We at Kumon share a dream,

a dream of world peace brought about by nurturing children.

We will move toward the realization of that dream by helping people to better themselves through individualized instruction. Acting as a responsible global citizen, Kumon will contribute to the growth and happiness of each individual by putting into practice our Mission and Vision.

Mission

By discovering the potential of each individual
and developing his or her ability to the maximum,
we aim to foster sound, capable people
and thus contribute to the global community.

Vision

Vision of Kumon Group

We wish that all people in all countries and regions in the world will have the opportunity to learn with the Kumon Method, and that each individual in the world will be enthusiastically self-learning and making efforts toward realizing his or her dreams and goals.

What the Kumon Logo represents

"The face inside is the “THINKING FACE.”

It represents the faces of children who learn, think, and grow within Kumon Centers.

It also represents the faces of Kumon Instructors and staff

who are thinking about the welfare of children and developing themselves."

"How can I help this child progress?"

Everyone involved in Kumon thinks about how to nurture children very seriously,

wants to learn from children, has the desire to grow alongside others,

and to put all these into practice."

"Kumon Blue represents intelligence,

honesty, and the sky that stretches across the world.

It also represents our hope that the world will be united as one,

that the future of our children will grow on a grand scale,

and that people all over the world will think more seriously about how to nurture children."

Kumon’s Origins

One father’s love for his son gave birth to the Kumon Method of learning.

After more than half a century, true to Toru Kumon’s philosophy, we continue to help as many children as possible develop the ability to fulfill their dreams.

It all began in 1954 when a young boy’s mother found a math test in his pocket. That boy’s name was Takeshi Kumon, and he was in his second year of elementary school. Seeing that his test results were not as good as they usually were, his mother consulted her husband about what to do. Her husband was Toru Kumon, a high school math teacher at the time. To address his wife’s concern, Toru then began making math worksheets for his son, Takeshi.

Toru Kumon believed that our work is to foster a mindset for self-learning in children. So he went through much trial and error when creating learning materials for his son so Takeshi would be able to work comfortably with the materials each day and to steadily develop his skills. Based on his experience as a high school teacher, Toru Kumon knew that many children studying at senior high school had problems with their math studies because of insufficient calculation skills. Therefore, he focused on developing Takeshi’s calculation skills, and created materials that made it possible for his son to learn independently. This was because, through his own educational experiences, Toru Kumon knew that students could only gain genuine academic ability by making progress on their own.

Toru Kumon: The founder of the Kumon Method
(As a teacher at Sakuranomiya high school, circa 1955)
Takeshi Kumon: Toru Kumon’s eldest son
(Around the time he was in second grade)
Toru Kumon wrote out calculation problems on loose-leaf paper for Takeshi, and the materials that he created from 1955 became the prototype for today’s Kumon worksheets. Takeshi quickly developed his ability through studying the materials created by his father for half an hour every day. As a result, he was able to reach the level of differential and integral calculus when he was just a few months into the sixth grade. Following his success with Takeshi, Toru Kumon invited some children from the neighborhood to come and study at his home, and instructed them in a similar way to how he had instructed Takeshi. As a result, all of them greatly improved their academic ability. Seeing this, Toru Kumon wished to develop the potential of as many children as possible with his learning method. In 1958, therefore, he decided to establish an office in Osaka and open more Math Centers. From that year the number of Kumon students began to increase steadily. With reaching high school level material through self-learning as the goal, Toru Kumon’s aim was to develop the ability of students to the maximum by enabling them to study at a level appropriate for each individual.
Handmade original worksheets created by Toru Kumon for his son. These materials served as the prototype for today’s Kumon worksheets.
Children have an inherent potential to grow. Through their practice of reading, writing, and calculation, students develop the confidence to learn on their own. We at Kumon believe in the importance of nurturing children’s ability to achieve self-fulfillment in the future and realize their dreams and goals. Born out of a father’s love for his son, Kumon is not restricted by the barriers of language, culture or history. As more people hear about the benefits of the Kumon Method, it continues to reach greater numbers of students throughout the world.

Anti-infringement Declaration

Shanghai Kumon Educational Software Co., Ltd. would like to make a solemn declaration as below:

At present, Shanghai Kumon Educational Software Co., Ltd. only provides the opportunity of learning the Kumon Method to the children enrolled in certified Kumon centers.

Counterfeit in Kumon center’s name for business operation, counterfeit in Shanghai Kumon Educational Software Co., Ltd. for conducting promotion, and unauthorized use of the Kumon logos are all in severe violations of both the national laws and the legitimate rights and interests of Shanghai Kumon Educational Software Co., Ltd..

Furthermore, parents reported that they had noticed some online advertisement selling Kumon worksheets which should only be distributed by Kumon centers to enrolled children. Once again, Shanghai Kumon Educational Software Co., Ltd. hereby declares that any Kumon worksheet shall not and will not be sold by any entities or any online platforms in any form whatsoever. Any organization or individual who sell Kumon worksheets are counterfeit in the name of Shanghai Kumon Educational Software Co., Ltd. and in infringement of the intellectual property rights of the Kumon Method. The materials involved are either pirated materials or irrelevant with the Kumon Method. Parents should be highly vigilant and be aware of such false information to avoid being deceived causing children who use these materials for study being seriously misled.

Any infringement towards Shanghai Kumon Educational Software Co., Ltd. will not be tolerated. In response to any infringer, Shanghai Kumon Educational Software Co., Ltd. will resort to legal means in accordance with laws. If parents encounter any difficulty in recognizing certified Kumon centers, please approach Shanghai Kumon Educational Software Co., Ltd. immediately for clarification (Please refer to this website for contact information).

If there is any inconsistency or ambiguity between the English version and the Chinese version, the Chinese version shall prevail.

Shanghai Kumon Educational Software Co., Ltd.
March 2019