My experiment with ad hoc tuition in June was very successful, with many students of different levels, streams and abilities turning up in separate sessions to clarify their doubts in certain concepts or topics. Since exams are coming and some of you are too busy to attend weekly tuition, I will allocate a few slots a week for individual consultation and coaching in selected subjects. If you are still struggling with some subjects or topics, I would encourage you to set aside time these last few pre-exam weeks to consult a qualified and experienced tutor to improve your grades for your prelims and final exams.
If you need solid coaching in Pri, Sec or JC Math, or Sec or JC Physics, don’t hesitate to contact me at 97860411 and I’ll work out an arrangement for you. You may opt for individual tuition or in small groups of 2 to 4 students from the same class or school. Fees vary depending on the level and number of students, and whether it is on a weekday or a weekend. Students have to come to my centre.
My still available slots (as at 6 Aug 2014) for ad hoc tuition are as follows:
Mondays: 4.00 pm – 5.30 pm; Fridays: 4.30 pm – 6.00 pm; Mon to Thurs: 9.00 pm – 10.30 pm; Saturdays: 11.00 am – 12.30 pm; Sundays: 2.00 pm – 3.30 pm.
If you are a repeat or private student or a home schooler you may also come for consultations in the mornings.
If you need coaching in Sec or JC Chemistry, sessions can also be arranged with our Chemistry tutor.
If you have any queries, you may also call or sms to 97860411, or send an email to principal@singaporelearner.com.
If you are serious about improving your Math, Physics or Chemistry, hope to hear from you soon.
Rgds,
Ilyasa
A short summary of my background:
A former MOE school teacher, Mr Ilyasa has been coaching students in ‘A’ Level & IB Physics and Mathematics for more than 6 years, as well as ‘O’ Level & IP Physics, Additional Math, E. Math and PSLE Math for more than 10 years. An alumnus of RI and RJC, Mr Ilyasa holds both a Master of Education degree and a Postgraduate Diploma in Education with Credit from the National Institute of Education, as well as a Bachelor of Science degree from the National University of Singapore.
O-LEVEL A. MATH INTENSIVE REVISION / CRASH COURSE SEP 2014
Dates: 8 Sep to 11 Sep 2014, 4 days.
Time: 2.00 pm – 4.00 pm. (Light refreshment and rest breaks provided)
Location: Blk 627, Bukit Batok Central. (It is just a 3-min walk from either the Bukit Batok MRT station or the Bukit Batok bus interchange. Buses that stop along the road in front of Blk 627 are numbers 157, 178, 66, 506, 173, 174, 176, 187, 941, 947, 985)
Fee: $280
Max. no. of students: 8
Tutor: Mr Ilyasa (ex-sch teacher, M.Ed, PGDE, B.Sc).
A former MOE school teacher, Mr Ilyasa has been coaching students in ‘A’ Level & IB Physics and Mathematics for more than 6 years, as well as ‘O’ Level & IP Physics, Additional Math, E. Math and PSLE Math for more than 10 years. An alumnus of RI and RJC, Mr Ilyasa holds both a Master of Education degree and a Postgraduate Diploma in Education with Credit from the National Institute of Education, as well as a Bachelor of Science degree from the National University of Singapore.
To register, sms <Student Name><A. MATH> to 97860411.
For any queries, you may talk directly to Mr Ilyasa at 97860411.
Short-term ad hoc Math or Physics tuition during June Holidays 2014.
By all means, go for your holidays, even short ones (I’m going on 10, 11 and 12 June). However, if you had done badly in your SA1 or mid-year exams, do not let the June hols pass without reviewing your first semester work. For things will only get harder in the second semester, and some topics or concepts learnt in the first semester need to be used to understand some topics later in the year.
If you are too busy to attend weekly tuition, you might want to take the opportunity this June to consult a qualified and experienced tutor, for just a few hours and for a few difficult topics. Since it is the school holidays, the lessons can be in the mornings or early afternoons.
If you need solid tutoring in Pri, Sec or JC Math, or Sec or JC Physics, don’t hesitate to contact me at 97860411 and I’ll work out an arrangement for you. You may opt for individual tuition or in small groups of 2 to 4 students from the same class or school. Fees vary depending on the level and number of students.
If you have any queries, you may also call or sms to 97860411, or send an email to principal@singaporelearner.com.
If you are serious about improving your Math or Physics, hope to hear from you soon.
Rgds,
Ilyasa
Yay, my student passed his A. Math!
I’m so happy that Sheng Ze, one of my tutees in 2013, obtained a C6 in his A. Math in the recent ‘O’ Level exams, after getting F9s almost all the time from Sec 3 to Sec 4. He was even asked many times, directly and indirectly, to drop this subject but each time I advised his mum and him to continue doing the subject because he himself felt he was improving and did not want to drop it.
I’ve said it elsewhere and I will say it again: Schools generally do not care about their students or their students’ future; they are only interested in their own academic reputation such as percentage passes.
