I normally don’t ‘kay poh’ about my students’ results so I just wait for people to tell me. So I was pleased when two of my Science tutees informed me that they each got A* for Science, something I believe is harder to achieve than the same grade for Math. Hope for more good news tomorrow when I meet the students attending my Sec 1 Algebra class.
My own daughter has qualified for most of the schools in my list of top 30 (List of ‘Top’ Secondary Schools (2014) in Singapore by Cut-Off PSLE aggregate score (2013) ) so we are now having a headache again as to which school she should go to. Since I’m ok with any school in the list, it boils down to two things only: (1) distance from home and (2) her personal feelings about the school.
If she chooses a non-IP school, I will create an Integrated Programme for her and students like her, so that she will be as prepared as, if not more prepared than, the IP students if she eventually decides to go to a JC. Yes, since IP tuition is so messy due to different curricula, I will discuss with my JC Math and Science tutors about designing and conducting a Advanced Integrated Programme (AIP), with only excelling in the A-levels as its main objective, starting from Sec 1, in a progressive yet rigorous manner; we will only teach what is directly or indirectly demanded by the A-Level exams.
Anyway, my eldest daughter will be doing her O-levels next year and I would have to prepare for her a bridging course to close the gap between non-IP students and IP students.
Ilyasa
Choosing a secondary school …
The following are some of the factors (not in order of importance) you may want to consider in wisely selecting a secondary school:
(1) Location / Distance of school from home: Secondary school students have a lot of work to do (academic and CCA), so please factor this in and not just think of how prestigious the school is. When I studied in RI from 1985 to 1988, I was staying at Chai Chee Road, and had to travel about 1hr 15 mins to Grange Rd almost every day. RJC was then, at Mt Sinai Rd, even further and the travelling time became 1.5 hrs. Thus I was sleepy most of the time and did badly in school tests and I did well only at the major national exams as we were allowed home study time. Today, we are staying at Bukit Batok and my daughter’s school is just a 5 min drive away, and she’s doing very well in school.
(2) Type of school (Integrated Programme; O-Level, IB etc): I had posted another article on the pros and cons of going to a school where students skip the O-level exams. This is something you have to consider carefully – the significance of not having an O-Level certificate. Remember that not all IP school students make it to Year 6, and of those who do, some are ill-prepared to take a high-stakes national exam and end up with poor A-Level grades. I’ve also posted another article on IB vs A-Levels.
(3) CCA available: I know of a student who goes to a particular school because that school provides Lion Dance as a CCA. Not all schools provide Rugby, Soccer or Fencing etc. So if your child has a strong interest in a particular CCA, it is important that you check out whether that CCA is available in the desired school.
(4) Subject Combination for O-levels: Some schools do not provide Economics and some schools don’t even have Tamil Language. In some schools, it is compulsory for all its Sec 3 students to take up A. Math and Chemistry. And some schools do not provide O-Level Literature or Art. And how many triple pure science classes does the school normally provide?
(5) Niche area: Some schools are better equipped for Sports, some for Science and others for the Arts.
(6) Co-Ed or Single-Gender: It is still a debate whether single-gender schools are better for teenagers than dual-gender ones. Some prefer daughters to be in an all-girls school. Bear in mind that all JCs and polytechnics are dual-gender institutions.
(7) The Principal: Sad to say, some school principals don’t know how to motivate their staff or their students. Some care about their overall school results more than the willingness of their individual students to explore and learn. But principals come and go, and the school culture may change when there is a change of headmaster.
(8) Affiliation: You may want to choose a secondary school that is affiliated to a junior college.
(9) School Culture: Some schools have a very pressurizing and competitive environment, and these schools are not necessarily the top ten schools. I think the environment in schools which are TRYING to create an image of being a top school is more pressurizing than that in a really top-performing school. Thus you might find that the exam papers in some top schools are actually easier than those found in less prestigious schools.
(10) It’s Cut-off PSLE Aggregate: This number will give you an estimate of your chances of entering a particular school. But I don’t think it’s a good idea to be the amongst the last few to obtain a place in a certain school, even if it is a prestigious school. Would you rather be a small fish in a big pond or a big fish in a small pond? Some parents say that being in a top school would motivate their child, but they forget that being in such a school can also destroy their child’s confidence in his or her abilities (this actually originally happened to some of my tutees from hci, nygs, crescent, nan hua, rvhs and njc).
