Unforgettable Lessons: How Kumon Shaped My Character
Isaac C.
I remember the first time I saw the Kumon Center in Dedham, as a five-year-old boy who had begun kindergarten just a few weeks back. Walking into the Center’s classroom, I noticed the neatly arranged tables, the posters on the walls, and the director’s desk. I was led to one of the tables, where I took my placement tests for both the Math and Reading programs. My naive self of course didn’t realize it at the time, but those two tests marked the beginning of a memorable and incredibly impactful stage in my life–one of prosperous growth and learning.
Over the next few years, Kumon became a routine and a crucial part of my educational journey. Every week, I’d complete my assigned Math and Reading worksheets, learning something new with each page. Every Thursday after school, I’d go to the Center to pick up the next week’s work, ready to take on the next challenge. I progressed through the levels of both subjects—for Math, from counting, to addition and subtraction, to fractions, to algebra, and finally, to calculus. For Reading, simple spelling, to sentence structure, to summarizing passages, to complex literary analysis. If I got stuck along the way, the instructors would give me guidance. I made new friends along the way, chatting about literally anything a little kid would talk about. Kumon became part of my identity as I made my way through elementary and middle school. And almost as quickly as it had started, my journey came to a close: I finished the Reading program at age 13 and had reached calculus by 9th grade.
In retrospect, Kumon is arguably the best thing that happened to me as a student: yes, there were days when I’d rather sleep or play a video game, but Kumon, in large part, is responsible for building the person I am today. The programs gave me a phenomenal head start in school, setting me up for success from the get-go. The achievement tests at the end of each level familiarized me with an exam environment at a young age, giving me confidence in important exams like the SAT and AP exams later on. Although assistance was always available, I was consistently encouraged to learn independently, which allowed me substantial control over my own path. I also (inevitably) encountered some failures, but I never lost heart and always bounced back stronger. Every obstacle, every tough question or assessment I persisted through taught me how to persevere in all aspects of life. The lessons transcended academics as well: the ability to both learn from and help my peers at the Center showed me the importance of assisting others, especially through leadership, helping me make meaningful impacts beyond the classroom.
Writing this now as a 16-year-old high school junior, I’ve had many successes so far. I’ve set myself up for success in college by maintaining high grades in school and performing well on standardized tests. I also contribute actively to my community through STEM-related community service projects and volunteering. I aspire to become a doctor (I’m currently interested in neurology) one day. This summer, I plan to conduct scientific research in an internship. I’m confident there are exciting things coming in the future, and I can’t wait to see what happens next. I can confidently attribute all the success I’ve found to Kumon in one way or another, and for that I’ll be forever grateful.