Sec 3 IP Physics: Wednesday | 6.00 pm – 7.45 pm | Code: S3IPP
Sec 3 IP Math: Saturday | 1.30 pm – 3.15 pm | Code: S3IPM
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S3 IP Physics scheme of work (NYGH): Measurement, Kinematics, Dynamics, Mass, Weight and Density (current topic).
S3 IP Math scheme of work (NYGH): Matrices, Circle Properties, Quadratic Inequalities, Remainder & Factor Theorem, Geometry, Indices, Surds and Logarithms, Linear Law, Functions, Graphs, Transformation, Trigonometry.
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Administrative Matters:
Location: 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.
TO REGISTER, SMS <STUDENT NAME>, <CODE> TO 97860411
For enquiries, kindly call 65694897 or sms to 97860411.
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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.
S4 IP MATH HEADSTART OCT TO DEC 2015
Dear Parents and S3/Y3 IP students. We will be conducting a S4 IP Math Headstart class for this year’s S3 IP students due to requests from some parents and students for such a course during the end-of-year holidays. Details as follows:
Days: Every MONDAY and SATURDAY from 26 Oct to 12 Dec (Total 14 lessons) except for the first week of December (see Course Outline below)
Time: 3.30 pm – 5.30 pm.
Location: 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)
Topics to be covered: DIFFERENTIATION & INTEGRATION
Focus: CONCEPTUAL UNDERSTANDING & APPLICATION OF SKILLS
Format: Teaching + Worksheets + Discussions
Target Group: S3/Y3 IP students (RVHS, NYGH, HCI, RI, RGS) who wish to learn Calculus so as to be better prepared for Y4 math.
Fee: $840 (inclusive of materials) for 14 lessons.
Course Outline:
26/10: Intro to Differentiation, Power Rule.
31/10: Product Rule, Quotient Rule.
2/11: Equations of Tangents & Normals, Increasing & Decreasing Functions.
7/11: Connected Rates of Change.
9/11: Nature of Stationary Points.
14/11: Maxima & Minima Problems.
16/11: Derivatives of Trigonometric Functions.
21/11: Derivatives of Exponential & Logarithmic Functions.
23/11: Indefinite & Definite Integrals.
28/11: Integration of Trigonometric, Exponential and 1/x functions.
30/11: Area of a region using Integration.
2/12 (WED): Area between a curve and an axis / line.
9/12 (WED): Displacement & Velocity using Integration.
12/12: Integration problems involving Acceleration.
Tutors:
Mr Muhammad Ilyasa has been coaching students in Primary, Secondary & JC 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> , <S4IPMATH> TO 97860411.
As places are limited, pre-payment is encouraged to confirm your attendance. You can make cash or cheque payment by visiting the centre at the address above.
Sec 1 (2015) Arithmetic & Algebra Math Holiday Enrichment for Post-PSLE students
This is the third re-run this year of our very successful annual S1 Math Headstart programme for post-psle students (see tutor’s comments at end of page). It reflects the recognition of parents and students of the importance of Algebra in preparing for Secondary Math.
TO REGISTER, SMS <STUDENT NAME> , <S1AA> TO 97860411.
Level/Subject: Sec 1 Arithmetic & Algebra (S1AA)
Dates: Mon 29/12, Tue 30/12, and Wed 31/12 (three 3 hr sessions)
Time: 2.00 pm – 5.00 pm
Location: 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.
Target Group: Suitable for post-PSLE students who wish to learn more about Negative Numbers & Algebra, as well as basic Indices.
Purpose: To give post-PSLE students a HEADSTART in the THREE MOST IMPORTANT TOPICS of secondary Math – Arithmetic, Algebra and Indices, as students who do badly in Math in secondary school are usually those who have a poor FOUNDATION in these three topics.
Topics: (1) Addition, subtraction, multiplication and division of Negative Numbers; (2) Addition, subtraction, multiplication and division of Algebraic expressions; (3) Simplifying Algebraic fractions; (4) Basic Indices.
Focus: CONCEPTUAL UNDERSTANDING
Format: Teaching + Worksheets + Discussions
Fee: Only $270 for all 3 sessions (inclusive of materials & refreshments)
Tutor: Mr Ilyasa (M.Ed., PGDE, B.Sc, Ex-MOE Teacher, Full-Time Tutor of PSLE, ‘O’ and ‘A’ Level Math and Physics since 2004).
Mr Ilyasa has been coaching students in ‘A’ Level & IB Physics and Mathematics for more than 7 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> , <S1AA> TO 97860411.
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Tutor’s comments:
The students took quite some time to understand the concept of negative numbers as it is not covered at all in the primary math syllabus. They were intrigued by the techniques of adding, subtracting, multiplying and adding negative numbers, and using BODMAS (Order of Operations) to evaluate an expression that is a mixture of these. Things became more difficult when fractions came in, but simplifying algebraic expressions become much easier when students have mastered arithmetic involving negative numbers and brackets as well as powers or indices.
