Writing an essay on “My Favorite Teacher” back in 5th grade, I was probably unsure of the true soul of the word ‘Teacher’. Nevertheless, my research for appropriate quotations brought to me Einstein’s words that still stick with me – now, stronger than ever.
“It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge.”
Fast-forward 11 years, and I find myself sitting amongst an orientation batch of over 200 students, taken aback by the spell-binding words of a person so passionate and indulged in what he does that the only moment I realize how much time has passed is when I look at it: more than 5 hours.
I am Minahil Mohsin, a teacher, author, and aspiring educationist, working under the esteemed mentorship of Sir Syed Kazim Ali for the past three years. I joined Sir Syed Kazim Ali’s Extensive English Essay and Precis Course after my graduation from Government College University Lahore to refine my Academic and Professional Writing Skills primarily for competitive examinations, knowing little about what life had in store for me.
My experience with Sir Syed Kazim Ali has been the kind one needs to have oneself to comprehend, for he has revamped my shy, timid, and reticent personality to a confident, courageous, and eloquent one who is willing to step out of the comfort zone, take risks, and dare to walk the paths less taken. Moreover, his structured and all-encompassing way of teaching the art of writing has helped me learn the craft adored with coherence, clarity, and impact – the very skills needed to pursue one’s goals in today’s globalized world.
Before joining Sir Syed Kazim Ali, I had quite an experience writing on both academic and non-academic forums. However, when I began my journey of preparing for CSS, the single most bothersome thing to me was when one of my teachers told me that my writing lacked articulation, the backbone of the CSS Essay paper that makes or mars one’s result. Hence began my journey to look for a one-stop-destination to resolve this new issue I had been introduced to. Although I did get exploited at the hands of the notorious academy mafia for a couple of months, I finally landed a spot, by sheer luck, in Sir’s online orientation session. And when I heard him say the words: “I don’t teach for money; I teach because it’s my passion, and I teach for the result.”, I knew I had found the guide who would hold my hand and help me resolve all the problems I did not even know existed in my writing, whether it was verbosity, redundancy, or the use of flowery language – all critical when it comes to performance in competitive exams.
Elaborating on the factors that set Sir Syed Kazim Ali’s teaching methodology apart from other English writing teachers or coaches, I would first mention his utmost dedication to the cause. You wouldn’t notice the slightest change in his tone, energy, or style even after the class has been going on for 4-5 hours continuously. As much as it might sound unreal to somebody unfamiliar with Sir, I have personally attended 12-hour evaluation sessions, beginning at 6 PM and ending around 6 AM. During classes, it is Sir’s motto to never end the meeting until the last question has been addressed.
It is practically impossible to encompass all the unique traits of Sir’s teaching methods, but I would like to mention one more: his intellect and command of every aspect of the English language, even though he does not have a formal degree in the language. A very interesting thing about his lectures is that he only answers questions related to the specific topic he is teaching in class at a given moment; he strongly discourages off-topic questions to maintain students’ attention to what is being taught. Nevertheless, you can discuss to your heart’s content if you have relevant questions, and no questions are deemed wrong here.
Moving on to the impact of Sir Syed Kazim Ali’s feedback and its contribution to my academic and professional life, I can claim undoubtedly that his advice and constructive criticism have enabled me to express my thoughts coherently and confidently. He has evaluated my essays, precis, and blogs quite precisely yet comprehensively, covering every area, from grammar to written expression, use of appropriate vocabulary, sentence structuring, coherence, and impression of writing. He has given me the confidence that I can write what I can think in 10 words or 10,000 words if I have clarity in my thoughts and know what I want to express to my audience, empowering me as a teacher and a human being because communication skills are the biggest tool one can possess to capture the world. Thus, I can say with surety that I owe the impact my words have in my personal and professional lives to Sir Kazim.
Furthermore, the most valuable techniques I have learnt under Sir Kazim’s mentorship are the art of writing compelling narratives, generating strong arguments, crafting impactful evidence-based essays, and carrying out structured research before writing any piece, all while maintaining the flow of ideas and coherence between every sentence and each paragraph. These skills are invaluable in the world of written communication, and those familiar with writing must be aware of their significance.
Talking specifically about the impact Sir Syed Kazim Ali has had on my life in general, I would say that he has polished my personality and sharpened my soft skills by practically pushing me into circumstances where I would need to use my skill set to resolve real-life challenges and disputes, take up the role of a leader to work on actual projects under his guidance, and practice and teach writing and critical thinking skills while guiding students as Sir’s assistant.