Schools can improve their percentage passes in certain subjects by simply disallowing their weaker students to study or take the exam for these tough subjects, such as A. Math and the Pure Sciences. But by doing this, they are adversely affecting the future of their students who will be denied many future courses and future jobs.
A. Math is an important subject for both Science and Business courses at higher levels. DO NOT DROP A. MATH SO LONG AS YOU ARE STILL INTERESTED TO DO WELL IN IT. Schools have no power to force you to drop any subject. The teachers will try their best to coax you to drop it, but ignore them please.
One of my existing tutees, Syakir, was also “offered” to drop A. Math at the end of last year due to his poor performance throughout Sec 3. But I offered to tutor him intensively instead in Nov and Dec and now he is in the top one-third of his class based on his latest post-holiday test.
Where there is a will there is a way. You can do well in any subject, in fact in anything, if you keep your focus on it and persevere. Do not feel disheartened or lose hope just because someone says you are not good enough. Prove them wrong instead.
Rgds,
Ilyasa
Updates & Reflections on my Learn Ahead Programme (LAP) – A. Math & Physics
These are what I covered this week:
S4 A. Math: We started on Differentiation – Idea of limits and the derivative, dy/dx, power rule. Students find it interesting that we can determine the gradient at a point on a curve without drawing a tangent.
S4 Physics: We started on Static Electricity – the idea of charge, the coulomb, insulators, conductors, charging by friction, charging by induction, charging by contact, earthing, electric fields, applications of electrostatics. Unfortunately textbooks, don’t cover much about what happens when a charged insulator touches another insulator, when an insulator touches a conductor (either is charged), and when a conductor touches another conductor (either or both initially charged).
S3 A.Math: We revised the beginnings of Logarithms a bit as a new student has just joined. Conversion of index form to log form and vice versa, base e and base 10.
S3 Physics: We revised Kinematics because of a new student – distance vs displacement, speed vs velocity, deceleration vs negative acceleration, scalars and vectors, kinematics formulae.
Rgds,
Ilyasa (hp: 97860411)
What’s new in the new exam syllabus for A. Math?
Express-stream students taking the O-levels in 2o14 for the first time will do A. Math 4047, whereas those repeating their A. Math O-level exam in 2014 will do A. Math 4038. A. Math 4047 is likely to stay around for the next five years.
So what is the difference between A. Math syllabus 4047 and A. Math 4038? The difference is technically not much, but makes a world of difference for students and teachers. Here are the differences:
(1) Students no longer need to know the inverse matrix method of solving simultaneous equations.
(2) Students now need to memorize two new formulae:
(i) a^3 + b^3 = (a+b)(a^2 – ab + b^2)
(ii) a^3 – b^3 = (a-b)(a^2 + ab + b^2)
(3) For Trigonometry, students no longer need to know the Factor Formula or its reverse, the Product Formula. Thank God. (But for JC H2 Math, the Product Formula is useful in the integration of some trigonometric functions)
(4) For Plane Geometry, students no longer need to know the Intercept, Intersecting and Tangent-Secant theorems. Thank God. (Many IP schools skip this topic anyway).
In summary, the new syllabus has less sub-topics than the old one. This is good news for both students and teachers of our content-heavy math curriculum.
Rgds,
Ilyasa (hp: 97860411)
REMINDER: SEC 4 A. MATH, PHYSICS & CHEMISTRY HEADSTART CLASSES COMMENCE TOMORROW SATURDAY 16 NOV AND SUNDAY 17 NOV:
Sec 4 Physics: Every Saturday, 2.00 pm – 3.45 pm (Start Nov 16); Code: S4P2.
Sec 4 A. Math: Every Saturday, 4.00 pm – 5.45 pm (Start Nov 16); Code: S4M4.
Sec 4 Chemistry: Every Sunday, 11.00 am – 12.30 pm (Start Nov 10); Code: S4C1.
Location: Blk 627, Bukit Batok Central, 07-640
Class Size: 3-8
Tutors:
For Math & Physics: Mr Ilyasa (M.Ed, PGDE, B.Sc), former MOE Physics Subject Head with more than 10 years’ experience tutoring students in O-level, IP and A-Level Math & Physics.
For Chemistry: Mr Tan, NTU undergrad with 3 years’ experience tutoring students in O-Level, IP & IB Chemistry.
Monthly fee for each subject or slot is $180, inclusive of materials fee. Discounts apply for multiple subjects or slots.
All of the above courses will end by 15 Dec 2013 and will resume in the week starting 6 Jan 2014.
TO REGISTER, SMS <FULL STUDENT NAME>, <CODE> TO 97860411.
For enquiries, kindly call or sms to 9786 0411.
Reflections on my Sec 3 A. Math Headstart class today …
I was quite happy that three students turned up, knowing well that this is a ‘holiday’ period for them. I began with one of the easiest topics in Additional Math, Simultaneous Equations. The difference between Simultaneous Equations in E. Math and in A. Math is that in the latter, one of the given equations is non-linear.
