Testimonials of Parents.

I felt lucky when I moved to Portland and found out there was an
abacus school (JAMS) in town. Remembering what I learned from abacus
as a child was one of things I wanted my daughter to experience.
Abacus is a useful tool in daily life and a skill that follows
throughout one's life. Every Ms. Miwako's class is intense, thus
student advancement is dramatic. My daughter at age 5, joined JAMS as
a preschooler and in a little more than one year accomplished
three-digit calculation and up to division. Moreover, Ms. Miwako does
an amazing job keeping her motivated. No matter the assignment, my
daughter finds the class is enjoyable.

Ms. Miwako is also a passionate instructor looking for improvement
from each student and in each class. Her professionalism extends in
many areas; she is punctual, never finishes early than scheduled time,
is taking a pride in teaching, and has the perception to read a
student's personality and ability. She is incredibly perceptive and
intuitive.

I wholeheartedly believe that Ms. Miwako's students are having a
worthwhile class from beginning to end. My husband and I are grateful
to Ms. Miwako for all her hard work, her strong work ethic, and in
providing a stellar learning environment.

Yuko Hopman Portland OR.

How the Japanese Abacus Math School Has Improved Our Lives

My daughter, Quinn, is eight years old and in the 3rd grade. This
year she began learning her multiplication tables and that is when we
discovered that she was not confident in her math skills so she did
not progress, but that she also lacked some basic math skills. It was
heartbreaking to see my daughter's self esteem and confidence diminish
because she did not know the materials presented in her class. About
the same time that we discovered Quinn's dilemma, JAMS was recommended
to me by another parent whose daughters attend JAMS classes. We
quickly realized this could very well be the resource that would help
Quinn.

From the very first class, Quinn took to the abacus. She seemed to
have a natural affinity to it, the transition was very easy and I can
only thank Miwako Sensei for that, and she was proud to be learning a
new skill. Quinn has always loved to share her abacus skill with
others, which is a great confidence booster for her in addition to
solidifying her skill.

Miwako Sensei runs a tight ship and that is exactly what I appreciate
about her program. I would not like it if she spent time on one or
two students for disciplinary or inattention issues. Miwako spends
time teaching. The norm in her class is hard work, focused attention
on the task at hand, and lots of interaction with her. That is the
norm, so when new students join the class they know how to act based
on the current environment. It certainly helps that the classes are
small. It is obvious that students like Miwako Sensei, yet also know
that she will require each child to finish their work. Miwako Sensei
is very good at interacting with parents and is consistent with her
messages that students must practice at home or the program won't work
as well.

When Quinn began the JAMS program she did not understand the math she
was supposed to be learning in school; she was self-conscious about
participating in class; and she worried about not knowing the
materials. Since she's been attending JAMS she is now keeping up with
the math taught in her school and both her teachers have commented how
much she's improved. Since attendance at JAMS she is much more
comfortable participating in class because she's understand the
materials more, plus she's gained self-confidence she didn't have
before. Her new found self-confidence has spilled over into other
academic subjects. Because she' comfortable interacting with Miwako
Sensei, she now tends to interact more with her other teachers.
Finally, Quinn has a some peace about going to school and knowing the
material. It's also a great that Miwako Sensei speaks Japanese which
allows my daughter to use that language too.

JAMS has provided Quinn the math skills she needs, confidence to
perform in school, and improved her concetration . JAMS has provided
me peace of mind that my daughter is learning and happy.

Sonciray Galligher Portland OR. April 8th 200

"My son, Nicholas, was only 4 years-old when he started JAMS. He
couldn't write is numbers and counted to 20. Today Nicholas is 6
years-old and attends kindergarten. He adds and subtracts double and
triple digits and has memorized his multiplication tables - AMAZING!
Math has become a part of our everyday lives. He adds and subtracts
prices at the store, how many minutes are left in the hour and adds
his own score when we play board games together. I often think to
myself; "I can't believe this is my 6-year-old!".

