Chartered Accountant with 15 years' experience offering Accountancy, Tax and Business lessons

Find out more about Qasim

• When did you develop an interest in your chosen field and in private tutoring?

  I was good at maths and business studies at school, and also really enjoyed IT lessons. I studied these three subjects at A Levels and the combination of the three naturally led to a career in accountancy. I undertook work-experiences at a Building Society and a family-run accounting practice and enjoyed both of these experiences.
  
  I also really enjoy teaching, although I never saw myself going into school teaching as a profession. I really enjoy providing the tools for motivated and capable students to be successful in the field of accountancy.

• Tell us more about the subject you teach, the topics you like to discuss with students (and possibly those you like a little less).

  I teach accountancy, mainly the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW)'s Association of Chartered Accountants (ACA) course. This is the most prestigious accountancy qualification and the exams are tough! I prefer that my students have an understanding of the core topics, by doing their own reading and attending classroom-based workshops.
  
  Where I add the most value is running through question practice. To start with, I normally demonstrate how I would answer questions. The next stage is for the student to attempt questions with me shadowing and providing live feedback. The final stage is for the student to do independent questions under timed conditions and me providing assessment feedback.

• Did you have any role models; a teacher that inspired you?

  My area of specialism in accountancy is Tax. When I studied Accounting & Finance at University, there was one Professor who really resonated with me. He taught the tax module and really brought out the morality around paying taxes, on individuals and on large businesses. At the time, there was a lot in the news about major global corporations avoiding tax. The Professor really brought the subject to life, inspired me to pursue the field and also gave my wonderful ammunition to go into interviews with Big 4 Accounting firms.

• What do you think are the qualities required to be a good tutor?

  There are many qualities required of a good tutor, however I will name three:
  
  1) Subject matter expertise. A tutor must know the subject well enough to teach others, and also understand which elements of a subject are harder than others to focus more time and energy on those areas for students.
  2) Communication skills. A good tutor is one that can communicate in the right way, understanding non-verbal queues from the student as to whether they are following
  3) Empathy. A tutor is practised in the art / craft they are teaching. The students are coming into the area with little knowledge. The tutor must ensure that they put themselves in the shoes of the student so they can explain the concepts in ways that the student will understand.

• Provide a valuable anecdote related to your subject or your days at school.

  During my degree, there was one particular module that I did not like which was the Audit and Assurance module. For me, it was very wordy and conceptual and, having never worked in the field, it took time and energy for me to understand. The module itself was 20% of my final year so it was important to do well in. Before the teaching of the course finished, I started doing mock papers and past papers. I even submitted some of these to the Professor who provided me feedback. By the time of the exam, I was ready for the exam because the possible conceptual questions that came up were ones that I had already practised. I performed well in that module despite it not being one I enjoyed. This is also why I put a lot of stock by question practice and focus on this in my lessons. Practice makes perfect.

• What were the difficulties or challenges you faced or still facing in your subject?

  Accounting principles and tax rules can change. Keeping abreast of these changes is important for a practising accountant and for an accountancy tutor because the syllabus will also change with the new rules.

• Do you have a particular passion? Is it teaching in general or an element of the subject or something completely different?

  My passion is to help people that want to create a career in accounting by passing difficult examinations. A career in accounting is rewarding and financially stable and students who are capable and willing to put in the work can thrive in this field. I am passionate in facilitating this success.

• What makes you a Superprof (besides answering these interview questions)?

  I know my subject well. I really enjoy teaching. I love it when students are rewarded for their hard work with examinations passes