We are very lucky at Accountancy Learning to employ a great team, with many people specifically wanting to be an AAT Tutor. We asked one of our team members, Sarah Wilson, for her thoughts on being an AAT Tutor. Here’s what she had to say….
Tutoring is all about knowing everything about your subject and passing that knowledge on to your students so they pass exams, right?
Wrong!
I believe that tutoring is a two-way street – we teach our learners, and they teach us! So what do I mean by this? Let me rewind a little…
I remember back in school, particularly before I could pick my GCSE options, wondering why I couldn’t get along with all subjects, or why others didn’t like subjects that I did. I loved school and studying and did well – but why? Yes, there is an element of academic ability – of course there is – but I wholeheartedly believe that the teachers I had made a huge difference. Those subjects that I excelled at were the ones where the teacher made extra efforts to, in some way, get to know their students and how they are motivated. When I went to college and studied for my AAT qualification, my tutors there had the advantage of smaller classes sizes and one of them in particular ensured time was spent with each of us and tailored their support to our needs.
So what does this mean for me now that I am an AAT Tutor?
Well, reflecting on my own learning experiences has shown me that I can’t just teach, I must listen and learn myself, to be the best tutor I can be. I have a cohort of apprentices who I see on a 1:1 basis. Through our weekly or fortnightly meetings I support them with their studies, answer any questions they may have, provide bespoke tuition where required and help them get to grips with working within accountancy. Some students are straight out of school, so study skills are still fresh, but older students who are returning to studying for a career change, find it that much more difficult to find the studying routine and skills again.
As an AAT Tutor, what do I do?
- Ask my students open questions about what they are struggling with and what they find easy.
- I learn about their skill set, what they enjoy and what they are likely to find harder along the way.
- Collect feedback from my learners about the resources they have and what they prefer, to help format any additional resources I need to provide to them.
- Identify patterns where knowledge gaps frequently occur; e.g. VAT calculations, then provide bespoke support for that
As an AAT Tutor, I am travelling a two-way street with my learners. I teach them what they need to know for their exams and to progress in their workplace. But I can only do that effectively if I learn about them and their own study skills and workplace behaviours.
Being an AAT Tutor at Accountancy Learning, not only gives me the opportunity to do something I love, but also to do it in a way that challenges me. By having 1:1 remote tutoring and a bespoke service, I don’t have to work the same way with all my learners. I can adapt and provide what each learner needs, when they need it, and through doing that I am learning and developing my skill set and knowledge too.
Tutoring isn’t a job, it’s a way of life, an adventure with lots of different people, with continuous learning being the never-ending road we travel.