Rgds,
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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TUITION CLASSES:
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EDUCATIONAL SERVICES:
______________________________________________________________
By EX-MOE TEACHERS & EXPERIENCED TUTORS
@ BLK 644, BUKIT BATOK CENTRAL, #01-68. S(650644).
CALL 65694897 OR SMS 98530744 OR 97860411.
Year 5 (2015) H2 Math Enrichment Programme for current Year 4 IP students
Early this year (9 Feb), I started the JC H2 Math Learn Ahead programme for post-O Level students so that they could get an early introduction to JC Math, which is much harder than A. Math. It was quite successful, and a number of these students are doing relatively well in h2 math in their JCs, and many are still with us, to maintain their edge over their peers (I had a similar programme for H2 Physics).
Very recently, thanks to the parent of a Year 4 Integrated Programme student, I realized that quite a number of Y4 IP students are quite ‘academically free’ right now, as they have finished their “end-of-year” exams. So why not attend a H2 Math headstart programme? Actually, Y4 IP students have already learnt some JC1 H2 Math, so we can make this programme easy-going yet value-added, and call it “enrichment” instead. To me, anything good is worth trying, so I think I’ll start this H2 Math enrichment programme this Sep. The details are as follows:
Programme: Year 5 (2015) H2 Math Enrichment Programme for current Year 4 IP students.
Topics: Sequences & Series
Dates: 13/9, 20/9, 27/9, 4/10, 11/10, 18/10, 25/10 (7 sessions for 7 sub-topics)
Time: 11:00 am – 12.30 pm
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)
Total Fee: $350
Max. no. of students: 8
Synopsis: Students will be introduced to the following topics: (1) Binomial Series, (2) Arithmetic Progressions, (3) Geometric Progressions, (4) Summation of Series, (5) Method of Difference, (6) Mathematical Induction, (7) Recursive Formulas
Tutor: Mr Ilyasa (ex-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><Y5MathEnrich> to 97860411.
For any queries, you may talk directly to Mr Ilyasa at 97860411.
Our JC1 GP weekly tuition starts this friday, 10 Jan, for IP students
JC1 General Paper: Every Friday, 8.30 pm – 10.00 pm (Start 7 Feb); Code: J1G1.
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The Tutor:
Mdm Lyn: A Bachelor of Arts (Honours) graduate from the National University of Singapore, Mdm Lyn is an NIE-trained GP teacher who has more than 13 years’ experience teaching General Paper effectively in a Junior College. Mdm Lyn is a highly competent, friendly and patient tutor whose students continue to meet up with her long after their A-Level exams.
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The GP intensive coaching programme comprises
1. Content Scaffolding using concepts that connect topics to help students cope with a greater variety of questions
2. Current topical content and pertinent cross-topical case studies tailored for different question types
3. Thinking skills and practice to apply the concepts and content to specific essay questions
4. Language skills through generic and topic-specific sample writing
5. Reading comprehension, summary and application question skills using texts that are related to essay questions
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Administrative Matters:
Location: Blk 627, Bukit Batok Central, 07-640. 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.
JC / IP / A-LEVEL CONCEPTUAL LEARNING SCHEDULE 2015
2015 TIMETABLE OF COURSES:
A-LEVEL | JC | GENERAL PAPER TUITION
A-LEVEL | JC | ECONOMICS TUITION
A-LEVEL | JC | PHYSICS TUITION
A-LEVEL | JC | CHEMISTRY TUITION
INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE (IB) Year 6 Mathematical Studies (SL) Tuition
A-LEVEL GENERAL PAPER MAR 2015 HOLIDAY INTENSIVE REVISION
A-LEVEL ECONOMICS MAR 2015 HOLIDAY INTENSIVE REVISION
Retaking A-Levels: A-LEVEL EXAM PREP FOR PRIVATE CANDIDATES
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2014
JC1 H2 Math: Every Wednesday, 8.00 pm – 9.45 pm (Start 8 Jan); Code: J1M1.
JC1 H2 Math: Every Friday, 8.00 pm – 9.45 pm (Start 10 Jan); Code: J1M2.
JC1 H2 Math: Every Sunday, 2.00 pm – 3.45 pm (Start 5 Jan); Code: J1M3.
JC2 H2 Math: Every Wednesday, 6.00 pm – 7.45 pm (Start 8 Jan); Code: J2M1.
JC2 H2 Math: Every Friday, 6.00 pm – 7.45 pm (Start 10 Jan); Code: J2M2.
JC2 H2 Math: Every Sunday, 4.00 pm – 5.45 pm (Start 5 Jan); Code: J2M3.
JC2 H1 Math: Every Sunday, 6.00 pm – 7.45 pm (Start 5 Jan); Code: J2M4.
