PrepNow Tutor - Saqif R.
“I enjoy learning things as much as I do teaching things, if not, more,” says teacher and tutor Saqif. He grew up near Dallas in a Bengali family. Saqif attended University of Texas at Dallas where he earned a bachelor’s in marketing. As a student, Saqif and his group conducted a sales research project, collecting and analyzing data for a start-up that led to a cash prize.
While he is a veteran teacher, his introduction to teaching was a bit unorthodox. As a college student, young Saqif took a break from his studies and started substitute teaching. That experience was a positive one and it led him to teaching elementary school mathematics. He then moved to Japan where he taught English to high school students. Currently, Saqif tutors and is a substitute teacher; he also proctors the SAT.
One of the reasons Saqif enjoys teaching is the ability to live vicariously through his students as they learn. He says, “I miss that feeling of learning something for the first time.” When working with a new student, the first thing Saqif does is evaluate the student to find how much they can handle learning on their own. “I like to be the guiding hand when it comes to figuring things out about one’s own problems, academic or not.” As such, he provides hints or clues to direct the student. Ideally, he likes his students to figure out answers of their own volition; however, if they are struggling to understand, he will step in and explain in terms that are accessible to the student.
When he was still in college, Saqif invented a mathematics game using dice. He has since taught it to numerous students, played on multiple continents, and also conducted tournaments. Saqif even taught the game to Japanese students despite the language barrier. Mathematics, as it turns out, is a universal language.
Saqif loves watching and playing basketball. Though he is left handed, he shoots basketball with his right hand! He also loves playing video games and will occasionally make and edit highlights reels of the games he plays. He is primarily a fan of science fiction games and that passion extends to books and movies. Saqif is also an aspiring science fiction author.
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