Posted in IB

IB DIPLOMA INTERNAL ASSESSMENT FOR SCIENCE

The Internal Assessment (IA) is a compulsory task for IB students in the Diploma Programme (DP). It is weighted to about 20% of the overall marks for a Science subject.

The marking criteria of the Internal Assessment are based on the Evaluation Criteria, which consists of different parts to be evaluated, namely: Personal engagement (i.e. motivation), research, data analysis, conclusion and evaluation, presentation.

For Science subjects, the IA project of a student is normally an experiment to determine the value of a particular variable, or to investigate the relationship between two or more variables.


We have been giving lab support (apparatus, materials, chemicals etc.) to IB Diploma science students to complete their IA for Biology, Chemistry and Physics since 2021.
If you need our lab support for your IA, please book our labs from Nov to Feb which are our non-peak periods. You may contact us via the contact numbers below:

Singapore Learner @ Bukit Batok

Blk 644, Bukit Batok Central, #01-68. S(650644).

Tel: +(65) 6569 4897,   +(65) 87762711 (WHATAPPS) https://wa.link/iuaph0

Email: singaporelearner@gmail.com

If you wish to visit us, kindly call or sms first. Thank you.

Posted in AS, IB, IG, IGCSE, Practical

CAMBRIDGE INTERNATIONAL AS & IG LEVEL PRACTICAL PHYSICS / CHEMISTRY / BIOLOGY

You can secure 20 – 23 percent of your grades for your science courses for IGCSE and AS Levels.

Do well in your practical exams and you are on the way to achieve your targeted grade.

Practise for your practicals with us. Our experienced tutors will guide you and help you achieve speed and precision in your practical.

You can also prepare for your practicals by taking part in our mock practical exams. Our experienced tutors will observe how you do your practicals within the stipulated time in exam-like conditions. They will then go through the practical paper and give you tips on how to save time, avoid common errors and improve accuracy of your results.

We are equipped for all the 3 sciences and take in a maximum of only 4 students per lab session. This gives a small tutor:student ratio and maximises student learning.

Location: BLK 644, BUKIT BATOK CENTRAL, #01-68. s(650644)  ( 5 mins walk from Bukit Batok MRT)


Blk 644, Bukit Batok Central, #01-68. S(650644).

Tel: +(65) 6569 4897,   +(65) 87762711 (Whatapps Admin)

Email:  principal@singaporelearner.com

If you wish to visit us, kindly call or sms first. Thank you.

 

 

Posted in Homeschooling Support

Homeschooling Support

Our Homeschooling Support Programme focuses on Science Practical Training for students.

What do we offer?

(1) Learning Science through Practicals, for Sec 3 students. Please click here.

(2) Science Practical Training for O and A Level exams, for Sec 4 and A-Level students. Please click here.


For enquiries, CALL 65694897 OR SMS 87762711.

Our Address:   Blk 644, Bukit Batok Central, #01-68. S(650644).

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 roads surrounding our location are numbers 157, 178, 66, 506, 173, 174, 176, 187, 985. Buses services which terminate at Bukit Batok Bus Interchange are 61, 77, 106, 173, 177, 189, 852, 941, 945, 947.

Posted in IB

INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE (IB) Year 6 Mathematical Studies (SL) Tuition

Our IB Year 6 Mathematical Studies (SL) tuition is every Sunday 6pm – 7.45pm.

Fee:  $300 for 4 sessions (equivalent to JC2) if registered before Feb 2015.

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Administrative Matters:

Location:   Blk 644, Bukit Batok Central, #01-68. S(650644).

Our location is just a 5-min walk from either the Bukit Batok MRT station or the Bukit Batok Bus Interchange. Buses that stop along the roads surrounding our location are numbers 157, 178, 66, 506, 173, 174, 176, 187, 985. Buses services which terminate at Bukit Batok Bus Interchange are 61, 77, 106, 173, 177, 189, 852, 941, 945, 947.

