It's true when they say that we are all unique in our own way. Even when it comes to learning, we have our own reasons and goals that inspired us to try out and after-school programs like Kumon. For Kumon Completer Engr. Arvin Hao, it was his family's goal to develop his independence in his studies that motivated him to enroll in Kumon and become a Completer.

"The first few months in Kumon were fun. I was given a Diagnostic Test and placed in a level below school grade level. It made the worksheets I had to complete fairly easy to do, and it gave me a sense of accomplishment after finishing the worksheets," Engr. Arvin recalled.

When he reached Level D (Long Multiplication, Long Division, Introduction to Fractions), he started having difficulty with the topics. It even came to a point where he wanted to quit, but his parents discouraged him from doing so.

"I was close to quitting when I was in college, but then I realized how close I was to completing the program. It gave me the drive to continue given the fact that I learned quite a lot during my stay in Kumon," he said.

He also drew inspiration from the support and understanding of his parents, "During my last few years, they did not rush nor pressure me to do the worksheets knowing that I was often tired from school. They told me to take it slow as I was very close to achieving the Jet Plane."

His decision to stay until the end goal bore fruit as he completed the Kumon Math Program while in college. Now, he is a licensed electronics and communications engineer.

Journey to Completion

Like most Kumon students, Arvin had to answer challenging topics before he completed the Kumon Math Program. At that time, he had just entered college and had to juggle his English and Chinese classes, school assignments, Kumon worksheets, and guitar lessons.

"Finding the time to adjust to my new college life and to answer those worksheets was something. I was fortunate that Teacher Bel, my Kumon Instructor, allowed me to go to Kumon only when my schedule allowed it," he said.

To better manage his time, he created a schedule so that the tasks will not feel overwhelming. He focused on one task at a time and moved on to the next after finishing. He also allotted a specific portion of his day for Kumon. By doing this, answering worksheets wasn't much of a load, and he even got to learn math efficiently.

Applying Kumon Skills in School and Beyond

One of the skills he developed in Kumon was self-learning. He believes that the routine of answering throughout the week was the main factor that developed his ability to self-learn. Over time, he learned to apply this in his school work and Kumon homework, which further improved his self-learning skills.

He saw the benefits of Kumon even more during his high school years. He recalled that when his teacher discussed math lessons, he managed to focus on more advanced topics as most of the lessons were already familiar to him. This helped build his self-confidence and self-esteem.

Aside from this, Kumon taught him how to manage his time and be responsible and disciplined, especially when he had to finish more than 10 worksheets every day.

"With Kumon, I learned how to manage my time efficiently so that I can accomplish a lot of things without draining me too much by the end of the day," he shared.

As he looks back on his Kumon journey, he has recollected valuable life lessons which he wishes to share with students who share his story, "Keep on persevering. Kumon is not easy, especially when your Kumon level is way above your current grade level. But always remember that repetition is the key, and it will get easier as time goes by."