To elaborate further, Sir entrusted me with his idea to launch Pakistan’s first-ever story-writing and teaching platform for kids back in 2021. I worked relentlessly on Project “Storyious” for two whole years, exploring courses, stories, curricula, learning outcomes, play-based lessons, lesson plans, teaching strategies, and the website development aspects of the project: website theme, content, interface, media, content, etc. Mind you, I hail from a pure life sciences background with no knowledge of the niches of education or IT whatsoever. However, again, all thanks to Sir Kazim, who took me under his wings and let me be an observer in all the meetings with his IT team and the senior team members; I was able to do proper RnD, and we officially launched the project on a national scale in June 2023. It received much acclamation and appreciation and is now on the path of a re-launch internationally. His trust in my capabilities says a lot about the belief he has in what he teaches his students and trains them for – something I have rarely witnessed in years of my formal education.
After describing several aspects of Sir’s influence on my academic, professional, and personal lives, I would grab this opportunity to recommend Sir Syed Kazim Ali to all those who are looking to polish their written communication skills, especially in the ambit of CSS, PMS, One-Paper, GAT, SAT, GMAT, or any other competitive exams, revolving around one’s command of the English language and its nitty gritty. I am certain that with the 3-4 months spent under Sir Kazim’s guidance, you will leave not just equipped with all the necessary gear to tackle your exams but also with a clearer perspective on what your true calling is and in what direction you must walk to reach your goals. I say this with certainty because I know Sir Kazim is more than a mere teacher: he is a mentor who cares deeply for his students, and even more, he is a true patriot striving for a better future for generations to come.
Here, it is imperative to talk specifically about several projects Sir Kazim has launched in Pakistan and how they have helped me in my journey to help you make a better decision for yourself.
- CSSPrepForum: It is a website that is the real definition of a community-driven panel of experts, students, and writing enthusiasts hailing from numerous education backgrounds, all with a single goal in mind: to provide the Pakistani competitive examination aspirant community with the latest and high-quality content for exam preparation. The platform has been at the forefront for me when it came to clarifying thoughts and understanding various topics related to the use of grammatical elements and writing rules, especially through comprehensive examples and solved past papers. Moreover, it has been a driving force for my confidence by allowing me to get my write-ups published for all my friends and family to see and appreciate.
- Howfiv: This comprehensive MCQs-based learning database has been my go-to for the daily practice of the grammar and writing rules Sir taught us in class. From practising topic-wise MCQs on sentence structuring, tenses, voices, and narration to testing my command of the linguistic essentials via quizzes and cash quizzes, I have found Howfiv a crucial source of concept strengthening.
- Howtests: Each of Sir Kazim’s projects and websites, despite being an independent entity, complements his other projects perfectly. When this website was launched, I was already used to solving MCQs on Howfiv; however, this allowed me to notch up my practice as it made all the MCQs and practice tests available in PDF form on a simple click! I would download the tests, solve them at my pace, whether at home or on the go, and then tally my answers with the answer keys provided, resolving all my issues then and there without being compelled to stay online all the time.
To put it concisely, the three platforms work in tandem and cover all the bases when it comes to preparing for the backbone of competitive exams in Pakistan, i.e. English, or learning English writing skills in general.
In concluding remarks, I would also like to share this lesser-known side of Sir Syed Kazim Ali’s personality, the one that is only experienced and witnessed by his trusted students and team members. He possesses a treasure trove of wisdom and intellect, which he passes on to his students as his legacy. In spite of utilizing the latest technological tools to help his students progress in their academics, he has quite a traditional and old-school way of teaching his mentees the way of life, including decision-making, critical thinking, and problem-solving. So, you know you are in for hours of intellectual discussions on any topic you might name when you are sitting in informal debate sessions with Sir Kazim and his team where everybody has a say and gets to share his learnings, taking home food for thought.
In a nutshell, Sir Syed Kazim Ali is the English Guru of Pakistan, a beacon of knowledge illuminating paths beyond grammar and writing. Honestly, his unparalleled expertise in essay and précis writing, complemented by meticulous evaluations and tailored mentorship, reshaped my writing, analytical thinking, and self-assurance. Under his guidance, I unlocked the art of articulation, discovered the beauty of coherence, and learned the power of structured argumentation, forever changing my communication style. And platforms like CSSPrepForum, Howfiv, and Howtests have honed my abilities. For anyone eager to soar in competitive exams or personal development, his mentorship is not just beneficial: it is life-changing.