TUITION FEES

TO REGISTER, SMS <STUDENT NAME>, <CODE> TO 97860411.

For enquiries, kindly call 65694897 or sms to 9786 0411.

 

Posted in Personal, Schools

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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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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted in A-Level, A. Math, Ad hoc tuition, JC Math (H2/H1), JC Physics, PSLE Math

Short-term ad hoc Math or Physics coaching for Aug to Oct 2014.

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.

Posted in A-Level, IB

Which one to choose? The IB or the A-levels?

SCIENCE PRACTICAL TRAINING

H2 PHYSICS PRACTICAL

H2 CHEMISTRY PRACTICAL

H2 BIOLOGY PRACTICAL


 

I’ve had the privilege of teaching and tutoring students Math and Physics in both the A-level and IB programmes, so here I’m sharing with you my sincere thoughts on the two programmes.

Whether you choose to do the IB progamme or the A-levels depends on several factors:

(1) Your method of studying.

If you are the lazy type and you prefer to just study VERY intensively for three months prior to a high-stakes exam, then do the A-levels. If you can continually work hard and can cope with the pressure of being constantly assessed, then do the IB Diploma programme. This is serious. I have a student who dropped out of IB to do the the A-levels, precisely because he was not able to cope with being continually FORMALLY assessed.

(2) The university you want to go to:

If you are Singaporean and you intend to go to a local university such as NUS or NTU, it’s better for you to do the A-Levels. This is because you will be compared only with local students performing the same exam in your country, as far as I have been informed. At the moment, a lot of local students doing the IB are from ACS (I), who only take in students who obtained a minimum score of 247 at the PSLE or those who obtained an L1R5 of 5 (incl. bonus points) at the O-Levels. So not surprisingly, the average score at ACS (I) for the IB exams last year was a whopping 41.65! Do you know that a score of 36 and above in the IB diploma exams is considered excellent by educators?

Imagine that you have obtained a score of 40 in the IB exam. In the world, you will be considered a top student. But at ACS (I), you are below average! Thus you may find yourself rejected by NUS but accepted by Oxford or Cambridge University! This weird situation was first highlighted to me by a parent of my tutee a few years ago. She regretted sending her daughter to ACS (I) because although the latter obtained a score of 38 and thus a top student for the rest of the world, she was rejected by a local university (reason being she was below average for her IB cohort) and finally applied to do teaching at the NIE as she did not want to go overseas.

Thus if you are a local student and you intend to study overseas for your degree, then by all means do the IB programme.

(3) The breadth or depth of the subjects you want to learn:

Generally, the IB programme is broader in academic scope while the A-Levels is deeper. For example, when I was covering an IB Physics class, I was surprised to discover that they also learn Astrophysics and the Carnot Cycle, topics not covered in Singapore’s A-Level H2 Physics. Thus I feel that if you want a more holistic programme, do the IB diploma as you’ll be exposed to the Theory of Knowledge as well as doing a community service project.

The above are just my personal albeit informed views. What is clear and certain is that if you DON’T have a thinking disposition, you’ll do badly in either course. Good luck. : )

Rgds,

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

 

TUITION CLASSES:

Please click on one of the following:

TUITION FOR INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE (IB) MATH OR PHYSICS

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Posted in IB

TUITION FOR INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE (IB) MATH OR PHYSICS

We have been tutoring IB students in Math and Physics since 2008.

Available slots (each slot is 1h 30 min):

(1) Weekday mornings | 9 am – 10.30 am or 11am – 12.30 pm;

(2) Weekday evenings | 8 pm – 9.30 pm

Fee is $180 per session.