JC2 H1 Physics: Every Sunday, 2.00 pm – 3.45 pm (Start 5 Jan); Code: J2P1.
JC2 H2 Physics: Every Sunday, 6.00 pm – 7.45 pm (Start 5 Jan); Code: J2P2.
JC1 H2 Physics: Every Sunday, 4.00 pm – 5.45 pm (Start 5 Jan); Code: J1P1.
JC2 H2 Management of Business: Every Wednesday, 8.00 pm – 9.45 pm (Start 8 Jan); Code: J2B1.
JC2 H1 Economics: Every Thursday, 8.00 pm – 9.45 pm (Start 9 Jan); Code: J2E1.
JC2 H2 Economics: Every Saturday, 8.00 pm – 9.45 pm (Start 11 Jan); Code: J2E2.
JC2 General Paper: Every Saturday, 11.00 am – 12.45 pm (Start 11 Jan); Code: J2G1.
JC1 General Paper: Every Friday, 8.30 pm – 10.00 pm (Start 7 Feb); Code: J1G1.
Integrated Programme (IP) students have an unfair advantage
The pre-2007 A.Math syllabus had topics such as Functions and Permutations and Combinations (P&C). These topics were removed (and moved up to JC level) as part of the MOE’s content reduction exercise, in order to allocate more curriculum time to Project Work (PW), National Education (NE) and Thinking Skills (TS) for all government schools.
However, the IP schools need not follow the O-Level syllabus and I have found out from my IP tutees that Sec 3 students in some IP schools are already learning Functions, P&C as well as Graphical Transformations. Thus some IP students have a 2-year headstart over their non-IP counterparts in certain topics of some subjects.
Apparently, the IP schools are able to incorporate JC topics into their syllabus because they have freed up curriculum time in two ways: (1) by not having to set aside time for O-Level preparations such as prelim and mock exams, and (2) by not teaching O-Level topics that have no consequence for the A-Level exams (such as Geometrical Proof in A. Math). Thus IP schools are in effect taking between 3 to 4 years to prepare their already bright students for the A-Level exams when non-IP students have less than 2 years to prepare for it! Some IP schools even introduce the use of the graphical calculator to their Sec 1 students.
The above is not supposed to happen. It doesn’t make sense to allow brighter students more time to prepare for the same exam (thus, in the final analysis, are IP students really smarter? And imagine how academically bright the non-IP students who obtain straight As for the A-levels are. And what to make of the IP students who don’t get As for the A-levels?)
I don’t think the intention behind the IP concept is to allow IP students more time to prepare for the A-levels. If I’m not mistaken, the time that IP schools ‘save’ in NOT having to prepare for the O-levels is meant to be used for the students to enrich their learning or pursue their passion in certain areas or to acquire soft skills, and not to learn ahead A-Level topics! That is why IP students are not allowed to sit for the O-Level exams, even privately, as it defeats the purpose of having the additional free time meant to develop them more holistically. However, it seems to me there is nothing to prevent an IP school from using SIX YEARS to train it’s students entirely for the A-Levels, by focusing on just the A-level topics and not teaching at all anything that is not tested in the A-levels. Of course this is an extreme example, but there is already concrete evidence that IP schools are teaching JC topics at their secondary levels and omitting secondary level topics that are not tested at the A-levels (yes, I was initially surprised to find out that my IP tutees are not aware of certain concepts tested at the O-levels).
Needless to say, there would be many parents who support giving their children four instead of two years to prepare for our difficult A-level exams. But what about the thousands of students who have to take the O-level route? If ‘brighter’ students need more time to learn, how about the ‘less bright’ ones? And what about the original purpose behind the idea of the Integrated Programme? And when we say every school is a good school, what do we mean? I like what one of my non-IP tutees has said – “Every school is a good school, but some are better than others.”
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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.
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
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
Integrated Programme (IP) Math
IP students always give me headaches because they come from different schools and have their own syllabi, to the point I’ve kind of decided not to take in any IP students anymore. I’ve taught students from RV, ACS(I), NJC, RI, RGS, HCI and NYGS.
But now I’m in a dilemma, because my existing IP students are asking me to continue guiding them. Two YR4 RI boys and a YR4 RGS girl (plus her friend) are asking me to have a headstart programme in Nov/Dec to intro them to H2 Math. A YR2 NYGH student is asking me to do the same for her YR3 Math. The problem is, they may not all fit into the same session because of differences in availability and level.
If I were to proceed, it would be 2-hr sessions, lecture cum discussion style, and if they are spread out across several sessions in the same week, I would need a few more students to join us to avoid boring and expensive one-to-one tuition. So if you are an IP student and in the same level (preferably even same school) as them in 2013 (YR5 or YR3) and you need a headstart in Math, please consider joining us. You may contact me at 97860411. Thank you.
My resume: Mr Ilyasa
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