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.
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 jc1 h2 physics student scored 35/40 for his first test
Getting 35/40 for a physics test at sec 4 level is already very good, but getting this score for a h2 physics test is really an achievement. He said the test was easy, yet some of his classmates failed the test, on measurement and kinematics. These two topics may sound very familiar to those who have done O-level physics, but if you are an a-level physics student you would know that these two topics are much harder than their o-level counterparts. But his success doesn’t come as a big surprise to me, as he started his jc1 physics tuition on 9 Feb this year, soon after getting his jc posting. But why so early?
I guess he and his dad (who came to speak to me) understood that the content for jc subjects is very heavy and rigorous, and doing well in jc is all about preparation and consistency. The a-level cert is a passport to a university education, and thus getting good a-level grades is very important, much more important than getting good grades at the PSLE. Yet, if you’ve been in the tuition industry long enough, you’d have noticed that parents and students are more concerned about performance at the PSLE than at other levels.
Tuition for any examination for most kids has never been necessary. But if the examination that you’d be taking is just one step away from a university education and for some reason you are not confident of making it on your own, then I think it makes sense to get help early.
Rgds,
Ilyasa
JC2 H2 Biology tuition is every Saturday, 3.15pm – 5.00 pm
JC2 H2 Biology: Every Saturday, 3.15 pm – 5.00 pm; Code: J2B1.
———————————————————————————————————–
The Tutor:
Mr Lee K.S.: A First Class Honours B.Sc. graduate from the University of Melbourne, Mr Lee is an NIE-trained teacher who has taught Biology and Science in a top secondary school for five years, and is also very familiar with the A-Level Biology syllabus. He will be focusing on Biology and Chemistry in Singapore Learner. A scholar and an ex-researcher, Mr Lee also holds a Master of Science degree in Medical Neurosciences from Germany’s Humboldt University.
———————————————————————————————————-
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: 6
TO REGISTER, SMS <FULL STUDENT NAME>, <CODE> TO 97860411.
For enquiries, kindly call or sms to 9786 0411 .
JC1 Chemistry tuition is every Sunday, 12.30 pm – 2.15 pm
JC1 Chemistry: Every Sunday, 12.30 pm – 2.15 pm; Code: J1C1.
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: 6
TO REGISTER, SMS <FULL STUDENT NAME>, <CODE> TO 97860411.
For enquiries, kindly call or sms to 9786 0411.
Some news about jc postings and cut-off points 2014
I’m happy that most of my ex-S4s have obtained places in the courses they want. One even got a scholarship to do a poly course, upon my advice, instead of going to a JC. Of those who opt to go to JCs, most are in either PJC, AJC, JJC, ACJC, NJC, AJC, YJC or HCI.
From them and some JC teachers, it seems that the Science stream cut-off point (COP) for some JCs is as follows:
PJC: 14, AJC: 8, JJC: 14/15/16 (nobody seems to be sure), ACJC: 5 (really?), NJC: 5 or 6, HCI: should still be 3, YJC: 18.
PJC and JJC are always trying to outrank each other, and I believe this time PJC emerges the winner. The problem about PJC is I think it’s name. “Pioneer” is not associated with anything prestigious in Spore. I think if it had been named Sheares Junior College or even Bukit Panjang JC it would stand a better chance of tightening its COP.
Similarly, I think ACJC, CJC, SAJC and AJC are popular choices partly because of their fanciful names. Imagine ACJC is renamed Dover JC or AJC is renamed AMK JC; I think they will lose a lot of potential applicants. So even if every JC is a good JC, not every JC has a good name.
Please remember that even if you have been posted to a less popular JC, you still stand a good chance to get four or three H2 grade As at the A-levels. So quickly settle down and start studying for your Promo exams. Yes, I’m serious; you may ignore my advice at your own risk.
Rgds,
Ilyasa
LATEST: I think PJC has outranked JJC this year, because I have a new J1 tutee who scored 14 points but could not get into PJC and instead was given JJC. Also heard from a new J1 tutee that quite a number of her schoolmates in AJC are appealing to enter NYJC. This may mean that in terms of COP, NYJC has outranked AJC again.
Our JC1 H2 MATH and PHYSICS Learn Ahead tuition classes will commence on Sun, 9 Feb.
JC1 H2 Math: Every Sunday, 2.00pm – 3.45 pm; Code: J1M3.
JC1 H2 Physics: Every Sunday, 4.00pm – 5.45pm; Code J1P1.
———————————————————————————————————-
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.
———————————————————————————————————–
Why Learn Ahead?
As you know (you can find out from your seniors), JC Math and Physics are much tougher than their O-level counterparts. Not only are their contents deeper and scope wider, the JC lecturers and class tutors also teach at a very fast pace. From our years of tutoring experience, students who learn ahead are able to cope with their school work and eventually perform better at the A-levels than those who don’t have a headstart.
