bukit batok Archives - Page 14 of 16

Good Economics article to read, for those doing H2 or H1 Econs

Posted on February 21, 2013January 29, 2021 by admin

If you are a H2 or H1 Econs student, please take time to think through the following economics article:

http://sg.news.yahoo.com/blogs/singaporescene/land-people-fit-singapore-economy-025020996.html

It’s important that you keep abreast of the economic challenges facing Singapore, our unique situation, and hence our micro and macro economic policies.

As an ex-Econs teacher and currently tutor, I dare say that our H2 and H1 Economics exams are the hardest in the world for 18 year olds. For microeconomics, you are expected to think like a business owner or CEO, and for macroeconomics, you are expected to think like a minister. Our Economics exam papers assume that you know and understand every basic economic concept, and you are straightaway expected to apply your Econs knowledge to analyse and answer case studies and essay questions.

Good luck.

Rgds,

Ilyasa

For our latest timetable, click here =>

A. Math, Pri Math, Sec Math

“Models (drawing of) destroyed my life.” – Sec 3 Math student

Posted on February 21, 2013February 24, 2016 by admin

I laughed when he said it. But it’s a significant statement by my Sec 3 Math student made two days ago. It’s something I’ve been warning parents and students about, in my earlier article Beware the Critical Years in Math.

This Sec 3 Math tutee is from a top government secondary school in the west. Being mathematically intelligent, he had found it easy to use models-drawing to solve PSLE Math problems. But he had a hard time coping with Algebra in Sec 1 and Sec 2, and it’s affecting both his Math and A. Math performance now. This situation is not unique to him.

The best years of learning by your brain is probably from the time you were born to just before your teenagehood. Singaporeans around my age or older were taught to use algebraic equations to solve math problems at the PSLE back then. I remember using simultaneous equations in 1984 to solve today’s “guess & check” problems in the PSLE. Thus our algebraic skills were good and it helped us, even those who didn’t do well at the PSLE, in doing O-Level and A-Level Math.

Algebra is SO important for Math at O-level and A-level, yet our dear MOE chooses not to introduce it for problem-solving in today’s PSLE. I still don’t understand why.

It is true that some young students may not be able to understand Algebra, due to it being very abstract. But it is also true that some young students are not visually or spatially intelligent enough to draw, cut and move rectangles to solve problems. For eg, what has rectangles got to do with mass or age? (you know, those problems involving age relationships between persons or mass relationships between objects). Using rectangles or boxes to represent age or mass is just as ridiculous or abstract as using letters such as ‘x’ and ‘y’ as in algebra.

The least the MOE should do is to allow the teaching of BOTH methods to solve problems. Since those boxes start appearing in P2 or P3, algebraic expressions should also be introduced at P2 or P3, algebraic expansion in P4, algebraic factorisation in P5, and algebraic equations in P6. Sec 1 students can straightaway start on algebraic fractions etc. Do we lose anything by introducing algebra earlier in our math curriculum?

I’m glad I started my Sec 1 Algebra course for post-PSLE students in Nov and Dec last year (see Sec 1 Algebra Headstart Holiday Enrichment Programme for post-PSLE students). I think students still don’t realise how ill-prepared they are for math in sec school and JC. I dare say that if you are weak in your S1 and S2 algebra, you don’t have to take Math anymore.

Good Luck.

Rgds,

Ilyasa

(M.Ed., PGDE, B.Sc, ex-teacher, full-time tutor: 97860411)

_______________________________________

TUITION CLASSES:

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EDUCATIONAL SERVICES:

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By EX-MOE TEACHERS & EXPERIENCED TUTORS

@ BLK 644, BUKIT BATOK CENTRAL, #01-68. S(650644).

CALL 65694897 OR SMS 98530744 OR 97860411.

Pure Physics, Sec Science

Sec 4 Physics Reflections 03/02/13 – Current Electricity

Posted on February 5, 2013February 24, 2016 by admin

Today, I asked them a few questions to improve their conceptual understanding of electricity:

(1) What is the difference between e.m.f and potential difference?

(2) What is the difference between resistance and resistivity?

(3) How do you derive the unit for resistivity?

(4) Why does the resistance of a metallic conductor increase when its temperature increases?

(5) Why is the ammeter connected in series to a resistor but the voltmeter is connected in parallel?

Some points to note:

(1) Resistance is NOT the gradient of the V-I graph.

(2) The I-V and V-I graphs of a conductor may be different and you’ll need to understand why and explain the difference.

Rgds,

Ilyasa, M.Ed, PGDE, ex-MOE Math and Physics teacher (hp: 97860411)

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For our latest timetable, click here =>

A. Math, A. Math Tips

Sec 4 A. Math Reflections 02/02/13 – Higher Derivative

Posted on February 5, 2013February 24, 2016 by admin

Today I taught them the Higher Derivatives, using displacement, velocity and acceleration as real-life examples. I chose not to introduce the 2nd derivative as a means to test whether a turning point is a maximum or minimum, as I preferred to do that when teaching the application of differentiation in tangents and normals at a point in a curve.

Points to note:

(1) students must not write the 2nd derivative as dy^2/dx^2;

(2) d^2y/dx^2 is not the same as (dy/dx)^2;

(3) d^2y/dx^2 is the same as f”(x) or f^2(x);

(4) there may be product rule, quotient rule or chain rule involved when finding the higher derivatives.

Rgds,

Ilyasa, M.Ed, PGDE, ex-MOE Math and Physics teacher (hp: 97860411)

_______________________________________

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.

