The school holiday and Christmas festivities are upon us. The year-end school holidays this year will be extra sweet as we are able to travel again, especially so for the expatriates who have not been able to return home for more than 2 years. While it is welcoming to be travelling again, it should not be at the expense of learning.
Let us look at the benefits of continuing Kumon study during the school holiday.
1. Daily study for continuity in learning
The key feature of Kumon is continuity, practising the assigned Kumon worksheets daily. During holidays, children usually have less learning to do and working Kumon is an excellent way to continue challenging the mind during this lull period. It is also a good time to consolidate learning gains during the year and prepare for a new school year.
2. Maintain a regular study routine
During school term, our children generally follow a fixed timetable to work on their Kumon worksheets – what we call “Kumon time”. Travel plans can make daily practice a challenge for students, and it will be difficult to resume later. During this period, many Kumon families work out a schedule to continue Kumon study to ensure continuity. For example, setting aside time to complete school homework and Kumon worksheets in the morning before the day gets busy.
3. Counter summer learning loss
Experts have opined that children lose their academic gains over long holidays – a phenomenon known as summer learning loss. In 2021, researchers in a study, “School’s Out: The Role of Summers in Understanding Achievement Disparities”, found that students lost 17–34% of the year’s learning gains during the following summer break and that students who lose ground in one summer are more likely to also lose ground in subsequent summers.
The good news? Kumon study and travelling plans does not have to be mutually exclusive. Our children can get a holistic holiday experience by enjoying their holiday and continuing their Kumon study. Worksheets can be assigned ahead of time, and learning can be done online remotely. Talk to your Instructor to plan ahead.