The world is full of “old adages,” “pop psychology,” and cute phrases. One very popular phrase today is “keep on keeping up.” It means you can never stop studying to reach your goals, because it is a never-ending task. One achieved goal leads to another. So, too, with achieving grade level. Once you reach grade level, the next grade level looms right above it.

However, if you and your youngster have advancing beyond grade level as your goal, then this phrase truly describes your way of life. “Keep on keeping up” actually becomes a descriptor of how skills are acquired, knowledge is gained, and speed and accuracy are developed.

But achieving grade level is not the end. It is just the beginning! Kumon wants our students to study hard and achieve as high a grade level as possible. There’s no social promotion in Kumon. Grade levels are earned, not given away. And progress is documented by careful record keeping of student achievements.

Consider the diagram on the left. It illustrates the problem which students without Kumon face. Many of them begin to have trouble toward the end of elementary school, and then face real problems in the middle and high school years. Elementary school students frequently find school to be easy because the volume and content is light. As schools get more specialized in the middle grades, and especially in high school, students begin to fall behind. As the content becomes more difficult, the problems begin to snowball.

In contrast, the Kumon students usually progress smoothly through the secondary grades, particularly in mathematics. Even though Kumon students start at a very easy level, and only work 10- 20 minutes a day, they are able to progress through high school level without feeling overwhelmed. This feeling helps Kumon students go beyond grade level.

Furthermore, the ability to do math with speed and accuracy will give students time to work on other subjects and actually enjoy school.

But we still need to help our youngsters get away from the “Achieve and Stop” mentality. Too many of us feel: “Once I have it, I don’t have to worry about it any longer.” A variation of this is the phrase: “Been there, done that!” As parents, we have to teach our children one key reality that we know ourselves. Achievement is open-ended. Success and happiness are not closed commodities. Once you achieve either one, someone moves the parameters. Achievement is ever expanding and depends greatly on what we know and understand. For our youngsters, exceeding beyond their grade level should be the first step toward achieving the wonderful power called knowledge.