A-Level, H1 Economics, H2 Economics

JC 2/1 H2/H1 A-Level Economics Tuition for 2013

Posted on February 1, 2013February 24, 2016 by admin

For our latest timetable, click here =>

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ORIGINAL POST (OUTDATED):

(1) JC2 H2 Economics: (Investment amt: $320 per month)

Sat 7.00 pm to 9.00 pm

(2) JC2 H1 Economics: (Investment amt: $320 per month)

Sun 7.00 pm to 9.00 pm;

(3) JC1 H2 Economics: (Investment amt: $320 per month)

(upon request)

(4) JC1 H1 Economics: (Investment amt: $320 per month)

(upon request)

DETAILS:

Location: Blk 627 Bukit Batok Central #07-640

Tutor(s): Mr Jay Lim, Master of International Management, ex-banker, experienced full-time tutor.

Content: A-Level micro and macro economics, directed readings, case studies, examples from real life and current affairs.

Focus: How to score in economics essays, must-have skills for handling economics case studies, metacognition in economics, thinking the economists’ way.

Class Size: 2-6 students

To register, kindly call, or send an sms to 97860411, indicating the Student Name, Subject and Level.

Sec 4 Physics Reflections 27/01/13 – Applications of Electrostatics

Posted on January 29, 2013February 22, 2016 by admin

I wanted to proceed to Current Electricity, but the students wanted more discussion on how to answer application questions on electrostatics.

So I supplied them with quite a number of such application questions, often with confusing diagrams. The key to answering such questions is to first draw the distribution of charges on the items in the diagram, and identify which objects are conductors and which are non-conductors. For the conductors, check whether they are insulated from the surroundings.

Key points to note:

(1) Only non-conductors can be charged by rubbing (why?)

(2) Electrons can flow into and out of only conductors, and only when the conductors are in contact with other conductors (why?)

(3) A charged object can attract a neutral conductor (why?) and a charged object can also attract a neutral non-conductor (why?)

(4) Upon contact with a highly charged object, a conductor behaves differently from a non-conductor (why?)

Rgds,

Ilyasa, M.Ed, PGDE, ex-MOE Math and Physics teacher (hp: 97860411)

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For our latest timetable, click here =>

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A. Math

Sec 4 A. Math Reflections 26/01/13 – Quotient Rule

Posted on January 29, 2013February 22, 2016 by admin

I introduced Quotient Rule to the class last week so today we continued with it. Quotient Rule is actually very easy to use and should not be replaced by the Product Rule, even though it’s very convenient for students to write a fraction as a product of two terms.

What students find difficult is in simplifying the resulting expression, which often consists of fractions within fractions, with some terms having a square root sign over it. Of course there is a ‘trick’ to get the factorisation done quickly and correctly, but it’s too cumbersome for me to demonstrate here. More importantly, this difficulty that students often face highlights the point that I’ve posted earlier, that Sec 1 and Sec 2 Algebra is VERY IMPORTANT.

For the next lesson, I’ll be going into the Second Derivative as well as Application of Differentiation to curves, tangents and normal. We may be covering the Chain Rule if we have time.

Rgds,

Ilyasa, M.Ed, PGDE, ex-MOE Math and Physics teacher (hp: 97860411)

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For our latest timetable, click here =>

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Pure Physics

Sec 4 Physics Reflections sun1415 20/01/2013 – Electrostatics

Posted on January 21, 2013February 22, 2016 by admin

I completed the teaching of Electrostatics to this class of 6 eager boys from a top school. First I showed a video of how a home-made electroscope is used to determine the kind of charge on a rubbed insulator.

I like to link topics to real life, so I described to them one of my roles while serving NS – to attach cargo to the bottom of a helicopter in what is commonly known as “underslung” operations. But we have to discharge the helicopter first, which is flying above our heads, using a long earth wire, else we may get an electric shock.

We covered definitions, procedures and concepts such as electric field and electric field lines. I even taught them an A-Level formula, F = Qq/kr^2, so that they understand that the electric force between two charged particles is the same for both charges even though the sizes of the charge on them are different.

We also discussed answers to a challenging worksheet and true enough, the students have certain misconceptions about charges and their movement.

Next week, we’ll start on Current Electricity. It’ll be fun.

Ilyasa, M.Ed, PGDE, ex-MOE teacher

(hp: 97860411)

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For our latest timetable, click here =>

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A. Math, A. Math Tips

Sec 4 A. Math Reflections sat1415 19/01/2013 – Differentiation

Posted on January 21, 2013February 22, 2016 by admin

This was our third lesson in Jan. We did the Product Rule for Differentiation after spending the last two sessions doing the Basic Rule and the Power Rule (a subset of the chain rule).

I told students to differentiate directly, in line, and not use the “let u = f(x) and v = g(x)” which is longer, more confusing and can cause more careless mistakes.

Now they are able to perform dy/dx = f(x)g'(x) + g(x)f'(x) quite quickly without introducing new variables such u and v which can be quite clumsy. Most of the time, finding dy/dx is part of a larger question, so it is unwise to make this part too long.

I ended the lesson with an intro to the Quotient Rule. Again, I don’t recommend the use of u’s and v’s and instead differentiate directly in line. We’ll be practising the Quotient Rule in the next session.

Again I tell students that Calculus is almost one-third of the A. Math syllabus, so if you want to get A1 you have to master Differentiation and Integration, which, in my opinion (and students hate it every time I say it), are amongst the easiest of topics in A.Math.

However, Integration at the A-Levels (H2 Math) can be quite difficult. But we’ll cross the bridge when we come to it. : )

Ilyasa, M.Ed, PGDE, ex-MOE teacher

(hp: 97860411)

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For our latest timetable, click here =>

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Pri Math, Pri Science

P6 (PSLE) Math & Science Tuition at Concept Learning

Posted on January 20, 2013April 8, 2016 by admin

_______________________________________

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.

For more details, kindly visit www.conceptlearning.sg, or call 97860411.