(11) It’s Median PSLE Aggregate: Parents often forget to look at this one. If your child’s PSLE score is such that he or she is in the bottom half of the school’s cohort, chances are, he or she will not be in the top classes and will not get the full support or resources from the school. Some schools even assign their best teachers to the top classes only, and the lower-end classes may often get relief teachers.
Anyway, I wish all post-PSLE students and their parents all the best in their choosing of secondary schools. Please bear in mind that your performance at the PSLE is a poor predictor of your performance in secondary school, because the assessment style and aims have changed.
Lastly, is every secondary school a good secondary school? You decide. : )
Rgds,
Ilyasa
About myself:
I was a secondary school teacher for 3 years before becoming a tutor in 2004. I also taught in a private school and in an international school. I’ve taught Math, Science, Physics and Chemistry to all kinds of students from Pri to JC and from all streams: Express, NA, NT, IP and IB. From my students and their parents I’ve learnt a lot about the various schools in Singapore, their problems, their strengths and so on. I also come from a family of teachers, and many of my friends are also teachers, HODs, VPs and Ps. I tutor my own children and they all have become proficient in Math and the Sciences. My youngest daughter just got her PSLE (2016) results and this will be the 3rd time I’m going through this school selection process. If you have any questions regarding schools, education or about tuition, feel free to contact me at 97860411. I will help answer your questions as best as I can. All the best!
Related pages:
FREE SEC 1 MATH TUITION AT SINGAPORE LEARNER!
Beware the critical years in math education in Singapore …
Choosing a sec school: Is it more important to be in a ‘Top’ school or the Top class?
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CALL 65694897 OR SMS 98530744 OR 97860411.
Ad hoc tuition seems quite popular
I’ve been quite surprised by the response to my offer of ad hoc tuition for math and physics. This is the first year I’m allowing it and I had expected, the bulk of the calls were from parents of students in the integrated programme.
There may be a few reasons for this. First, IP students may be too busy to commit to regular weekly tuition. Second, they can’t fit in anywhere else as most learning centres only cater to mainstream students. Finally, IP students are generally academically bright and only need coaching in certain topics.
The IP students so far who have made multiple bookings to consult me are from NJC, HCI, NYGH and RGS. I did ask them or their parents on what they look out for when choosing a tutor: (1) travelling distance, (2) experience in teaching IP students, (3) ability to teach at JC level, (4) reasonable fees.
The non-IP students who have booked multiple slots tend to be those who did very badly in their recent MYEs and their parents wish them to revise all their fundamentals. That, I must say, is a wise decision, especially for sec 1 or sec 2 students who have done badly in their math exams.
If you need to consult me about IP tuition for Math, Physics or Chemistry, pls contact me @ 97860411. Alternatively, you can contact Mr Pang @ 90065997.
Ilyasa
To find more about IP Tuition, please click on the following:
The benefit of repeating
I’m sure it’s a terrible feeling to be asked to repeat an academic year instead of being promoted to the next level. Some students never fully recover from the esteem-destroying act of having to stay behind while their friends advance.
Thus, when two repeat students (they already knew their fate) approached me at the end of last year, I took a sensitive approach to handling them as their morale was very, very low. One (boy) had to repeat Sec 4 (IP) and the other (girl) had to repeat Sec 3.
I coached them for most of December and intensively in Jan and Feb, and their results have been very encouraging. At this time last year both had failed their first math tests, but this time round, the boy had topped his class overall in math (taking into account 2 tests) and the girl had scored A1 in one test and a good pass in another.
I’m very proud of them that they have been able to put their past behind them and move on, successfully. We cannot change our past, but we can certainly influence our future. No time is a good time to give up on doing something that is good. Don’t give up learning and working hard towards a noble goal.
Rgds,
Ilyasa
Some students really make me proud
Just received the good news that my ex-tutee Shawn Lim, the first needy student under our free tuition scheme, has received a scholarship from the ITE for his outstanding N Level results.