JAMS has opened many doors for my child. His kindergarten teacher is
amazed by his math proficiency at such a young age. Nicholas was
recently accepted into TAG at his school after scoring a 99% on his
standardized testing. Ms. Miwako has worked incredibly hard with
Nicholas to achieve this level of success. She has individualized his
program to meet his specific needs and gives him an incredible amount
of one-on-one attention. He is confident, focused and thriving in
school. I couldn't be more sure that JAMS is the best investment in
his future that we have made! "

Carrie Salehiamin Portland OR April 9th 2008

"Since Maddie has taken Abacus a little over six months ago, we've not
only noticed her math skills have developed but we have also seen that
her ability to focus and concentrate have improve. It has benefited
Maddie beyond just math. Ms. Miwako has done an amazing job with all
her students, helping each child, no matter the age, to fully realize
their potential."

Lynn ly Cornelius OR.

Our 9-year-old child have started to attend JAMS four years ago. He have
been taught not only abacus skills but also how to concentrate on himself.
As Japanese parents, we are very much used to using the abacus in math
study, and we believe that learning the abacus is a one of the best approach
to master basic math skills for young children.

Miwako-sensei is always enthusiastic about teaching children. She is strict
yet very attentive. She observes individual child carefully during classes.
She is always happy to spend extra times to help each child if she/he has
troubles understanding.

Our younger child also have been attending JAMS since last fall. He was
always looking forward to taking lessons with his older brother. I remember
that he was so thrilled to receive a new abacus book from Miwako-sensei at
the first day of his class. He already knew how to count in Japanese when he
started his lesson. However, he struggled with leaning numbers in English.
Thanks to Miwako-sensei's positive attitude toward him, I already see big
improvements in his English and math skill in seven months. We are sure that
leaning the abacus helps children to build their self-esteem.

Yuki Ameda Portland OR April 9th 2008

To our Jacob, abacus is more of a hobby than a study.
That's how much he loves abacus and the enjoyment has grown over the years
as his ability and skills have improved. Naturally, that gives Joshua
encouragement to want to learn abacus and be as good as his brother. It's a
great tool for any child to build on for all math related studies. We're
very pleased with the JAMS and would recommend it to anyone!

Angela Lee Portland OR. April 9th 2008

My daughter Adilah has just turned 7 and already has a good foundation in math thanks to the Abacus classes. She is much more confident in handling her class work and her interest in math has increased. Six months of Abacus classes have given my daughter a leap of more than a few years in math. She has completed classes in addition, subtraction and multiplication and is currently learning division.

Her tutor, Miwako takes the time and provides individual attention to each student in helping him or her understand mathematical concepts. Miwako also reviews each day’s work, there by making certain that Adilah understands what she was taught. The Abacus method of instruction is unique and will give students the ability to calculate mentally, enabling them to make complex mathematical calculations with relative ease.

I’m glad we decided to enroll Adilah in this class. With individual attention and unique technique, Miwako has made math interesting and fun for Adilah.

Tariq S. Musaliar

Lake Oswego, OR
March 27, 2003

To Whom It May Concern:

My 9 ½ year old son, Joshua, has been attending Ms. Miwako Sakabayashi’s Japanese Abacus Math School (JAMS) for approximately three months.
He initially attended the program because of his difficulty in comprehending two digit addition and subtraction problems.

Due to Ms. Sakabayashi’s excellent teaching skills, Josh’s mathematical comprehension and ability have greatly improved. Using both the abacus and anzan (mental calculation) methods, Ms. Sakabayashi is able to instill a whole new approach to learning and understanding math concepts. She clearly communicates how to manipulate the abacus, and she patiently works with each student to ensure that the comprehension and skill have been achieved. Ms. Sakabayashi is also very firm. She believes that all of her students are capable of learning how to use the abacus and she continually challenges her students to work diligently to achieve their goals.

