About the Instructor

Hello, I’m Shannon McCaffery – Instructor and Owner of Kumon of Westminster. 

My Kumon journey began as a Kumon parent who loved watching my daughter discover words and reading. When my daughter, Selena, was four years old, we were visiting family in Canada and Selena saw her cousin doing Kumon. Upon our return home to Colorado, Selena asked if she could do Kumon too. The next week, my husband and I found ourselves at the parent orientation and Selena completed her placement test – little did we know, the great journey we were beginning. Initially, Selena started in the reading program and a year later, we added math. When it came to my attention that her instructor was planning to retire… well, I guess you can say I loved the company so much, I decided to buy it and the rest is history.

Growing up, I was taught that anything worth doing is worth doing right – that is my belief about education. It’s not easy, but with hard work and discipline, you can achieve anything you put your mind to. That’s why I found myself so connected to Kumon. Kumon provides routine which develops good work skills and it also helps students develop self-confidence by showing them they ARE capable of self-learning.  This is necessary for success, no matter what kind of learner you are. At Kumon, students can set their own pace, whether they need to speed up or slow down. I feel that students who say they “hate math” or “hate reading” have missed learning the basic fundamentals along the way and it is my goal to fill in the gaps and help these students conquer their fear.

There is no shortcut to education. It’s a journey that never ends and I’m enjoying the opportunity that Kumon has given me to continue my education and learn from my students.

I grew up in Calgary, Alberta. Growing up, education was very important to my parents. I still have vivid memories of spending countless hours in the car being quizzed on multiplication tables and spelling words. My parents were always extremely supportive of my school activities as well as extracurricular academic programs. As a result, I have high expectations for my daughter. 

After graduating with my Bachelors of Science in Geomatics Engineering, I spent 10 years working for Trimble Navigation. Initially based in Christchurch, New Zealand, my husband and I were later relocated to Westminster where I continued to work for Trimble. I worked in a variety of divisions, including Land Survey, Mapping, Building Construction, and finally Service/Training. It was during my time in the training group that I realized how much I enjoy helping people learn.

We have now lived in the Broomfield/Westminster area for 16 years. As a mother, I have spent countless hours researching the local infant/toddler groups, preschools, and Adams12 schools; this has given me greater insight into educational processes. I also love to travel with my husband and daughter; I continue my educational journey by learning about different countries, cultures, and food. With Kumon, I am excited to now have the opportunity to meet new families and work with students from many of the countries I have previously visited.

I have truly been privileged to have four careers in my lifetime – first, as an engineer, second as a mother, third as a Kumon mom, and now my fourth as a Kumon Instructor. 

I am a certified Kumon Instructor and also have my Bachelors of Science in Geomatics Engineering. My passion for helping others succeed in their education goals began in high school and university when I tutored other students. Prior to Kumon, I worked in the training group at Trimble in which I gained an understanding of the different ways people learn.

As a Kumon mom, I want my daughter to feel confident to succeed in her dreams, and I seek to provide that self-confidence to my Kumon students as well. As I follow the Kumon journey with my daughter, I realize the path to Kumon program completion can be a bumpy one. I continue to personally experience the ups/downs that all families are experiencing. This firsthand experience allows me to help my students’ families along in their journey.