Innovation

More than 10 million students have studied with Kumon in Japan and in more than 60 other countries and regions since the company's founding. Many of them, who are actively involved in their fields, have developed skills through Kumon study that have been helpful in their present careers, activities, and lives. This includes having strong fundamental academic skills, the capacity for independent thought, and a persistent attitude.

Every Kumon Center in the world aspires to make a positive difference in the lives of kids and adults of all ages who come into contact with Kumon so they can succeed in life on their own.

Kumon materials are continuously updated based on the learning outcomes of many students in order to provide high-quality education and help every person reach their full potential.
Through daily training all over the world, instructors continue to study the teaching approach.

Inspiration

When first developing the Kumon Method, its founder, Toru Kumon theorized that as long as his son was able to do math easily in high school, he would have plenty of time to spend on whatever other pursuits he was interested in. So he thought about what he could do at home to help his son gain proficiency in high school math.

With the aim of helping his son gain independence, Toru Kumon prepared his own learning materials and study method. He wrote out calculation problems on loose-leaf worksheets and combined them with a self-study method that would enable his son to advance by himself.

In effect, Toru Kumon created the prototype for Kumon Method education. He had laid the foundation for Kumon’s individualized approach that enables each student to learn in accordance with his or her academic ability and Kumon’s pursuit of potential, both of which we continue to place the utmost importance on.

Overall impact

Without taking into account their age or grade level, students using the Kumon Method start their studies at a comfortable level that is appropriate for their level of ability. With the Kumon Method, students learn by doing the worksheets independently without being taught. Allowing students to start their studies at a level they can handle without passing judgment based on age or academic grade level allows them to enjoy learning. For instance, when students are studying comfortably, they can complete the assignment on their own, receive a perfect score, enjoy their study time, and move on to the following worksheets without any problems. In order to lay a strong foundation for learning from which students can independently develop their academic ability, a comfortable starting point is crucial.

Kumon enables students to develop an advanced academic and self-learning ability by ensuring that they are always studying at a level that is “just-right” for them. The ideal level of academic development and self-learning for each student is the "just-right" level of study. Depending on what is most beneficial for each student at different stages of their Kumon studies, it can be a comfortable level or a challenging one. The requirement that it must always be a level at which students can repeatedly feel a sense of accomplishment and progress without being taught remains constant. In light of this, Kumon Instructors continuously push students to improve by escalating the difficulty of the worksheets they assign, while also taking into account improvements in each student's level of academic aptitude. Students who study at the "just-right" level receive the right amount of mental stimulation, just as they would need to engage in the right physical activities to develop a strong body. Students develop a high level of academic ability through continued study at this level because they develop self-confidence and the belief that anything is possible with enough effort.

Business benefit

The Japan regional headquarters has conducted a business model similar to the one offered in the US since 1958. Kumon in the United States has been offering its services since 1994. Predecessors offered Kumon franchises from March 1983 to January 1994. There are over 4 million students studying the Kumon Method in approximately 25,000 after-school Centers in 58 countries. In North America, there were approximately 405,000 students studying it. There are 27 company-owned Kumon Centers, and 1,568 franchised Kumon Centers.

The Entrepreneur Magazine Franchise 500 List has placed Kumon North America in the top ten. Kumon has also been named the top tutoring franchise on the Franchise 500 List for the past 20 years in a row in the tutoring category. Due to its exceptional performance in areas like unit growth, financial strength and stability, and brand power, Kumon is ranked as the top tutoring franchise. John Collins, Vice President of Center Network Development at Kumon North America, Inc. spoked with Entreprenuer.com “To be ranked in the top ten of Entrepreneur Magazine’s Franchise 500 List for the first time and recognized as the number one tutoring franchise for the 20th year in a row is a testament to Kumon’s commitment to both our franchisees and students across North America”. Kumon is a very profitable business for the franchiser, with retained earnings of $19.65 million in 2021. Compared to $27.55 million in 2020, they saw a decrease of around $8 million. This was most likely due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the recovery is clear when you compare 2020s figure of $12 million to 2021’s figure of over $19 million.

Since the business has implemented the equal employment opportunity initiative, the following has happened. Kumon’s policies and programs ensure that all hiring, compensation and other employment decisions are based on individual merit and not on any bias towards ethnicity, age, color, race, marital status, religion, disability or military status. They base their employment decisions upon the qualifications and abilities of each individual.

Social and environmental benefit

The knowledge of people from all over the world must be combined in order to solve global environmental problems. The Kumon Group works to create people who will contribute to society. As a result, the Kumon Group considers upholding their duties and commitments in relation to resolving global environmental issues to be one of their core values. The Kumon Group sees environmental protection as a major challenge that must be overcome as they conduct their business. Their business planning includes an environmentally friendly vision that will continuously work to safeguard our priceless planet and preserve its natural resources for present and future generations.

The Kumon Group works to understand how operations impact the environment. In order to reduce the amount of waste produced, they work to conserve energy and resources and to recycle.
Preventing environmental harm and lowering pollution are the main goals. The Kumon Group will collaborate with related parties and business partners to lessen the environmental impact of activities.
They also promote initiatives aimed at encouraging forest regeneration, while also taking positive action to protect the environment. The Kumon Group will conduct business in accordance with all local, national, and international laws and regulations, and it will continuously work to protect the environment. Through awareness-raising and educational initiatives, the Kumon Group will work to increase the environmental awareness of each and every Kumon Associate. At the same time, they make environmental data accessible to the public as a responsible corporate citizen.

Interview

John Marsh, Vice President, Office of the CEO

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