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Russian Math vs. Kumon

You’re not alone if you struggle to help your kid with math. Many parents are frustrated with the lack of progress in math their children make, especially when the tests are coming back. The good news is that it’s easily manageable once you have the right after-school program in place. These can help your child excel in math and build a strong foundation for their educational endeavors. In this article, we’ll compare Kumon to Russian Math, explore the pros and cons of both programs (programs Kumon vs. Russian Math), and figure out which will work best for your kid’s specific needs and goals.

Kumon vs. Russian Math: Comparison

Without further ado, let’s determine which platform can be a better option for your child based on different parameters. This table should give you a general insight into whether you should enroll your kids in Russian math vs. Kumon.

Programs	Russian School of Math	Kumon
Instructional formats	Offline and remote classrooms	Offline classroom service only
Subject	Math	Reading and math
Cost of programs	Kindergarten and first grade: $52 for 1.5 hours monthly; $1872 yearly. Grade 2-6: 2 hours for $80 monthly; $2298 yearly. Grade 7-12: 4 hours for $103 monthly; $3708 yearly.	For the Kumon tuition fee, you usually pay from $150 to $200 per subject monthly.
Minimum purchase	A non-refundable annual registration fee is $100. For mid-year joiners, you pay a reduced fee of $80 from January through March. You pay $40 for Russian Math tuition if joining in April or later. Once the annual registration fee is received, enrollment is finalized.	You must get the minimum purchase of $50 as the enrollment fee.
Company Type	Russian School of Math offers online and offline tutoring with in-staff tutors.	Kumon centers can be individually owned and operated (franchise system).
Free trial	Russian School of Math doesn’t provide free trials.	Kumon doesn’t offer a free trial. However, you can get a free assessment test.
Cancellation policy	You have to notify the Russian School of Math before the 3rd lesson, so the first 2 lessons are considered a trial period, and all tuition will be fully refunded (except for the registration fee). Between the 3rd lesson and the 20th lesson, you can cancel your subscription with a 1-month (4 lessons) written notice. After the 20th lesson, all students are now continuing students and should follow the standard cancellation policy. All cancellations have to be served in a written form.	You have to notify Knumon one month in advance to stop tuition payments for the next months.
Rating	Not available.	Trustpilot rating: 3.9/5

What is Kumon?

Kumon is a widely popular after-school tutoring program for students of all ages that focuses on developing math and reading skills through a structured approach. Kumon tutoring also helps students perform well in school by developing different important skills like critical thinking, confidence, and independence.
Calculation and problem-solving skills are important pillars of Kumon school, as it mainly focuses on helping kids with algebra and algebra-related concepts. If your child predominantly needs help in this area, and you’re hesitating between Kumon vs. Russian math, then Kumon might be a perfect option for those who want to learn or develop good math skills.

Kumon also has a reading program that helps children develop their reading skills, starting with the basics, like understanding basic sentences.

How expensive is Kumon?

Kumon tuition fees range from school to school, as every center is individually owned and operated. In other words, you’d have to contact a specific center to find out the price of Kumon tuition at that particular location. Factors like region, the subject of study (math or reading), and additional fees can all affect the overall cost. However, the most important factor is whether children are enrolled in math, reading, or both.

Generally, if you ask how much Kumon costs, you can expect something between $150 to $200 per subject. Keep in mind that high school and college students may have to pay a higher fee, which is calculated individually, even though all of the sessions are of the same duration. 

Kumon: Pros vs. Cons

Cons	Pros
High Pressure Russian Math program can be challenging due to high pressure from tutors. This two hares race not only can put high pressure on the young ones but also demotivate them to further pursue math subject.	Strong Conceptual Understanding Russian School of Math fosters deep conceptual understanding, making the child understand the “why” behind mathematical concepts. It helps children to develop strong analytical and critical thinking skills.
Repetitive Nature Students can find the program repetitive, as it involves repetitive assignments. If students prefer variety in learning, they will most likely find the program boring and unstimulating.	Skill Building  What are Kumon classes? Kumon relies heavily on building fundamental skills in math and reading. It heavily benefits students’ performance in school and in their daily life.
Cost The price of Kumon varies depending on the location, so the Kumon tuition fee can be quite costly in your specific area. The need for long-term enrollment is another factor that can be negative, making it a substantial financial commitment for families.	Personalized Learning Kumon tutoring provides a personalized learning plan for each child depending on their goals, needs, learning gaps, and current level of knowledge. That way, students can work at their own pace and perceive their specific objectives rather than trying to adapt to a standardized learning plan.
Lack of Personal Interaction Kumon is an offline classroom service only, and some students can find this format difficult as it doesn’t allow much personal interaction between the teacher and the student. Establishing a connection can be challenging in these settings.	Soft Skills Development  As students have to complete daily worksheets, they develop strong organization, time management, and concentration skills. Not to mention, they build strong study habits.
Loss of Interest  Some children can lose interest if they’re not properly trained. Kumon follows the approach of doing the same worksheet until the students understand the concept in full. That can negatively affect student’s motivation and eagerness to study math.	Mastering Concepts Students master foundational skills more easily while doing daily worksheet assignments. That means they have better chances of fully mastering complex concepts.