Both the Elimination and Substitution methods can be used, but the latter is more popular. After teaching for half an hour, I gave them a worksheet to do, and selected 6 important questions for them to complete. But two of them were stuck at the first question and all three couldn’t complete the second question without my help. This was surprising because all three did quite well in their recent SA2 Math exam.
Their main problem was that they had forgotten some of their algebraic skills, such as in handling algebraic fractions and factorisation. Imagine not doing anything now about their math and starting to learn this ‘simple’ topic in Jan 2014. It is then easy to see why many students do badly in A. Math and in the pure sciences in secondary three. Sec 3 teachers teach at a fast pace and before students are ready, they move on to the next topic. I’m glad that some students and parents see the importance of attending headstart classes in Pure Math and Pure Science; it is not about being ultra-competitive; it is about survival.
Rgds,
Ilyasa
SEC 3 – SEC 5 CONCEPTUAL LEARNING SCHEDULE 2014
Sec 3 A. Math: Every Sunday, 11.00 am – 12.30 pm (Start 12 Jan); Code: S3M1.
Sec 3 Physics: Every Sunday, 9.30 am – 11.00 am (Start 12 Jan); Code: S3P1.
Sec 3 Chemistry: Every Sunday, 9.30 am – 11.00 am (Start 12 Jan); Code: S3C1.
Sec 4 Math (NA): Every Monday, 6.00 pm – 7.30 pm (Start Nov 4); Code: S4MN.
Sec 4 Math: Every Monday, 8.00 pm – 9.45 pm (Start 6 Jan); Code: S4M1.
Sec 4 A. Math: Every Tuesday, 8.00 pm – 9.45 pm (Start 7 Jan); Code: S4M2.
Sec 4 A. Math: Every Thursday, 8.00 pm – 9.45 pm (Start 9 Jan); Code: S4M3.
Sec 4 A. Math: Every Saturday, 4.00 pm – 5.45 pm (Start 11 Jan); Code: S4M4.
Sec 4 Physics: Every Friday, 8.00 pm – 9.45 pm (Start 10 Jan); Code: S4P1.
Sec 4 Physics: Every Saturday, 2.00 pm – 3.45 pm (Start 11 Jan); Code: S4P2.
Sec 4/5 Exp Science (Physics): Every Thursday, 6.00 pm – 7.30 pm; Code: S4P3.
Sec 4 NA Science (Physics): Every Thursday, 6.00 pm – 7.30 pm; Code: S4P4.
Sec 4 Chemistry: Every Tuesday, 8.00 pm – 9.45 pm (Start 7 Jan); Code: S4C1.
Sec 4 NA Science (Chemistry): Every Sunday, 11.00 am – 12.30 pm (Start 12 Jan); Code: S4C2.
Administrative Matters:
Location: Blk 627, Bukit Batok Central. (Our location is just a 3-min walk from either the Bukit Batok MRT station or the Bukit Batok bus interchange. Buses that stop along the road in front of Blk 627 are numbers 157, 178, 66, 506, 173, 174, 176, 187, 941, 947, 985)
Max Class Size: 8
Monthly fee for each subject or slot is $180 respectively, inclusive of materials fee. Discounts apply for multiple subjects or slots.
TO REGISTER, SMS <FULL STUDENT NAME>, <CODE> TO 97860411.
For enquiries, kindly call or sms to 9786 0411.
SEC 3 ADDITIONAL MATH CONSOLIDATION WORKSHOPS 11 NOV – 14 NOV
Consolidation workshops are for students who have performed poorly in their SA2 exams or in certain topics in their exams. These classes are intended for students to “consolidate” what they have learnt and re-learn if necessary. Such students are encouraged to attend these lessons before attending Headstart lessons.
(1) Indices, Surds & Logarithms: Monday, 11 Nov, 9.30 am – 12.30 pm; Code: S3MC1.
(2) Roots of Quadratic Equations & Inequalities: Monday, 11 Nov, 2 pm – 5 pm; Code: S3MC2.
(3) Polynomials & Partial Fractions: Tuesday, 12 Nov, 9.30 am – 12.30 pm; Code: S3MC3
(4) The Binomial Theorem: Tuesday, 12 Nov, 2 pm – 5 pm; Code: S3MC4.
(5) Trigonometry I: Wednesday, 13 Nov, 9.30 am – 12.30 pm; Code: S3MC5.
(6) Trigonometry II: Thursday, 14 Nov, 9.30 am – 12.30 pm; Code: S3MC6.
Administrative Matters:
Location: Blk 627, Bukit Batok Central
Max Class Size: 6
Fee: $80 for each 3 hr session.
Tutor: Mr Ilyasa (M.Ed., PGDE, B.Sc), former MOE Subject Head with more than 10 years’ experience tutoring students in Math and Physics.
TO REGISTER, SMS <FULL STUDENT NAME>, <CODE> TO 97860411.
For enquiries, kindly call or sms to 9786 0411.