06/05/2026
โThank you for teaching me.โ
Yesterday, another moment happened in class that reminded me why I continue this journey as a Kumon instructor.
A Primary 3 boy had started learning fractions two weeks ago โ specifically the conversion between improper fractions and mixed numbers.
At that time, he struggled quite a bit.
As I observed him, I realised the real difficulty was not fractions themselves.
His long division foundation was still not strong enough.
So instead of pushing forward immediately, I persuaded him to spend the next two weeks strengthening his long division first.
To be honest, he was a little frustrated then.
Like many children, he wanted to move on quickly.
Yesterday, we returned to fractions again.
This time, everything looked different.
He was suddenly able to handle the questions much more confidently.
Even with large numbers, he could mentally process many of the steps smoothly because his division had become stronger.
And then came the part that touched me the most.
This boy โ who is usually very playful in class โ looked at me seriously and said:
โThank you for teaching me.โ
I smiled and told him,
โThis is the result of your own effort. You should thank yourself.โ
Then, very proudly, he asked me to show his worksheet to his mother, who was waiting outside the classroom.
The three of us stood there looking through his work together, and everyone was genuinely happy.
Moments like this happen quietly in Kumon classes all the time.
Children often think they are โbad at a topic,โ
when sometimes they simply need stronger foundations underneath it.
And when the foundation becomes stronger, learning starts to feel completely different:
less frustration,
more confidence,
and sometimes even joy.
Experiences like these are one of the biggest reasons I continue walking this path as a Kumon instructor.
Watching children slowly realise:
โI can do this.โ
โฆis something very special.