If you obtained anything less than an A1 at the O-level in Math and/or Physics, we strongly encourage you to join our Learn Ahead Programme as it means your foundation in these subjects are still weak. If you wait till you fail your first common test, it might be too late for you to catch up. Imagine trying to relearn past concepts when new concepts are being introduced to you at a fast pace.
Which subject combination to choose in JC?
SCIENCE PRACTICAL TRAINING
H2 PHYSICS PRACTICAL
H2 CHEMISTRY PRACTICAL
H2 BIOLOGY PRACTICAL
This is another important question and how you decide may affect your career.
My informed opinion is as follows:
(a) If you are passionate about or highly interested in something, say, History, then include it as one of your H2 subjects.
(b) Include Economics as one of your subjects, whether at H1 or H2 level. It will give you a macro and micro view of the financial workings of society. Economics is also a first-year module in almost all professional courses in universities. However, it is not easy to score in Econs because like GP, it is a subject meant for mature minds and students who can express themselves clearly and logically in essays.
(c) Include Math as one of your subjects, whether at H1 or H2 level. It trains you to be precise and accurate while thinking logically. A pass or a good grade in Math is also included in the admission criteria of many courses in universities.
(d) If you are still unsure, then take the following combination if you meet the minimum criteria and your JC provides it: H2: Physics, Chemistry, Math; H1: Econs. It is the most versatile combination, allowing you to enter any course in the local universities, including Medicine, Law, Engineering and Accountancy. If you don’t intend to be an Engineer, then drop Physics and make Econs your H2 subject.
(e) If you want a Singapore government scholarship, remember to take all four subjects at H2 level. To get a scholarship, you have to be consistent in your work and performance.
(f) If you intent to study Medicine overseas, it may be necessary to do Biology as some universities still insist on it.
(g) Before you select a combination, it is important that you know what course you wish to do at the university that you want. Visit the website of the university, read the course prospectus and identify the minimum criteria for admission. Refer to my “Uni Links” to check out the subject requirements for the different universities. For SUTD, they do not have specific course pre-requisites, but students are encouraged to have a Mathematics and a Science subject at the H2 or equivalent level.
(h) If you intent to do undergrad studies in the US, you also need to prepare for and do well in the SAT test.
(i) If you intend to do Medicine or Law in Singapore, please immerse
yourself in medicine or law-related volunteer work during your holidays and be sincere about service. Entry into Medicine and Law requires passing an interview. You need to have knowledge beyond your A-Level subjects to convince the interviewers that you are a worthy candidate.
Students who are unaware of many of the above points often end up in a university doing a course they do not want. Good luck.
Rgds,
Ilyasa
A-LEVEL H2 PRACTICALS
TUITION CLASSES:
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.
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.
What to do if your O-Level results are bad ….
IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR PRIVATE CANDIDATES
The registration for ‘A’ and ‘O’ Level exams as a private candidate usually opens around mid-April (Please check SEAB website) and closes before mid-May. If you are registering for a Science subject (Physics, Chemistry, Biology or Combined Sciences), at the time of registration, you will be asked whether you have done any science practical training in any school, centre, or institute. Thus you must begin your science practical training before April. Science practical training in Singapore Learner qualifies as practical training for the purpose of registration for Science subjects for the ‘A’ and ‘O’ level exams.
Thus if you are considering Singapore Learner as your science practical training provider, you must register with us and complete at least 4 practical sessions for each subject by 31st April for us to certify that you have attended science practical training. As students usually do about 10 practical sessions per subject to be competent in practicals, the rest of the lab sessions can be done from May to early October, including the prelim/mock practical exams.
To proceed, please click on the following:
O-LEVEL PRACTICALS
What I mean by bad O-level results is that you neither qualify for JC nor Poly. And like I’ve said elsewhere, it’s ok if you cried at first, because chances are, you are below 21 and legally, you are still a child (I had a 43 yr old O-Level student once though). But let your sadness be for just one day, and no more after that. The past is over. You cannot change it, but you can still influence your future.
What to do (and what not to do) if your O-level results are bad:
(1) Do not blame others. The first step in making any kind of improvement to yourself is not to blame your teachers, your tutors, your textbooks and certainly not your pet who once chewed up your homework (or so you claimed). Blame yourself. It was YOUR show. Only YOU can fail your self and only YOU can make your self succeed. Got it? Thank you.
(2) Reflect on yourself. What went wrong – your lack of revision, your poor time-management, your addiction to computer games etc.?
(3) Search and find your true self. What are your real interests? What is your passion? Maybe you are not the type to just sit still and study? Maybe you have real talent in Music or the Arts instead?
