Kumon

British  

/ ˈkuːmɔːn /

noun

1. 1. a method of teaching mathematics, reading, and languages in which students start at a level of work at which they have a firm grasp of facts and concepts and then, working at their own pace in an individualized study programme of problem-solving on worksheets, progress by small steps to more advanced levels of knowledge

   2. ( as modifier )

      Kumon mathematics

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Etymology

Origin of Kumon

C20: named after its founder, Toru Kumon (1914–95), a Japanese mathematics teacher

Example Sentences

My wife, 62, still works at her Kumon Center, helping children get better academically in reading, writing and math.

From MarketWatch • Dec. 18, 2025

The Kumon Center, a national after-school learning program with a location in Redmond, also helped the team spread the word.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 29, 2023

In-N-Out, with headquarters inside a nondescript Irvine building fronted by a Kumon tutoring center, priced its burgers from $2.80 to $4.45 at a nearby location Thursday.

From Los Angeles Times • May 14, 2021

We're not all just going to Kumon learning math years ahead of everybody else and getting into our first colleges.

From Salon • May 12, 2020

Or “Nna was careless with his Kumon and he got two wrong.”

From "Americanah" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie