Chen Hsiao-chi, who began studying Kumon math in first grade, went to visit relatives in the US over summer vacation. While at her aunt's in New York, she was watching Chinese language TV and suddenly saw an ad for "Kumon mathematics." The appearance of the classroom situation and the study books was nearly identical to that in Taiwan, and she excitedly pulled out her workbook and showed her "me, too" spirit under the light of the TV.

"Kumon mathematics fever" has, it seems, already crossed the Pacific to touch Chinese communities in the US.

As Peter T'u, Chinese representative at the Kumon mathematics Eastern United States headquarters, has it, in the six years since its establishment, the organization already has 12O classrooms and more than 5,000 pupils. Of these, 70% are of Asian descent, with Korean descendants at the top and Chinese second.

This is really fascinating: How many parents decided to emigrate to allow their kids to "enjoy" their educations without the anguish of cram schools and competitive exams? Yet now that they're in the States, they turn around and get into Kumon mathematics.

"The point of attending Kumon mathematics class is to make up for inadequacies of American education," says an embarrassed Mrs. Lin, whose husband is the director of the company research department. A lot of parents who favor open educations find that, after their children enter school, the disadvantages become evident before the advantages: the school day is short, and kids go home only to watch TV or play video games. This leaves parents who have long been diligent studiers a little non-plussed.

Thus, when some parents return to Taiwan and see how hard-working the students are, their faith in open classrooms begins to waver.

Further, according to a twelve nation survey done by the US Department of Education, Americans were at the back of the class in calculating ability.

Wang Miao-fu, who emigrated to the US ten years ago and has seen his share of Americans who can't make change, has a theory: "American education is too free-wheeling. Although Taiwan's method of teaching can't help but have some force-feeding, fundamental education is relatively well-absorbed." Thus, even though his daughter's marks in math are above average for her class, they don't take any chances and bring her to the Kumon mathematics class every weekend.

In fact, supplementing American education is only the most basic motive. What parents are really after is the "value added" from the fruits of study.

Generally speaking, Chinese-Americans do well in math, but aren't satisfied with that. They want to take what's good and make it even better.

"As a minority, if you want to get attention in school, the fastest way is to aim for the highest grades in math, where it is relatively easy to come out on top. This is especially important in well-known schools," says Wang Miao-fu.

Looking at the long term, all this work is in hopes of making one's child into an outstanding performer. Lin Mei-hwa, who teaches Kumon mathematics in Flushing, New York, describes the first generation of immigrants as "fertilizer."

"We really have no way to fully acclimate to American society, and can only place our hopes in our kids. If Chinese want a way up, they can only do it through attending a good university. If you want to get into a good university, they have to look at the SAT scores, in which math and English are the two most important tests."

Because that's the way it is, more and more kids born and bred in the US, with a little persuasion from their parents, have begun taking Kumon mathematics.

These immigrant parents probably never expected that the thing they used to hate most--mathematics--would become the most loved method of getting a foothold in their new world.

[Picture Caption]

Kumon math has crossed the Pacific to the US, where most of the students in the program are of Asian ancestry.

The Kumon math instructors are housewives with college education plus some additional training.

Kumon math has crossed the Pacific to the US, where most of the students in the program are of Asian ancestry.