Today we’d like to introduce you to Vidhya Ganesh.
Hi Vidhya, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I moved to the U.S. three decades ago – a move that expanded my horizons far beyond the small town in India I called home. I arrived in the land of opportunity as a young mother with my 9-month-old baby girl in town. I knew that the journey of establishing myself in a new country while raising a young family would not be easy, however the support of my family inspired me to strive towards success. I had the privilege of receiving a bachelor’s in Finance from California State University Northridge and subsequently went on to work in the banking industry for 10 years.
Raising my children and volunteering in their schools brought me to the realization that I wanted to follow two of my passions – working with children and leveraging my entrepreneurial skills that I had obtained as a student of finance. I was encouraged by my friend Sudha, who successfully ran her Kumon Center for over 15 years. I also received encouragement and support from my husband and parents to start my journey as a Kumon Instructor in 2014 and opened my Kumon of Thousand Oaks North Center in 2015. When I first opened, I started off with only one student and then grew to eight more students by the second month. Since I do not live in the same community as my business is in, I had to work very hard to market my business to spread the knowledge about the Kumon Method. Over the past seven years, my Kumon Center has grown into a thriving hub for children of all ages seeking excellence in math and reading. While this journey has been challenging, I’ve enjoyed growing as an entrepreneur and am proud to be a member of the Thousand Oaks small business community.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
As a business owner my first goal was to raise awareness in my community, and of course grow my business. Kumon’s founder Toru Kumon once said, “There is never good enough, there must always be something better – there is no progress when we think: “This is good enough.” Even if you currently do not have confidence in yourself, you should have confidence in the you of tomorrow, believing you will be able to instruct better tomorrow by continuing to learn today.”
As a Kumon Instructor, I always keep Toru’s words in my mind to motivate me, and I know there’s always room for improvement and to grow. By nature, I strive hard to reach my goals and to never give up. I didn’t shy away from reaching out to others in the community to help spread the word about our center in the neighborhood. I also joined the study group and workshops to strengthen my knowledge about the Kumon Method. While it was difficult in the beginning, I know my hard work has paid off.
As you know, we’re big fans of Kumon Of Thousand Oaks North. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Kumon is an after-school math and reading enrichment program that unlocks the potential of children, so they can achieve more on their own. As a comprehensive program, Kumon serves children in preschool through high school. The learning method uses an individualized approach that helps children develop a solid command of math and reading skills. Through daily practice and mastery of materials, students increase confidence, improve concentration, and develop better study skills.
At my Kumon Center, communication is key with both parents and students. I share the progress of the students in their current level, and I like to hear back from them on their academic achievements and extracurricular activities. Ultimately, I want our students to come in as happy kids and return as better students. At our Center, we develop a growth mindset in students. We always celebrate our students’ dedication and commitment to the program.
Kumon goes beyond tutoring, by actively developing critical thinking skills as children progress independently through a carefully crafted math and reading curriculum. Kumon Students advance based on their ability rather than their age or grade with the ultimate goal of building the knowledge and learning skills that allow them to study above their grade level.
The biggest difference between Kumon and your typical tutoring service is the style of learning. A tutor often sits with a child and explains how to solve a problem—making the student a passive learner. The objective of Kumon is to instill in students the skills and mindset for self-learning. Kumon keeps children actively engaged as they learn by studying examples and then completing the work on their own. They are learning by doing, not watching.
Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
If you would like to connect with me, I would be happy to discuss the program and get you started with your child for the summer. The best way to reach me is via email [email protected] or call at 805-422-3232.
Our center is located in 2024 E Avenida De Los Arboles #J, Thousand Oaks, CA 91362.
https://www.kumon.com/thousand-oaks-north
Pricing:
- Registration fee $80
- Material fee $30
- Monthly tuition fee $190
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.kumon.com/thousand-oaks-north/scheduler
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kumonofthousandoaksnorth/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/0KUMON/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/kumon_ca/status/1496666557098901507
Image Credits
Teddy and Lakshmi