It is evident that Ms. Sakabayashi cares deeply about her students. She spends extra time with them when it is necessary, and she rewards them when they understand and demonstrate the assigned tasks.

Since Joshua has been attending JAMS his math skills have greatly improved. However, the improvement is not limited to just the math skills. His concentration has increased and his memory is also better. He is more confident and self-assured. He even brought his abacus to school one day to demonstrate how to use it. (His classmates were fascinated.)

I am delighted that Josh is working with Ms. Sakabayashi. I am happy to endorse her program.

Sincerely,
Roberta Kaplan Israel

Wilsonville, OR
April 14, 2003

To Whom It May Concern:

Miwako has been teaching my seven- year-old son since October of 2002.
Learning to use abacus has tremendously improved his computational skills as well as his confidence level in math.

Miwako is an excellent teacher. Her lessons are structured and fast-paced. She keeps everyone on task while working with individual child. Her stern, yet, not intimidating style seems to help maintain order in the class. She also seems to create a friendly competitive atmosphere among the students.

I know Miwako has worked very diligently with my son who at times was reluctant to do his work. Although my son is a very capable child he easily became frustrated and resisted challenge. She made many adjustments in her teaching to keep him motivated while keeping the communication lines open with me. My son is excited about the progress he has made. He can calculate much more quickly, accurately, and with such ease than any of his classmates at school. Seeing the visible and dramatic result of his effort motivates him to continue with the lessons. It was worthwhile endeavor for me to drive twenty minutes each way twice a week to the lesson, and wait for an hour with my three months old infant and his three-year-old brother.

As a parent and former teacher I appreciate Miwako’s dedication to her students. She is passionate about teaching and learning. She has very high expectation of herself, and her students seem to raise their own standard in response to her. I am excited to see my son excel academically, but more importantly, I’m thrilled that he has the opportunity to learn valuable life skills such as self-discipline, motivation, and persistence.

Sincerely,
Janet Kyung

Mrs. Miwako offers a very fun and effective approach to learning math and developing skills that will benefit my son for many years to come.

Starting as a pre-kindergartener, Ben has learned about the discipline of consistent practice and concentration. Mrs. Miwako sets realistic expectations that involve strong parental support along with a biweekly schedule, which gives her the opportunity to continually assess Ben’s progress and adjust how she progresses with his lessons.

The curriculum is varied – using flash cards, abacus, multiple books, computer and timed calculation.

Furthermore, Mrs. Miwako is very aware of the affect of peers on study. She adjusts class participants considering age, level of competency, behavior / maturity, number of students, etc.

I am very satisfied with Ben’s progress. He has been studying for 8 months and he is at 2nd grade math level – able to add and subtract multiple numbered equations. He is excelling in being able to think through calculations by envisioning the abacus in his head (known as mental calculation or ANZAN). Plus he is now memorizing his 2, 3,4,5,8 and 9 multiplication tables.

I am confident that Ben is getting a good foundation in math as well as study skills. Not to mention the positive effect on his self-esteem. By working together, both Ben and I have learned a lot about abacus and ourselves. We look forward to continuing.

Pam Soderquist

Jams is an excellent math program. Mrs. Miwako teaches discipline on top of stimulating the brain, when we started.

Ryan was hungry for the challenge. It is getting harder for him to come to class right now because something he wonders why he has to do such complicated problem. But once he is in the class, he has so much fun. He likes to learn new stuff and proud to be able to do the challenge.

Mrs. Miwako has a way to challenge the student in a fun way. She is a tough teacher, very discipline but yet the students seem to love her. She knows when & how to back off when the students are frustrated. She is very sensitive to the students need, and knows how to bring out their high expectation. She is very generous with her praises and likes to celebrate her student’s milestones. She has a way to boost their confidence & self esteem. She always supports the parents through the ups & downs. She also always has time to discuss problems outside the class. I am very happy with the program & with Mrs. Miwako’s way of teaching.

I couldn’t find a better teacher. I also like the flexibility of the class.

Lina Chin