To sum up, the pros and cons of Kumon can vary for different people. For some, daily assignments are a great opportunity to refine their math skill, while for others, this can present a serious challenge and inconvenience. Kumon tuition fee is another controversial aspect, as it is highly dependent on a specific area. 

Why is Kumon bad?

Kumon isn’t ancestrally bad, though it can have some drawbacks for some students, which can negatively affect their experience with this service. 

For example, some students may find the repetitiveness of the program tiring and unstimulating. Doing very similar assessments is quite monotonous especially for those kids who appreciate variety and movements. In other words, interactive or diverse learning experiences are probably out of the question with Kumon programs. 

Let’s look into the typical Kumon tutoring method. Suppose your child is in the 4th grade and wants to improve their math skills. In that case, you would probably get daily 6-page homework assignments to calculate sums like single digits to double digits addition, which is lower than the standard 4th-grade level of math knowledge. According to the Kumon method, this is what allows children to master math concepts fully. Naturally, that wouldn’t work with children who are more advanced in math. Kumon’s one-size-fits-all approach may not suit every learning style.

Another big problem with Kumon is that it doesn’t offer remote learning. Commuting to Kumon centers can be quite time-consuming, especially for parents who don’t have much help. Also, being in an unfamiliar space can be overwhelming for young children.

Kumon tutoring also does not provide immediate feedback. Kumon students might get confused over pages and pages of math homework without much clarification along the way. As a result, the mistakes aren’t addressed immediately, and that requires students to either wait for the next session or seek additional help from parents. 

Why Brighterly is better for math online tutoring

• Interactive Learning
• Tailored Approach 
• Brighterly Cost
• Expert-driven Tutors
• Gamified Learning 
• Flexible Schedule 
• Progress Monitoring 
• Building Confidence 

Interactive Learning

If you have ever practiced math, you probably know it can be quite boring for most people. Without an interactive approach to learning math, it’s way to a total mind-numbing. Brighterly math tutoring uses interactive math where students use many different tools to learn and solve mathematics problems. Brighterly’s online math tutors can adopt scaffolding during sessions to help kids improve in math using multiple tools like calculators, math games, computer programs, and other forms of interactive content. That is a great way to help students understand complex math without stressing over it. 

Tailored Approach

Brighterly doesn’t use a broad-spectrum approach to teaching math. Brighterly tutors know how to educate children in a customized way. Without recognizing that every kid is unique in their own way, teachers will most likely adopt inadequate approaches or simply do the same thing with every student. Brighterly stands out in that department, showing the industry that tutors can be indeed responsible for their student’s success in math. 

Brighterly cost

A standard 3-month Brighterly plan with 2 weekly lessons will cost you $198/month. That includes lesson recordings, 5 progress reports, and 27/7 support. Plus, the unused lessons will remain on the balance, which makes Brighterly a perfect choice for the price-quality ratio. Also, you don’t have to pay additional registration and enrollment fees. 

Expert-driven Tutors 

Brighterly’s online math tutors aren’t amateurs — only tutors with several years of experience can join the service. That means you won’t have to deal with unprofessional tutors unfamiliar with the best math teaching practices. 

Gamified Learning

Kids’ natural affinity for gaming isn’t going unnoticed in Brighterly. Most Brighterly lessons integrate game-based math learning to make complex concepts more approachable and engaging. For example, to aid a character in a game, children will have to answer arithmetic questions to go through levels and accomplish objectives. After all, who doesn’t like games?

