Never forget why you started, and your mission can be completed.

- Xi Jin Ping at the 19^th National Congress of the Communist Party

Dear parents,

Did you know E-Smart Learning Centre is entering its twentieth year this month?  We were officially open with a thanksgiving service attended by family and friends on September 25, 1999, and we first ran our classes with an enrolment of 80 students on October 2.

Time has surely passed us by; both my sons who were 6 and 4 then are now grown and pursuing their careers.  There were only 3 learning centres in this shopping mall, but there are now over 30 of them!

Thank you for entrusting your child’s English learning with us.  I believe most of you believe English is an international language that your children must master in order to succeed in their studies and careers, but it is really not the primary goal of my founding E-Smart Learning Centre.

Twenty years ago, I was an associate director of a New York listed international real estate company, and my clients included institutions and private investors who were easily the richest one percent of the population.  It was a high profile and financially rewarding career, but 7 years at the job after finishing my MBA with a full scholarship at the top management school in Australia, I gradually lost the zeal in concluding deals.  At that same time, I began teaching part-time at a university and found it much more fulfilling than my full-time job. 

While teaching those university students, I came to realize a lot of the young people in Hong Kong had fairly limited worldviews.  Their rudimentary English stopped them from getting continued exposure to the English media, let alone reading more sophisticated international news articles and commentaries.

“The good teacher explains but the great teacher inspires.” In addition to teaching my students speaking and presentation skills for success in their careers, it had always been my desire to impart values and develop their critical thinking.  Acquiring good English is just the first step to unlocking the world of knowledge, which would definitely help these young people to lead a successful life in the end.

With the same intent and indeed to the shock of my bosses and colleagues who thought I was out of my mind, I quit my job and founded E-Smart, not to help students to do well in school but to equip them with the necessary skills to better understand the world and become an independent thinker.  Lest you get me wrong, though, many of my students have done well in public exams and have got into the universities and careers they desire.  More importantly, many have become wise and independent thinkers of whom I am very proud.

Let me remind you: the success of my top students has never be attained by rote learning.  So, instead of forcing your kid to do repetitive exercises, read the same book or news article with them and encourage them to think and write out their thoughts.  Train a thinker, not a robot, and your child will become truly smart!