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For more details, kindly visit www.conceptlearning.sg, or call 97860411.
Ok la, this year I shall break tradition by posting whichever results my last year’s students inform me of. One has just come in. I will update throughout the week as I get more results (sometimes students are just forgetful).
Physics: Luke, A2 (from b4 avg, failed in sec 3 (his mum just told me), St Pat’s sch, Farkhanda, B3 (from fail avg)
Chemistry (under Mr Anthony): Charmaine A2; Bandar A2; Luke, B3; Farkhanda, B4. (from fail avg)
Science: Ben, B3.
A. Math: Ameerul, C5 (from fail avg, Yuhua sec); Loges, B3 (from C5-C6 avg, ACS(I)); Ravin, B3 (from fail avg); Rahim, B3 (from C5-C6 avg); Jin Yong, A1 (from B4 avg); Farkhanda, B3 (from fail avg).
Math: Ali Zul, B3 (from C5-C6 avg); Colin, B3 (from C5)
This year, I shall also break tradition in another way, by posting a testimonial from a student, Ravin. Below is the exact words that he smsed to me at 10.06 am on 11 Jan 2013:
“My plan is to do engineering. More to aerospace or aeronautical. I will put my first few choices as that the rest I’m still thinking. Last choice will be MI. Yes Mr Ilyasa, a lot of improvement. I did not put in a lot of effort for A-math and my sci in secondary school. In fact I was failing but I’m happy to see that I got Bs and A for my math and sci but it’s really disappointing to see a 6 for EL. Thank you for your help Mr Ilyasa. You make lesson so fun and you taught me a lot. : ) “
Well, he taught me a lot too.
Waiting for more updates from more students …..
Ilyasa, M.Ed., PGDE, full-time tutor, ex-sch teacher (h/p: 97860411)
I believe the human brain has a math processor that needs to be activated and nurtured regularly. Again, parents play an important role in making a child comfortable with numbers and calculations. The following are some concepts in daily life that deal with math:
(1) Time: Parents can ask children to add hours and mins to the current time to arrive at a specific time for some activity. Alternatively, give the child a time problem that he needs to solve by working backwards. For example, “if we want to reach the shopping mall at 5:15pm and we take 40 mins to get there, at what time should we leave the house?”
(2) Money: Counting money, calculating change (remainder), determining the price after discount, budgeting and calculating profit or loss are some of the mathematical activities that we may encounter daily or weekly.
(3) Shapes and figures: In toys, art and household furniture there are shapes and figures for children to think about. How about the area and perimeter of such shapes? How about the volumes of some 3-D figures? The concepts of proportion, similarity and congruency can also be discussed when observing shapes. For example, two dining table chairs are congruent. A baby elephant and a mother elephant are similar but not congruent.
(4) Lines and gradient: Look around us and we can see many parallel lines, intersecting lines and perpendicular lines. How about the slope (gradient) of a road outside the house? The steepness of a staircase?
(5) Distance and speed: What is speed? How is it determined? Observe walking speeds, cycling speeds and the speeds of vehicles. While taking a taxi, estimate its average speed and take note of the travelling time. Estimate how far the taxi travelled.
(6) Statistics: In the newspapers we can find pie charts and bar charts, and the terms “average” and “mean”. What do the charts show and what do these terms mean? Even young kids can interpret pie charts. Parents can relate pie charts to cutting a birthday cake.
There are many more examples of mathematics in daily life. When children understand cost price, selling price, revenue and profit, they are on their way to understanding business and the economy. Entrepreneurship can then develop from there.
Ilyasa, M.Ed, PGDE, B.Sc.
For our latest timetable, click here => 
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ORIGINAL POST (OUTDATED):
Sec 2 Math (Investment amount: $120 per mth):
Wed 4.00 pm – 5.30 pm; (4 vacancies)
Sun 12.30 pm – 2.00 pm; (3 vacancies)
Tutor(s):
Mr Teng K. S., NTU undergrad majoring in Math.
Mr Ilyasa; M.Ed (NIE), PGDE (NIE), BSc (NUS), A-Level (RJC); ex-sch teacher, full-time tutor (8 years) of PSLE, O and A Level Math and Physics.
Sec 2 Science (Investment amount: $120 per mth):
Fri 4.00 pm – 5.30 pm; (4 vacancies)
Sun 10.45 am – 12.15 pm; (3 vacancies)
Sec 1 Math (Investment amount: $120 per mth):
Tue 4.00 pm – 5.30 pm; (4 vacancies)
Sec 1 Science (Investment amount: $120 per mth):
Thur 4.00 pm – 5.30 pm; (4 vacancies)
Tutor(s):Mr Ilyasa; M.Ed (NIE), PGDE (NIE), BSc (NUS), A-Level (RJC); ex-sch teacher, full-time tutor (8 years) of PSLE, O and A Level Math and Physics.