Flexible Schedule 

Math tutoring isn’t always accessible if you have to adapt to someone else’s schedule. This is not the case for Brighterly, as it offers flexible scheduling. Students can basically learn anywhere, at any time. All students have to do is schedule their sessions at a convenient time and show up to sessions. Note that you must have a quiet learning space, a computer or tablet, and headphones (if necessary).

Progress Monitoring

With Brighterly, you can easily access a comprehensive overview of a student’s learning every couple of sessions. Depending on your plan, you will get several progress reports during a learning period. That will give you clear insights into how well your child comprehends the material. These include topics covered, progress gained, areas for improvement, and more. 

Building Confidence 

Some kids suffer from low self-esteem or math-related anxiety, which ultimately affects their math performance both in school and in everyday life. Brighterly math tutoring works with these issues, boosting children’s confidence by building an encouragement-focused classroom.

What is Russian math?

Russian math school tuition, also known as the Russian School of Math, is a math education method and system from the Soviet Union. It’s taught in specialized math-centered schools and some American schools now. It’s based on independent learning and emphasizes problem-solving and critical thinking skills. Russian Math is known for its challenging math problems that may push students to their limits in order to develop creative thinking for solving math problems. In addition, Russian math homework can seem too demanding, if kids aren’t used to doing much at home. 

 

If we compare Kumon to Russian Math, then Russian Math is better for students who want a more conceptual understanding of mathematics. In other words, Russian Math could be more challenging compared to Kumon. 

Russian school of math reviews tend to be quite controversial, as teachers are stricter and more controlling than American students may be used to. It also doesn’t allow much space for tailored approaches and gamified learning, which can be a big no for parents and kids. 

How much does the Russian School of Math cost?

You can expect to pay around $2000 to $3500 yearly for the Russian Math tuition. RSM tuition varies depending on the location, the number of subjects, and the grade of the student. Additionally, Russian Math School tuition offers 4-level pricing which you can check out below. 

Grade	Pricing
Kindergarten + 1st grade	Expect to pay $50 for 1 subject.
Elementary school	Expect to pay $60 for 1 subject.
6th grade	Usually between $40 and $80 per class for geometry and algebra lessons.
7th to 12th grade	The price ranges between $50 and $100 per class for geometry and algebra lessons.

Russian math school tuition offers different payment plans: pay monthly, semi-annually, or one time for full-year tuition.

Russian Math: Pros vs. Cons

Cons	Pros
Time Commitment Some students are obligated to complete daily worksheets, which can be quite demanding for children. Not all students can find time to complete daily assignments, especially if they have more commitments.	Independent Learnings  Kumon emphasizes self-learning skills. That means students may develop strong self-study skills without needing tutors or parents to support their learning a lot.
Limited Learning Style Russian math is not a great option for children who love gamified learning. Russian math tutors can be pretty rigid and strict when it comes to the variety of learning styles they offer.	Strong Foundation for STEM When we’re talking about Russian math vs. Kumon, Russian math has a serious advantage in giving children a strong STEM foundation. Kids who want to pursue tech careers would definitely benefit more from Russian math.
Less Flexibility Students who need more individualized learning may find Russian Math not flexible enough. If some children are unable to keep up with the pace their tutors set, it may be a problem to continue such programs as Russian Math, potentially leading to frustration or a lack of confidence in their math abilities.	Advanced Curriculum  For kids who are more advanced in math, Russian math may be a more preferable option. The difference between Russian math vs. Kumon is that Russian Math can introduce advance topics in geometry and algebra earlier.

 

Kumon vs Russian Math: which is better?  

Kumon and Russian Math are both strong math programs, which can, however, have some drawbacks for certain populations of students. To sum it all up, students who are more proficient in math and want to pursue careers in STEP fields might find Russian math school tuition better for their goals and objectives. In contrast, students with less math abilities may benefit from Kumon’s repetition and daily assignments.

Brighterly, on the other hand, can be a perfect solution for children who seek self-confidence, great math skills, and adaptable learning styles for their specific goals and abilities. Brighterly math tutoring connects students with experienced tutors who are professionally trained to help anyone reach their full potential.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the choice between Kumon vs. Russian math must be based on factors like a child’s learning style, goals, and needs. Naturally, you have to think carefully about whether your kid would prefer self-paced foundational practice and discipline (Kumon), or a rigorous, approach that is based on a conceptual understanding of math (Russian Math).

Otherwise, you can always book a free demo lesson with Brighterly and see how our math tutors can easily and comfortably improve grades and confidence!