Ahmed Ali is one of our undergraduate tutors, working at Rokeby School this year to tutor maths. A previous student of Rokeby School himself, Ahmed is currently studying at Queen Mary, University of London and tutors with us on a weekly basis.
My name is Ahmed Ali and I am a final year Maths student at Queen Mary University. Coming from a low-income family and attending an underperforming school, I was first inspired by a similar cause to Team Up that was running when I was still at school and which helped me to achieve exceptional grades.
I promised myself that one day I would give back, but I didn’t know how. When I stumbled upon Team Up, I was thrilled because it was exactly the kind of opportunity I had been waiting for! Tuition delivered by intelligent, young student volunteers who had just been through the same stages of life seemed like an amazing way to improve the attainment of young people from low-income backgrounds.
It is humbling to see students who once didn’t care much about their education turn around and make an effort to attend and fully participate.
My experience of tutoring has been great fun, but it has also been really humbling. Getting to know my students really well and being able to motivate them has been an incredible experience, and knowing that they are enjoying my teaching as well as making great progress is a fantastic feeling. One student even sacrificed his football practice for the tuition sessions and seeing that kind of commitment has just made the programme so much more meaningful for me. It is truly humbling to see students who once didn’t care much about their education turn a new leaf and make an effort to attend and fully participate in the sessions.
Team Up has a strong vision backed by an equally strong network of dedicated student volunteers who work with a wide range of schools. What’s more, Team Up has been established for half a decade now, and they have the experience and expertise within the field of educational development to show for it. Adopting the mastery curriculum from Trinity Academy, which aims to provide pupils with the key skills and theories that they need to progress academically, Team Up has trained me and my peers on how to use a curriculum that has been specifically designed to drive up struggling pupils’ attainment, which is a great experience for somebody looking to go into the teaching profession.
I’m really grateful to Team Up for allowing me to transform the attainment and attitudes of young people from underprivileged backgrounds, just like someone once helped do for me. Tutoring through Team Up has brought me a great deal of satisfaction in helping my pupils reach the full potential that their experience with Team Up has supported them to unlock.
Think you can make a difference like Ahmed? You can apply to join our volunteering scheme here.