I still remember the day when Shawn first arrived. He stood at my door smiling and I made a guess that that was the student my series of email exchanges with a social worker and a lady (his aunt) was referring to. He smiled while even talking to me, such that I couldn’t guess his life story, so I was almost moved to tears (guys don’t cry right?) when I learnt that he lost both his parents while in primary school, and for a few years after that his life was a mess; living alone at times, missing school many times due to not being able to wake up on time, not having enough money and food at times etc. Just listening to him for 20 minutes made me realise that I’ve not suffered at all in life. In fact, by the time his stint at my place ended, he has taught me more than I could ever teach him.
Many students out there complain about their parents, their school, their teachers, their friends and so on. Some are not even happy that they are posted to a good school; they want a brand-name school. I think such students should spend just a few minutes with people like Shawn to learn a thing or two about life.
Shawn is not the first student to have made me proud, nor will he be the last.
Ilyasa
Between JC and Poly …
Should a O-Level grad choose to go to a JC or a Polytechnic?
Since many students and parents ask me this question every year, here is my opinion on the matter.
The answer is: It depends on several factors:
(a) Your method of learning;
(b) How sure you are about what you want to do as a career;
(c) Your strength in English and Mother Tongue;
(d) Which university you want to go to;
(e) Your level of self-discipline.
Let’s examine each one in detail:
(a) Your method of learning:
In general, if you learn more by reading, go to JC. If you learn more through hands-on activities and projects, go to Poly. If you learn well via both methods equally, go to part (b).
(b) How sure you are about what you want to do as a career:
In general, if you are undecided, go to JC. If you know what you want, go to
the Poly offering your course. For example, if you are sure you want to be a
physiotherapist, go to Nanyang Poly.
(c) Your strength in English and Mother Tongue:
In JC, you must take General Paper and Mother Tongue. If you are weak in English especially, you will suffer terribly in JC. In general, if you are not confident of vastly improving your English in a short time, go to Poly. Of course the Poly also expects you to write English well, but not at the level GP demands.
(d) Which university you want to go to:
If you insist on going to NUS, NTU, SMU, SUTD or SUSS, please go to JC and work hard. If you go to Poly, you have to work extra hard to be the top 5 or 10% of your cohort or course, then you can be admitted to a local public university. However, SIT is a university that takes in lots of Poly grads. More than 70% of JC students make it to the local universities every year, so the chances of getting into the local universities are higher through JC than through Poly. If you go to Poly and don’t do well enough, be prepared to go to an overseas university (which is not a bad idea; don’t worry, money can be borrowed).
(e) Your level of self-discipline:
In JC, you are more supervised. Poly environment is like that of a university; you have to be more independent and responsible. I have ex-students from both sides regretting their choice, because they didn’t think about this issue.
There’s one more route that people often overlook: doing a three-year pre-university course at the Millenia Institute (MI). Bear in mind that only MI offers Management of Business and Principles of Accounting as A-level courses.
Lastly, please bear in mind that the above are just guidelines. Central to all forms of academic success is pure hard work and a thinking disposition.
I wish all O-Level graduates great success in their future endeavours.
Best Rgds,
Ilyasa
_______________________________________
TUITION CLASSES:
_______________________________________________________________
EDUCATIONAL SERVICES:
______________________________________________________________
By EX-MOE TEACHERS & EXPERIENCED TUTORS
@ BLK 644, BUKIT BATOK CENTRAL, #01-68. S(650644).
CALL 65694897 OR SMS 98530744 OR 97860411.
_________________________________________________________
Singapore Learner provides Group Tuition, Individual Tuition, Intensive Revision, Enrichment Workshops, Headstart Classes, Holiday Classes and Crash Courses at the Primary, Secondary and Junior College levels in the areas of Math, Pure Physics, Pure Chemistry, Science, Economics, and General Paper for the Singapore A-Levels, O-Levels and PSLE.
So what is my race? : )
For some strange reason, Singaporeans are obsessed with race. In some countries in the West, you can be sued for asking a person’s race or religion. But over here, nearly all job application forms ask for the person’s race and religion, even though most jobs have nothing to do with race or religion (such as teaching Math?).
