Sunday, February 5, 2023
  • Advertise
  • Submit Story Idea
  • Submit Event
  • Calendar
Arlington Today Magazine
  • Home
  • Categories
    • Arlington News
    • People
    • Community
    • Commentary
    • Business and Education
    • Featured
    • Wellness
    • Scene
    • Design and Interiors
    • Uncategorized
  • Digital Editions
  • Join the Newsletter
  • Subscribe
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Categories
    • Arlington News
    • People
    • Community
    • Commentary
    • Business and Education
    • Featured
    • Wellness
    • Scene
    • Design and Interiors
    • Uncategorized
  • Digital Editions
  • Join the Newsletter
  • Subscribe
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
Arlington Today Magazine

Leading & Learning

ArlingtonToday Magazine by ArlingtonToday Magazine
December 12, 2018
in Business and Education, People
0 0
0
Leading & Learning
0
SHARES
308
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
C&W Antiques Oct 2020

When 17-year-old Kofo Akanbi applied for an eight-hour-a-week gig at a Southeast Arlington learning center, and was hired a few weeks later, she didn’t realize it would chart the course of her future.

Related posts

February 2, 2023

February 2, 2023

“It helped me path my future in college,” she says of her job at Kumon by the Sea. “Now, I’m thinking of going into Human Development and Humanities studies.”

Behind an unassuming storefront, the after-school math and reading program bustles as Akanbi interacts with children while grading papers and helping with homework. She’s among about a dozen young employees who perform various tasks at the Center, including interpreting.

Ashley Lawson, who Kumon by the Sea founder Alysia Sims describes as her “mini me,” is among several UTA students who also work at the Center.  In turn, the youth learn valuable career skills, Sims says, adding that she recently wrote a college recommendation letter for Akanbi.

“I didn’t know that part of my franchising was going to be mentoring,” Sims says. “I really like that.”

Sims, who opened the Center last year, explained that the name of her business was sort of a play on words with Southeast Arlington and the ocean. A few years ago, she’d moved to Texas from California where she had home-schooled her children and where her parents were educators involved with charter schools.

“I guess [education is] just kind of in my blood,” she says. “As a home-school mom, it kind of gets in your blood, too.”

Pausing occasionally to interact with the children, Sims explains how the Kumon program, which initially began 60 years ago in Japan, seeks to encourage independent learning.

“It’s really set up so students aren’t non-stop asking questions,” she says. “Everybody can relate to pencil, paper [and] your brain. There’s no technology. It works.”

Sims says the method appealed to her as a home-school mom, because it’s designed to accommodate children individually at different learning stages.

“The goal of Kumon is to get them ahead of [their] grade level,” she says. “If they’re struggling, we just do it again. We don’t move on until they get it.”

Sims notes that reading skills are especially important because with the rise of technology, reading doesn’t seem to be practiced as much in today’s culture.

Currently, about 100 children attend Kumon by the Sea after school on Mondays and Thursdays.

“Our Center grew so quickly,” says 24-year-old Madeline Henry, who works as an ambassador for Kumon by the Sea. Henry handles the library books and checks the children in and out of the Center, among other things.

“A lot of my job has to do with talking with parents and future enrollees,” she says, noting that she enjoys the fun, hopeful atmosphere.

“We have so much diversity,” she continues. “We have kids that are struggling, kids that are really ahead. But either way, we all just come together, try to get them to be better people and get a head start in life.”

Akanbi says she views the part-time job as “a blessing” whose many benefits include her co-workers.

Related Posts

  • local healthcare providers Leading the way

  • Arlington Entrepreneurs

    A spotlight on Arlington business owners and what makes them unique.

  • Celebrating Local Business 2017

Tags: Arlington TodayWe Know Arlington
Hiltons Flooring April 2020

Follow Us

  • But first   coffee    The Arlington Dunkin    located at 5801 Office Park Dr  today announced it will help keep the community running with a happy hour celebration offer throughout the remainder of August  Every day beginning now through Monday  August 31  guests can power through the rest of the month and receive a FREE  Medium Hot or Iced Coffee with any purchase from 2-6 PM   On behalf of local Arlington Dunkin    franchisee  Hiren Patel  Dunkin    is proud to keep Arlington running throughout the month of August
  • Nothing soothes the soul like a trip to the Majestic Smoky Mountains  Read all about the Greene family   s    COVID-cation    and travel safety in the link in our bio
  • Read the latest message from UTA   s interim president  Teik C  Lim  by clicking the link in our bio
  • The City of Arlington announces Unity Council  Read all about this positive way for the city in the link in our bio
  • Here   s to the All Stars  Click the link in our bio to find the complete list of Arlington Today   s 2020 All Star businesses in over 160 categories
  • Put DFW Restaurant week on YOUR calendar  Support your favorite Arlington and local DFW restaurants this August 31-September 6 during restaurant week    For more info and participating restaurants  click the link in our bio
  • This Arlington radio station is making movie magic   Read all about Crystal Vasquez and her upcoming documentary about local radio station     The Ticket     by clicking the link in our bio
  • With the school year starting soon  it   s important to know what   s going on  Read all about AISD and MISD   s back to school plans in the link in our bio
  • August is for the All Stars        Click the link in our bio to read our latest edition of Arlington Today and check out your local All  Star businesses
  • 12 Mighty Orphans: There’s a fascinating ‘story behind the story’ regarding this fine film

    12 Mighty Orphans: There’s a fascinating ‘story behind the story’ regarding this fine film

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • March Scene

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • The Visionary Who Didn’t Give Up

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Boot-scootin’ Boogie

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • In case of emergency: Mansfield Fire Department introduces the ‘Vial of Life’ initiative to keep residents on the ready

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
Arlington Today Magazine

Arlington Texas Area News and Events Magazine

Follow us on social media:

Recent News

  • (no title)
  • (no title)
  • (no title)

Category

  • Arlington News
  • Business and Education
  • Commentary
  • Community
  • Design and Interiors
  • Featured
  • People
  • Scene
  • Sports
  • Uncategorized
  • Wellness

Recent News

February 3, 2023

February 3, 2023
  • Advertise
  • Submit Story Idea
  • Submit Event
  • Calendar

© 2022 Arlington Today - Designed by Advent Trinity Marketing Agency Web Design

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Categories
    • Arlington News
    • Community
    • People
    • Commentary
    • Business and Education
    • Featured
    • Wellness
    • Scene
    • Design and Interiors
  • Digital Editions
  • Join the Newsletter
  • Contact Us

© 2022 Arlington Today - Designed by Advent Trinity Marketing Agency Web Design

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Fill the forms bellow to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add Arlington Today Magazine to your Homescreen!

Add