Amáni Hussain from the Berkhamsted Study Centre

Amáni Hussain is 14 years old and has been doing Kumon for five years at the Berkhamsted Study Centre*. Earlier this year she completed the Kumon English programme, and she is still a student on the maths programme.

Amáni's thoughts on her Kumon experience:

I used to be a very 'average' child, but as soon as I started Kumon my mathematical ability grew and my understanding for English also increased. I was soon in the top set for everything at school and I also became interested in reading!

In English I sailed through level F (paraphrasing) and found it easy. When I started J (critique), that's where I started to see that it was more challenging, as you had to understand what they were looking for in the answer by the wording of the question.

Kumon has definitely helped with my vocabulary and comprehension at school, and the maths programme has been a great help especially with fractions and algebra.

I am extremely happy to have completed the English programme now, as all my friends and family have supported me all the way, and are also very happy to see me finish. I feel as if all that hard work has finally paid off, and it is also easier now only doing one subject!

My parents and friends helped me to see the benefits of Kumon and encouraged me as I went along. My auntie was amazing, and my English assistant, Pat, was absolutely brilliant. She always made me feel positive, even if I made mistakes, and helped me to understand the levels. I still keep in touch with her even though she has moved centres and sometimes also work alongside her. She was the one who motivated me to finish the programme and she has been really incredible. My Instructor Peter has also been a great help, and told me not to give up!

It's a great feeling when you know you've got no more Kumon for the day or you've caught up with the previous day's work. But the best thing about Kumon is when you know you've completed the programme and that everyone is so extremely proud of you.

Comments from Amáni's parents:

We first heard about Kumon through the internet and also had friends whose children were enrolled on a programme. Amáni had always struggled with English at school and was a slow learner. She found it hard to cope and was below average for her age.

Through Kumon, she has become extremely confident with her English and was inspired to read all the books on the recommended reading list! Amáni used the dictionary to look up words she did not understand in the worksheets, her spelling greatly improved and she became an avid reader. At school, her teachers noticed a dramatic change in Amáni's attitude and desire to excel – she was always wanting to improve herself.

Amáni found level G (summaries) hard but she was determined to carry on, as she had done F1 and F2 without any mistakes at all. This was her motivation to continue and plough through level G. Her English assistant Pat gave her great encouragement and helped her to get started when she began I and J. Receiving her award was a major boost for Amáni as her goal had been achieved. She soon set a new target for herself which was to complete the whole English programme.

We now feel extremely pleased and so proud of Amáni for achieving this personal goal. In fact, she is the youngest student at the Berkhamsted Study Centre to complete the English Programme. Most of all, we have seen improvements in Amáni's confidence to read and not be scared of words that are new and difficult to pronounce. She is also confident enough to ask for help when needed, and all of this has gained her a place in the top set at her school.

We have been very involved with Peter and Pat at the centre, who have kept us updated with weekly progress and the ups and downs of Amáni's journey. We have had regular meetings and especially enjoyed the award ceremonies, which have been the highlight of the year.

Comments from Amáni's Instructor:

Amáni is a very determined young woman and knows that when she works hard and puts in the effort she can achieve great results. She has excellent support from her mother who recognises the benefits that Kumon maths and English have brought not only to Amáni but also to her brother and sister who are both dual-subject students too.

Through English, Amáni has become an independent learner. With encouragement to re-read the text and think about it again she has achieved a great deal. Occasionally this was not enough, but most recently because she did not have the contextual background about the cold war in Berlin rather than the requisite English skills!

It has been a pleasure to see Amáni mature and develop in to such a fine young woman. She is not only capable, but also a confident and pleasant student.

*Amáni started the English programme as a correspondence student before joining the centre