The document discusses the importance of focusing on exceptional students to realize their potential using the Kumon method. It outlines a structured approach for observing, creating hypotheses, and implementing plans for the development of a 'monitor student,' emphasizing personalized strategies for individual learning. The process is iterative, allowing educators to assess and apply lessons learned to benefit not only the monitor student but also others in the learning center.

1. Performing
Student Case
Studies
Regular Seminar
14 May 2008

2. Why learn
from excellent
students?

3. If the Kumon Method
is about pursuing the
potential of each
individual student,
why focus on one
student in
particular?

4. For someone who
only has a hammer,
everything
becomes a nail

5. The biggest obstacle to
pursuing potential is
our preconceptions

6. By discovering the potential of
‘one’ individual, and by developing
his or her ability to the maximum,
then we can do it for ‘each’

7. To “stretch” our
experience

8. ..and therefore
stretch the
horizons for
each child

9. How do we
go about
doing it?

10. How do I choose a
monitor student?
What do I do with the
monitor student?
What do I do with what
I’ve learned?

11. How do I choose a monitor
student?
Already beyond his grade level
Preschool or primary school with
high ability ranking
Are studying levels that we are
familiar with

12. What do I do with my monitor
student?
Know more about
the student using
the Six Ways for
Observing Students

13. Students
Dialogue Parents
Close
Observation At a distance
Records
Examination
Worksheets

14. Ability
(i.e. reading habits, school
grades, extra-curricular
Dialogue activities, etc.)
with Parent Personality
(i.e. hobbies, habits, dreams,
social skills, etc.)

15. Motivation
(i.e. awareness of goals and
desire to advance)
Dialogue Ability
(i.e. language skill, level of
with Student understanding about the
material, etc.)
Personality
(i.e. is he determined, cautious,
loves challenge, etc.)

16. Ability
(i.e. mental calculation ability,
memory of previous material,
following examples, correction
ability, fine-motor skill, etc.)
Close
Observation Personality
(i.e. size of numbers and letters,
level of neatness, etc.)
Understanding
(i.e. speed and accuracy, etc.)

17. Motivation
(i.e. attitude as shown by the
posture while doing the
worksheets, etc.)
Observation Ability
from a (i.e. concentration, hand
movement, endurance to
Distance continue answering, etc.)
Understanding
(i.e. speed and accuracy, etc.)

18. Ability
(i.e. completion time and
accuracy on the 1st attempt,
volume of worksheets
completed etc.)
Examination Personality
of Records (i.e. consistency, attendance,
etc.)
Understanding
(i.e. completion time and scores
etc.)

19. Ability
(i.e. ingenuity of intermediate
steps, mental calculation skill,
Examination of etc.)
Worksheets
Personality
(i.e. size of numbers and letters,
neatness, etc.)

20. What do I do with my monitor
student?
Create hypotheses
about how I could
pursue the potential of
the student further

21. A hypothesis can be
taken an “argument”
or a probable
explanation

22. ..but for the
purpose of our
case studies, our
hypotheses are
phrased as
“actions”

23. Instead of
stating:
“He is having
problems with
division because he
doesn’t know how to
check his answer”

24. We can have a
hypothesis:
“By reminding the
child with his
consistent errors in
his worksheets
before he does
classwork, we can
remedy his problem
with division”

25. We state the
ACTION we’ll take
and
the RESULT we are
moving towards

26. What do I do with my monitor
student?
Create an implementation
and verification plan about
the students progress

27. The hypotheses
should be stated
clearly, and should be
given a period of
implementation

28. We have a period of
implementation to
know when we
should look again,
and if the
hypotheses are
correct

29. After this, we can
move on to other
hypotheses that
could further
pursue the
potential of a child

30. What do I do with what I’ve
learned?
Verify if the what I’ve
learned is applicable:
Only to the child and his situation
To children with the same situation
To most children in the center
Apply the lessons learned
from the student

31. How do I choose a monitor
student?
Already beyond his grade level
Preschool or primary school with
high ability ranking
Are studying levels that we are
familiar with

32. What do I do with my monitor
student?
Know more about the student
using the Six Ways for
Observing Students
Create hypotheses about how
could pursue the potential of a
student further
Create an implementation and
verification plan about the
students’ progress

33. What do I do with what I’ve
learned?
Verify if the what I’ve
learned is applicable:
Only to the child and his situation
To children with the same situation
To most children in the center
Apply the lessons learned
from the student

34. Rinse and Repeat

35. Simple as that.

36. Thanks for coming!