UQ Master’s Graduate | 7+ Years Teaching Experience in both offline and online mediums| Expert Economics & Finance Tutor.

Learn more about Abhishek

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

  I developed an interest in my chosen field in the year 2017 when I started my Masters’ in International Economics and Finance. I came across an opportunity to work as a tutor in the University of Queensland. When I started teaching, it was extremely challenging as I was responsible for educating and guiding so many students at the university level. But as time passed by, I started liking that interaction as it was an opportunity for both students and me to learn something new every day. The experience that I gained in the university gave me the confidence to start taking private tutoring sessions for students who were either in school or in college and were willing to learn and explore different subjects in a fun, informative and relatable manner. I would use the word passion to describe my experience as a tutor rather than an interest because an interest in something might fade over time but one’s passion towards something is what sustains in the long term.

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

  The subject that I teach is Economics. I cover topics pertaining to Micro, Macro, Game theory, Environmental, agricultural, mathematical and financial economics. I love discussing every concept about Economics and the concepts associated with it because I truly believe that Economics is a subject that helps us understand a plethora of things about the world. These things include, but not limited to, human psychology, the behaviour of nation states, companies, markets, and the financial system etc. The concepts covered in Economics can be applied by anyone to their day-to-day life to achieve goals such as becoming financially free and independent, choosing a career, making decisions about what to buy and when to buy certain things, doing cost benefit analysis while purchasing assets or while switching careers etc. What I don’t like is when I need to teach students just for passing exams. I want them to understand the concepts so that they apply it and improve their lives in any way possible.

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

  I was really inspired by one of my professors in The University of Queensland. She used to teach us Economics of Financial markets (ECON7200), one of the hardest topics I have ever come across. But what made it easy for me to understand was the way she simplified every concept for all students. In addition to this, whenever we used to ask her to conduct extra consultation sessions, she would happily oblige and patiently clarify all our doubts. She has been a great source of inspiration for me.

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

  The qualities that are required to be a good tutor are the following:
  
  · The tutor needs to have the ability to explain complex topics in a simple and lucid manner.
  
  · The tutor needs to be approachable and available to the best of his ability as the tutor should be someone students can rely on in a moment of need.
  
  · The tutor should keep the students’ requirements in mind while preparing his/her material. If the student needs a lot of hand holding with regard to any subject, the tutor should explain every concept in detail. On the other hand, if the student just needs some basic guidance or needs to sharpen his understanding on a certain topic, the material the tutor prepares should be tailored accordingly.
  
  · The main focus of the tutor should be to help and guide students to learn the subject so that they can apply it rather than just explaining the concepts to pass an exam.
  
  · The tutor should set milestones for students depending on the student’s goal to track the student’s progress. This is really important as despite how well a tutor thinks he teaches, if the student does not understand it, the effort of the tutor goes in vain.
  
  · Finally, the tutor’s main focus should be to make students independent thinkers so that eventually they can think and become problem solvers in their respective fields without the tutor’s assistance. The tutors are a guide in many ways but sooner or later, the student has to stand on their feet and use the guidance of the tutor to do things without anyone’s help.

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

  There are many anecdotes from my teaching journey that I can think of and mention but there is one anecdote that really touched my heart. One of the students in my private sessions was an international student who needed a certain GPA in her bachelors’ degree to be eligible for a scholarship and job back in her home country once her graduation was over. She was trying really hard to improve her grades but to no avail. I was happy to help her pass her exams with flying colours. Before leaving she met me to thank me not just for the grades she received but also because she learnt a lot about various concepts in Economics and decided to pursue a PHD in Economics and become a researcher in that field. That appreciation for my efforts was the best compliment I received in my life.

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

  Challenges that I faced and have overcome:
  
  · My communication skills were really poor. Teaching at the university helped me overcome my initial shyness and awkwardness and I started developing more confidence to talk to students and convey my points and thoughts effectively over time. I used to take regular feedback from my students to help me improve the way I communicated.
  
  · Post COVID, I had a few issues conducting online sessions in the initial stages because I had never used ZOOM or any other video conferencing platform before. I took it up as a challenge to increase the number of online classes with students and over time I learnt how to improve in that as well. As of today, I only take online classes as it is convenient for students as well.
  
  Challenge that I faced and I am still working on it:
  
  · One of the tools that most tutors are using to enhance their teaching methodology is to incorporate artificial intelligence into their teaching method. This is something that I am still exploring because I have a goal to improve the way I teach by making it far more efficient, effective and customized for students.

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

  Teaching is my main passion. I love teaching and interacting with students because guiding the future generation is one of the best professions that anyone can be in. In addition to this, I am developing a passion for writing. I want to write a book on Economic principles that every individual at any stage of their lives can read, learn and apply to improve their lives. In addition to this, I want to create an economic community where people from all walks of life can freely exchange their ideas and experiences. This community will not only give a platform to people to share thoughts but also help them engage with others and learn in the process.

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

  I don’t believe in a hierarchy between teachers and students. I believe that both the student and the teacher can learn from each other. This is my biggest strength as I try to learn something new every day whether its from my students or from someone else.
  
  And, yy teaching approach is extremely student centric because I believe that teachers should adapt as per the student so that the student can get the best out of every session.