The day after I posted Just had a terrific conversation with a parent …, a parent called and our conversation went like this:
caller:”Hello, are you Mr Eeeeyaaa…saa?”
me:”Yes, kind of.”
caller:”Are you Chinese?”
me:”Do I have to be?”
caller:”Oh, no, no, no. Sorry, I mean …. your name, I couldn’t figure out whether it’s Chinese, Indian or something. No, you don’t have to be Chinese.”
I’m a private tutor of Math and Physics. People KNOW that before they call. It intrigues me that callers do not first ask for my qualifications or teaching experience (actually, I’ve long intended to write another post – The kinds of parents who call me).
Ok, so what is my race? Because my father is Malay, I am Malay, simple. Am I qualified and experienced enough to teach Math and Physics? Click About Ilyasa to find out.
Once in a while I get phone replies like “Sorry, I seek a Chinese tutor.” Just once I got this comment from a parent:”You are Malay har? So are you good in Math?” ( I actually said yes). There’s some black sheep in every community. I’ve had tens and tens of wonderful and polite Chinese tutees (some from SAP schools even) and their parents who have no problems with me as their children’s tutor. Some of my tutees were also from Taiwan and the PRC. And fortunately, my Indian, Malay, Korean, Filipino and Myanmar tutees have not requested me to teach them in other than English, knowing full well that the exams are in English.
I do hope that Singaporeans move away from this obsession with race and look beyond our differences, else we should be ashamed to call ourselves Singaporeans.
Rgds,
Ilyasa
Surprise visit by parents of my ex-CJC student …
I was tutoring yesterday when I caught a glimpse of a little girl standing at my door, with a familiar-looking elderly man beside her. Looking at my bewildered face he quickly introduced himself as the father of a CJC student he sent to me in 2007, for H1 Math. His daughter, that student, has just graduated from NUS and the little girl beside him now is the child of his eldest daughter.
The purpose of their visit was to ask whether I have a P2 math tuition class for the little girl, who is in RGPS. Unfortunately, my lowest level tuition class is P3, so she has to come back at end of 2014 for my P3 headstart class instead. I told the man to let his granddaughter play more in P2 as opposed to studying, but he said the environment in RGPS is very competitive. Fortunately, her grandmother, who was there, agreed with me.
Personally, I don’t think P1 and P2 tuition is necessary, UNLESS the student has not attended pre-school and cannot cope with P1 and P2 English and Math.
Finally, I’m happy to know that my past students are doing well in life, and many have entered universities, although they didn’t come from ‘top’ schools. At PSLE, it is about how intelligent you are. But at the ‘O’ and ‘A’ levels, it is about how much you know.
Rgds,
Ilyasa
A good reason for me to feel satisfied …
Just met an ex-student who is now a teacher at the same school in which I was his form teacher back in 2001. Oh my, how time flies! And he looks almost exactly the same. I feel happy every time I meet my former students and see how much they have grown and how useful they have become. In fact at least one is already married. Education is more than just textbooks, worksheets, homework and exams, which sadly, is a view not shared by some parents, some teachers and even some students themselves.
To me, teaching is the greatest and most satisfying job in the world, and while others may earn more, good teachers are always the most respected in society.
Rgds,
Ilyasa
Would your parents be overjoyed if you pass Math for the first time, or would they still scold you?
I once a tutored a girl whose father was never satisfied with her math results even when she scored an A1. When she failed, her dad would be nagging outside my door for about 10 minutes when he came to pick her up. When she passed, her dad would lament about her carelessness and laziness and how she would have scored much higher if only she had been more careful and more hardworking. Even when she got a distinction her dad said it was expected of her anyway, and it came too late anyway.
Thus I was speechless when I saw this video for the first time today: http://sg.entertainment.yahoo.com/video/dads-reaction-son-passing-maths-161306670.html
I just wish some parents are more loving towards their own children. I once had a tutee from HCI. Obviously he was a bright boy, but his mum kept using unkind words towards him. So one day, on the phone, I asked her, “Have you ever praised your son? When was the last time you praised him for anything?” She was stumped for a while, so I told her to start encouraging him instead, and be understanding whenever he was tired. Eventually their relationship improved, and so did his grades.