.
The Kumon Math and Reading Center of Aptos opened July 2013 but the journey for Briana started in February 2012 when she became convinced this was her future.
Briana recently received her Certification as a Kumon Instructor. The training took place in New Jersey and Briana assured me that she had personally completed each of the hundreds of worksheets covering the Kumon Center’s wall.
As an instructor Briana assesses and encourages your child every step of the way and is also there to support you as well with regular parent-child-Instructor conferences to help gauge each child’s progress, goals, and motivation.
Because much of the material is learned at home while on their own, each student learns that they are responsible for the results and can take pride in their progress.
The first Kumon Math Center opened in 1958 in Osaka Japan with the first center outside of Japan opening in 1974 in New York, NY. The success of Kumon’s math program in America led to the development of a reading comprehension program launched in 1991 using the same self-learning model.
For 55 years, more than 20 million students worldwide have experienced the results of the Kumon Method of Learning.
“Whether you have an exceptional student,” said Briana, “Or one who is struggling in math and/or reading, whether you are homeschooling, or your child attends a private or public school, we can help him or her do their best.”
•••
In addition, Kumon Math and Reading Center of Aptos developed an early relationship with the Second Harvest Food Bank by offering 50 meals to families in our community for every new registration.
Kumon Math and Reading Center of Aptos, 8035 Soquel Drive Suite 43 @ Aptos Station, Aptos, CA. Tel#: 831-345-8377, Email [email protected]
Office Hours: Monday – Friday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. ● Class Hours: Monday & Thursday 2 – 6 p.m.