Miss Anne's Adventures as a Kumon Instructor

When families are faced with economic challenges, they are allowed the opportunity to rethink their priorities and reconsider their investments. I believe that investing in their children's education is the greatest no-risk/high-return is the best investment they can make.

It looks like many families feel the same way.

Here is a great article written about a Kumon center in Norman, Oklahoma, USA. I have had the pleasure of chatting with Mauricio via e-mail. He is an amazing and motivated Kumon Instructor. I am so happy his Center is thriving... And also glad to be the owner of my own growing Kumon Center.

LEARNING CENTER GROWS DESPITE ECONOMY
By Andrew Knittle, The Norman Transcript
January 23, 2010

Even though a lot of companies are struggling through the recession and just trying to survive, the Kumon Math and Reading Center in Norman -- which opened in the early stages of economic slowdown two years ago -- is actually thriving.

Mauricio Maruri, owner and certified instructor at the learning center, said he believes his business is succeeding because of a void in the Norman market.

"Norman didn't really have anything like this when we opened," Maruri said. "It shows that Norman residents really value education-oriented products."

Kumon, a 50-year-old Japanese company that operates in 46 countries, isn't tutoring, Maruri said, because children enrolled in the program don't work on course material they're covering in school.

"Our goal is to have them working above grade level," he said. "Because they're actually ahead of schedule, it is easy for them. That's the cool thing about the program."

Kumon centers, which cover only math and reading, let participants work at their own pace, and Maruri said it's not unusual to see children ranging from 3 to 17 years old sitting next to each other working on completely different materials.

"We use a mix of teaching tools, for sure," he said. "It's a highly individualized program."

Maruri said there are more than 1,200 Kumon centers nationwide, including six in Oklahoma City and four in Tulsa, and that many of them would be happy to serve 200 students after being open for a few years. He said his location serves 250.

"We've been very blessed so far to grow at a very healthy pace, despite the recession," Maruri said. "Many Kumon centers nationwide have actually seen a decline in their enrollment."

(For the rest of the article, please click here.)