SMYRNA, TN - Smyrna has gained a new educational tool as the Kumon Math and Reading Center officially opens its doors, offering supplemental learning support to local students. State Representative Mike Sparks announced the center’s launch and spoke to founder Ankit Patel on WGNS' Rutherford Issues with host Bryan Barrett, where he discussed how the internationally recognized program helps children build strong academic foundations through daily practice and incremental learning.
Rep. Sparks first connected with Patel during the recent Diwali celebration in Nashville, where Sparks served as a guest speaker. Sparks praised Kumon’s proven track record, noting its individualized approach that allows students to learn at their own pace—whether catching up or working ahead. The center’s opening provides Smyrna families with access to a program used in more than 60 countries and trusted by over four million students worldwide.
Sparks also pointed to an unexpected connection between Kumon’s learning philosophy and the work of Dr. W. Edwards Deming, the American statistician whose principles of continuous improvement reshaped Japanese industry after World War II. He noted that Kumon founder Toru Kumon developed his method during the same era, mirroring Deming’s “kaizen” approach by breaking skills into small, mastery-based steps. Sparks called it a full-circle moment: American innovation refined in Japan and now returning to help Tennessee students succeed.
Local parents and educators can hear more about the new center and its mission by tuning in to Rutherford Issues, where Patel will explain how Kumon supports students through structure, discipline, and independent learning. Click Here to Listen. Read the full details below.
FULL DETAILS – State Representative Mike Sparks welcomed Smyrna's newest educational resource, Kumon Math and Reading Center, and announced that founder Ankit Patel will appear on the WGNS Rutherford Issues radio show with host Bryan Barrett to discuss the globally recognized supplemental education program.
"I'm excited to welcome Ankit Patel and Kumon to our Smyrna community," said Rep. Sparks. "This program represents a proven approach to building strong academic foundations in our children, and I'm pleased to have Ankit join us on Rutherford Issues to share this opportunity with local families."
Rep. Sparks first met Patel at last week's Diwali Celebration, where Sparks served as guest speaker at the Tennessee State Library & Archives Building in Nashville. Diwali, or Dipawali, is India's biggest and most important holiday, symbolizing the triumph of light over darkness and holding significance for Hindus comparable to Christmas for Christians.
The Deming Connection - In researching Kumon for the radio program, Rep. Sparks discovered fascinating parallels to his experience working for Nissan and studying Dr. W. Edwards Deming's transformative influence on Japanese manufacturing.
"Dr. Deming traveled to Japan in the 1950s, the same era when Toru Kumon developed his educational method," Sparks noted. "Both applied the same fourteen principles emphasizing continuous improvement through kaizen, incremental refinement."
Dr. W. Edwards Deming, born October 14, 1900, profoundly transformed global manufacturing and service organizations through his work on quality management and kaizen. Beginning in 1950, he taught Japanese managers and engineers methods for improving collaboration, contributing to Japan's post-World War II industrial transformation in what many consider one of the 20th century's most significant achievements. He earned the title "father of the third wave of the industrial revolution."
The 1980 documentary "If Japan Can, Why Can't We" reintroduced Deming to America, sparking a quality revolution. He played a major role in revitalizing the American automobile industry, consulting with Ford, Toyota, Nissan, Xerox, and Sony, whose businesses transformed after adopting his management methods.
"Toyota, Lexus, Mitsubishi, Nissan Motor Manufacturing, and the two hundred Japanese companies with an industry presence in Tennessee have all built legendary quality reputations through kaizen methods," Sparks explained. "Toru Kumon applied these identical principles to education, breaking down mathematics into small, mastered steps—embodying the same philosophy of continual improvement."
Dr. Deming continued lecturing into his 90s. His final book, The New Economics, published after his death in 1993, detailed The Deming System of Profound Knowledge. He believed in a world with "joy in learning and joy in work" where everyone could win through continual improvement.
A Global Success Story Comes to Smyrna - Kumon Math and Reading has built a remarkable half-century legacy serving more than four million students across sixty countries through over twenty-four thousand centers worldwide. The program's foundation rests on a surprisingly simple premise: incremental learning, daily practice, and student independence.
The Origin Story - The Kumon method began at a kitchen table in Osaka, Japan in 1954, when high school mathematics teacher Toru Kumon noticed his second-grade son Takeshi struggling with arithmetic. Rather than accepting this difficulty, Kumon developed a series of handwritten worksheets that broke down mathematical concepts into their smallest components.
Each worksheet was slightly more challenging than the last, creating a gentle gradient of difficulty. Within months, Takeshi had not only caught up with his peers but surpassed them, working on calculus problems by sixth grade.
Word spread among neighbors and parents. By 1956, Toru Kumon opened the first Kumon Center in Osaka, transforming a father's intervention into an educational movement.
The Philosophy - The Kumon method distinguishes itself through individualized instruction. Rather than grouping students by age or grade level, Kumon places each child at their precise learning level based on diagnostic assessment. A fifth-grader might work on third-grade material if gaps exist, while a second-grader might tackle fourth-grade concepts if ready.
Worksheets progress in tiny, carefully calibrated steps, allowing students to master each concept before moving forward. Students typically complete worksheets daily, spending twenty to thirty minutes on work that reinforces learning and develops discipline extending beyond math and reading.
Kumon instructors don't teach in the traditional sense. Instead of explaining concepts directly, they guide students to discover solutions themselves through carefully designed problem progression, developing independent, self-motivated learners.
Global Expansion - The program's success in Japan was immediate. By the 1970s, Kumon had become a household name. International expansion began in 1974 when the first overseas center opened in New York City, offering a structured, proven system as American parents grew concerned about mathematics education.
The reading program, introduced in the 1980s, begins with basic phonics and word recognition, progressing through comprehension, vocabulary, grammar, and eventually critical analysis of complex literature.
Cultural Impact - Beyond direct educational impact, Kumon popularized supplemental education as a mainstream rather than remedial option, establishing that after-school academic programs could benefit all students. In many communities, particularly in North America, Kumon attendance became a cultural norm alongside music lessons or sports.
A Circular Story of Innovation - "Today, parents driving children to Kumon centers participate in a remarkable circular story," Rep. Sparks observed. "Japanese innovation inspired by American thinking, perfected through Deming's management philosophy, and reimported to transform American education."
The Kumon story represents a simple idea resonating across cultures and generations: complex skills can be mastered through carefully sequenced, consistent practice. From Toru Kumon's kitchen table to millions of students worldwide, the program represents one of education's most successful exports.
For students who need systematic skill-building, thrive on clear structure and measurable progress, or have gaps in foundational knowledge, Kumon offers a proven pathway backed by seven decades of success.
PODCAST: Click HERE to hear the WGNS Rutherford Issues Podcast with host Bryan Barrett and Rep. Mike Sparks to hear Ankit Patel discuss bringing Kumon Math and Reading to Smyrna.
