Our Philosophy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At KUMON Egypt, our philosophy of teaching evolved from many years of teaching experience. Directors Mr. Lee and Mr. Malek reflect on their beliefs regarding teaching and learning, We find that our mission as teachers is threefold:

 

• to promote positive learning;

• to spark learner enthusiasm for learning;

• and to provide a strong foundation for lifelong learning.

 

To accomplish this, KUMON Egypt enjoys applying a wide variety of strategies based on essential educational principles encompassing cognitive functioning, learning theory, diversity issues, instructional planning and assessment.

Cognitive functioning level(s) of the learner: Considering the cognitive functioning of learners is essential in order to implement and apply strategies that are appropriate for either concrete operational and/or formal operational learners. Mr. Lee and Mr. Malek routinely plan activities, such as brief writings, that can help them determine the cognitive levels of their students and tailor their instruction accordingly. Without this consideration, They would risk the possibility of their students experiencing ‘hit or miss’ learning.

 

Learning Theory

Mr. Lee and Mr Malek have valued many years of opportunities to apply significant contributions from various learning theories. Behavioral theory offers a wealth of principles that, when used appropriately, can benefit classroom learning and management at all levels. In concert with this, cognitive learning principles offer significant contributions from the state-of-the-art neurosciences, particularly in brain-based research regarding memory systems and active processing of intellectual operations. Some of their favorites that are well received by students include: think-pair-share, classroom jigsaw activities, constructive controversies, and interactive lectures.

 

Cultural diversity, group culture and learning style

Understanding both the learning style of individual learners and the cultural diversity of the class/group helps them both design and tailor effective instruction by implementing appropriate global and/or concrete strategies. Although a variety of learning styles are likely represented by learners in any large class/group setting, They routinely design their instruction using the research-based learning cycle; this cycle provides the framework for them to encompass a repertoire of effective strategies, which can both accommodate individual preferences, engage diverse learners, and help establish a respect for differing preferences and perspectives.

 

Curriculum and Instructional Planning

An essential consideration for teachers pertains to overall curriculum and instructional planning. Whether the instructional approach is based on a behavioral model (direct instruction, mastery learning), a cognitive model (exposition/presentation), or a constructivist model (inquiry-based/Socratic methods, cooperative learning), Mr. Lee and Mr. Malek plan and implement lessons that clearly identify the lesson objective, anticipatory set, strategies for effective student engagement, and assessment options to measure student mastery. This helps them teach with both clarity and focus.

 

Assessment

We at KUMON Egypt strongly believe that one can employ numerous options to accurately assess understanding of course content among diverse groups of learners. To this end, Both Mr. Lee and Mr. Malek have developed (and continually use!) a firm foundation in assessment basics, from alternative types of assessment (rubrics, checklists, projects, portfolios, performance/diagnostic checks, presentations, etc.) to traditional exams/test construction.

Following these basic principles it helped them grow and strengthen their love for teaching and learning. More importantly, they have discovered that, by sharing their ‘passion’ for teaching and learning, and using these principles with enthusiasm and empathy connects with learners. As a result, teaching with clarity, passion, empathy, and sincere enthusiasm, effectively impacts learners, ultimately connecting them to their ‘passion’ and lifelong learning.

 

 

 

Directors of KUMON Egypt
Mr. Lee Adam and Mr. Malek Nagy