Background of Tutor:

An NIE-trained ex-school teacher, Mr Ilyasa has been coaching students in ALevel & IB Physics and Mathematics for more than 10 years, as well as O-Level & IP Physics, Chemistry, A.Math, E. Math and PSLE Math for more than 12 years. An alumnus of RI and RJC, Mr Ilyasa holds a Master of Education (Curriculum & Teaching) degree from the National Institute of Education, as well as a Bachelor of Science degree from the National University of Singapore. Mr Ilyasa’s thinking and metacognitive approaches to problem solving has helped many students of varying abilities to excel in Math and the Sciences. He has coached students from many different schools and streams, including IP, SAP, IB, Express, N(A) and N(T).


For enquiries, CALL 65694897 OR SMS 97860411. To REGISTER, visit our centre (weekdays 3pm to 8pm, weekends 10am to 5 pm) to fill up a form and to make payment.

Our Address:   Blk 644, Bukit Batok Central, #01-68. S(650644).

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 roads surrounding our location are numbers 157, 178, 66, 506, 173, 174, 176, 187, 985. Buses services which terminate at Bukit Batok Bus Interchange are 61, 77, 106, 173, 177, 189, 852, 941, 945, 947.

Posted in A-Level, JC Physics

Join our JC PHYSICS LEARN AHEAD PROGRAMME!

JC2 H1 Physics:      Every Sunday, 2.00 pm – 3.45 pm (Start 12 Jan); Code: J2P1.

JC2 H2 Physics:      Every Sunday, 6.00 pm – 7.45 pm (Start 12 Jan); Code: J2P2.

JC1 H2 Physics:      Every Sunday, 4.00 pm – 5.45 pm (Start 9 Feb); Code: J1P1.

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The Tutor:

Mr Ilyasa:  A former MOE school teacher, Mr Ilyasa has been coaching students in ‘A’ Level (H2/H1) Physics and (H2/H1) Mathematics for more than 7 years. An alumnus of RI and RJC, Mr Ilyasa holds a Bachelor of Science degree with Merit from the National University of Singapore, a Postgraduate Diploma in Education with Credit from the National Institute of Education, Singapore, and a Master of Education (Curriculum & Teaching) degree also from the NIE, Singapore.

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Administrative Matters:

Location: Blk 627, Bukit Batok Central. It is just a 3-min walk from the Bukit Batok MRT station as well as the Bukit Batok Bus Interchange.

Max Class Size: 8

Monthly fee for each JC subject or slot is $240, 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.

Posted in A-Level, IB, Junior College, Schools

List of Junior Colleges (JC) (2012) in Singapore by Cut-Off L1R5 aggregate score (including bonus points)

SCIENCE PRACTICAL TRAINING

PRACTICAL CRASH COURSES (Mar, Jun, Sep and Oct)

MOCK EXAMS FOR SCIENCE PRACTICAL (Sep and Oct)

 

H2 PHYSICS PRACTICAL

H2 CHEMISTRY PRACTICAL

H2 BIOLOGY PRACTICAL


List of Junior Colleges (JC) (2013) in Singapore by Cut-Off L1R5 aggregate score (including bonus points)

The table below shows the net L1R5 aggregate of the lowest ranked students who were admitted to the Junior Colleges (JCs) through the 2012 Joint Admissions Exercise (JAE).

S/No Junior College Arts Science/IB
1 Hwa Chong Institution 3 3
2 Raffles Institution 3 3
3 Victoria JC 5 4
4 National JC 5 5
5 Anglo-Chinese School   (Independent) 5
6 Temasek JC 7 6
7 Anglo-Chinese JC 7 6
8 Anderson JC 10 8
9 Meridian JC 9 9
10 Nanyang JC 9 9
11 St. Andrew’s JC 9 9
12 Catholic JC 10 10
13 Serangoon JC 13 13
14 Tampines JC 13 14
15 Jurong JC 13 16
16 Pioneer JC 16 16
17 Innova JC 20 20
18 Yishun JC 20 20
19 St. Joseph’s   Institution

SCIENCE PRACTICAL TRAINING

H2 PHYSICS PRACTICAL

H2 CHEMISTRY PRACTICAL

H2 BIOLOGY PRACTICAL

 

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