(4) Plan your next course of action. What can you do with poor O-level results? Here are some options:
(a) Redo your O-levels. If you are below a certain age (check with the MOE), you can redo it in your sec school; you’d still need the right environment and the support. But if you dislike the teachers in your former school, then you either self-study (but don’t forget to register for the O-levels), get tuition, or enrol yourself in a private school or a private education programme. But re-taking O-levels will not bear fruit unless you do steps (2) and (3) above properly; if you continue your bad habits and bad strategies or you simply did not like the subjects you were taking, it’d be very hard for you to be self-disciplined and to maintain focus. You don’t get different results by doing the same things the same way over and over again (in fact, Einstein called that kind of expectation, “insanity”).
(b) Apply to the ITE. No, it’s not The End. But what course to do at the ITE? Don’t go to the ITE with the aim of working for someone later in life. Instead, go to the ITE in order to pick up a skill that will allow you to set up your own business. So what technical skills are good for business? What can you find in all homes and buildings that no ordinary person can install or repair? I can think of three: air-cons, electrical wiring and water pipes. In fact, you need a license from the government in order to do electrical wiring or plumbing work. Some day, you can become the owner or managing director of an electrical or plumbing company. Or you can migrate to Europe, America or Australia which are all in need of skilled personnel, instead of university graduates. And talking about skilled work or migration, don’t ignore nursing as a career. The thing is, don’t be lazy. And have some courage.
(c) If you are very very talented in some sport, music or the arts, apply to a school catering to such talent whether local or overseas (which might be more forgiving of your past). Or try to catch attention by posting a video of your gig on Youtube. Ask Bieber and Psy what happened to them. And some day, Jack Neo might come looking for you …. The thing is, don’t be lazy. And have some courage.
(d) Work first to get some experience of what you like doing. It would be good if you can be an apprentice in some place where there is skilled work, such as in a spectacle shop, watch shop, jewellery shop, air-con repair shop, bakery etc.
(e) If you are eligible for NS, do NS. Who knows, you might actually like working in the armed services, where food, clothing and accommodation (and even car park lots) are provided free. Before you think I’m crazy, why not you add up the total of cost of food, clothing and accommodation for some 30 years of work!
(f) Set up a business. No, you are not too young to set up a business. In fact, you can be a millionaire by the time you are 21. Do an online, e-commerce business, or simply a popular website that companies are dying to advertise in. The thing is, don’t be lazy. And have some courage.
(g) Apply to do a diploma or even a degree in a private school here, such as SIM. However, such a diploma or degree may not be recognised by the Singapore government for employment purposes in public service or even in govt-linked companies such as SIA or Singtel. And schools like SIM may require you to first complete a foundation course before you can be enrolled in a diploma or degree course. I know many students who have done poorly at the O-Levels will choose this option, because it makes them feel better this way, even if the diploma or degree is an external one, but let me tell you one thing – if you didn’t get 5 O-Level passes including passes in English and Math, it might come back to haunt you some day, because I’ve met adults who can’t be promoted or can’t change their jobs because of their grades at O-levels.
(5) Take action. Strategise. Gather resources. Believe in youself and your abilities. Adopt the right values and attitude. Set your short-term and long-term goals clearly. Write these down somewhere. Be positive, and be with positive people.
You see, there are so many ways to move on. Do not let setbacks affect you too much. Pick up and join back the pieces. Get up if you are down. Spend time with your loved ones. Remember these lines from Miley Cyrus’ song (if you don’t hate her of course):
“But I gotta keep tryin’. Gotta keep my head held high. There’s always gonna be another mountain. I’m always gonna wanna make it move. Always gonna be an uphill battle. Sometimes I’m gonna have to lose. Ain’t about how fast I get there. Ain’t about what’s waitin’ on the other side. It’s the climb.”
Do not worry about being left behind as your friends move forward. Chances are, you are going to live for another 60 years or so. When you look back someday, it wouldn’t matter that you ‘lost’ one or two years somewhere along the way. Setbacks happen to everybody; I had my fair share of failures and setbacks. How we respond to these setbacks matter.
If you still feel down, then please watch this video, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOlTdkYXuzE. It might help you a bit. : )
Good luck and take care. : )
Ilyasa
For Practical courses, mock exams or schedules, please click on any of the following:
O-LEVEL PHYSICS PRACTICAL
O-LEVEL CHEMISTRY PRACTICAL
O-LEVEL BIOLOGY PRACTICAL
O-LEVEL SCIENCE (PHYSICS) PRACTICAL
O-LEVEL SCIENCE (CHEMISTRY) PRACTICAL
O-LEVEL SCIENCE (BIOLOGY) PRACTICAL
Singapore Learner @ Bukit Batok
Blk 644, Bukit Batok Central, #01-68. S(650644).
Tel: +(65) 6569 4897, +(65) 87762711
Email: principal@singaporelearner.com
If you wish to visit us, kindly call or sms first. Thank you.
___________________________________________