Sam's story

Transcript (3.54)

Interviewer: So, my first question. What is Kumon to you?

Sam: Well, for me it's about developing a child's potential, so being able to support them all the way through their studies. So it's not just their academic skills that are developed but also their independent learning skills. For them to do well, not just in primary school, secondary school, but in university and beyond.

Interviewer: Now what were you doing before you were working with . . .

Sam: I did some research, when I got sent to university. I also tutored there for a while, but this is actually better than tutoring because I work with so many different children from 3-year olds up until 15 or 16-year-olds. It's pretty unique. I have such a diverse number of students that it's brilliant, it's really good.

Interviewer: So what was it that made you think I want to become a Kumon Instructor as opposed to tutoring?

Sam: After I had my two children, then I did want something that was flexible. Instead of going back to teaching, which obviously means you're working with one particular year group or one particular age, I wanted to work with lots of different types of ages. I wanted to work with parents as well, not just the children. This way a relationship's bonded to me, the parents, and the children. It's about having that feedback from parents and seeing children come in and say they've jumped up a level at school, that they're far more confident with their peers now. So it's the whole package. It's not just about improving their academic skills.

Interviewer: You mentioned that flexibility. How flexible?

Sam: Yes, the time flexibility is brilliant. It means I can do everything in my own time. In the evenings, I can work once the children are asleep. I get to arrange enrolments on my own time on the weekends, whenever I feel I want to.

Interviewer: Are you looking for a fresh start or a new opportunity?

Sam: A new opportunity. As I said before, with teaching, yes, you're working with children, but I wanted the whole mix. I wanted to work with the adults, I wanted to work with the children, and I wanted to grow my own business, and to have a business where I could say "Yes, I've done this. I've built this from scratch." It's a challenge, and I love challenges. So, yeah.

Interviewer: How does Kumon fit in with your family life?

Sam: I'd say it's become a big part of my family life as well in terms of my children came to the centre with me this week. They love it as well. They're very pleased that mummy's made something of herself and that she's got the centre, and they're quite supportive. I think everybody's happy that we've got to the stage that we have. They just see it as an achievement, as I do.

Interviewer: What do you think a Kumon Instructor needs to possess in order to be . . .

Sam: You've got to have great communication skills, I think, with the children and the parents. It's not just about being good with children. It's about making the parents understand that this is a three-way process. It's not going to work if they leave the children to their own devices and try and make the programme work. It's more about the parents being involved, understanding the programme, and supporting their children. So it's about that link between the three of us.

Interviewer: Wow, that's fantastic. Thank you. What would you say is the best thing about being a Kumon Instructor?

Sam: The best thing I'd say is the personal satisfaction about having your own business, growing your business, watching new students come through the door as a result of your own efforts, and also watching what the programme can do for the children. So having parents come back and say, "Wow. This is fantastic program. I wish I had discovered it sooner, and I'm going to tell my friends about it." So it's brilliant. It's the whole package.

Interviewer: What would you say are the biggest rewards for yourself as to being a Kumon Instructor?

Sam: There's total job satisfaction. I don't think you can get that in anything else apart from this kind of teaching, because children will come back to me, as I said, and parents will come back to me and the support that we've given them and it's a great feeling to know we've supported them throughout their academic schooling and so on and even afterwards. I know that at some centres where children have left universities and still are reaping the rewards of doing the Kumon.