To register, kindly send an sms to 97860411, indicating the Student Name, Subject and Level.
Various studies have revealed that metacognition helps to enrich students’ learning in different domains. For example, it has the potential to increase students’ capacities for independent learning (Ganz & Ganz, 1990).
Research also shows that knowledge of metacognition, such as being familiar with one’s strengths and weaknesses and searching for ways to overcome the latter, contributes to more effective learning (Bransford, Brown, & Cocking, 1999). Research also suggests that metacognition improves one’s chances of success when it comes to completing activities that rely heavily on thinking processes (Garner & Alexander, 1989; Pressley & Ghatala, 1990).
Many studies in metacognition have concluded that those who have advanced metacognitive abilities are more adaptable and steadfast in problem solving (e.g., see Artzt & Armour-Thomas, 1992; Swanson, 1990). Studies have also shown that one’s ability to plan and monitor a problem-solving process requires several metacognitive skills such as regulation and evaluation of thought processes (Mayer, 1999), and the use of metacognitive skills has the potential to identify the more able students from the less able ones (Pellegrino, Chudowsky & Glaser, 2001).
In addition, research has shown that one’s individual and group learning skills can be improved through the acquisition of metacognitive competencies (White & Frederiksen, 2005). Recent studies have also revealed that students who often fail to choose appropriate strategies, monitor or regulate their work, or articulate their thought processes are more likely to perform poorly in mathematics (e.g., see Lucangeli & Cabrele, 2006; Carlson & Bloom, 2005).
Note: The above paragraphs are adapted from my minor research paper, Examining Supports for Metacognition in Singaporean Lower Secondary Mathematics Textbooks, NIE, 2011. All rights reserved.
Related links:
(1) Metacognition – The secret to learning and problem-solving;
(2) Metacognition and problem-solving;
(3) Is Metacognition part of the Singapore Math curriculum?
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Metacognition is a crucial element in problem-solving, which is itself a key component in mathematics learning. To monitor and regulate one’s cognitive processes in problem-solving, Polya (1945) describes a four-step method: first, one has to comprehend the problem by sub-dividing it into more manageable parts and recognize any given data, conditions and variables to be found; second, one devises or selects a strategy to find the connections between the known data and the unknowns to be found; third, one executes the plan, scanning, regulating and examining each step; and, finally, after obtaining the solution, one evaluates the results which may involve re-visiting the previously taken steps.
Building on Polya’s work, Schoenfeld (1987) describes effective mathematical problem-solving as being contingent on how one uses four types of knowledge/skills: (1) resource knowledge, which is knowledge about one’s abilities and cognitive processes including knowledge of how to perform tasks or procedures; (2) heuristics, which are specific problem-solving methods or strategies; (3) regulatory processes, which includes the organisation and selection of resources and strategies; and (4) beliefs, which includes perceptions of and assumptions about mathematics (Gama, 2004).
Note: The above paragraphs are adapted from my minor research paper, Examining Supports for Metacognition in Singaporean Lower Secondary Mathematics Textbooks, NIE, 2011. All rights reserved.
Related links:
(1) Metacognition – The secret to learning and problem-solving;
(2) Metacognition enhances learning;
(3) Is Metacognition part of the Singapore Math curriculum?
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For our latest timetable, click here =>
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ORIGINAL POST (OUTDATED):
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ORIGINAL POST(OUTDATED):
Just to remind existing students and potential students that some group tuition classes (for various subjects) commence this Saturday. Pls click on Tuition Timetable from the menu bar in the home page to find out the details.
So if you have not registered but you intend to start tuition during the school holidays so that you can have a good headstart to the academic year 2013, please register now or as soon as possible. The class sizes are from just two to six students, so places are indeed limited (not limited by policy, but by actual physical constraints).
To register, sms Student Name, Subject, Level and intended start date to 97860411.
Be aware that there are Mathematics gaps that need to be handled with care:
The following is derived from my eight years of teaching mathematics from
Primary 1 level to JC 2.
1st Gap – From Lower Primary to Upper Primary:
Somewhere in Primary Three problem sums that require the drawing of simple
models begin to appear and in some schools, this happens in P2 and even P1.
However, these problems tend to be simple enough so as not to cause problems for
students who don’t draw models. Generally, parents report their children doing
badly and losing interest in math in P4. This is because in P4, complex problem
sums begin to appear. It also coincides with the appearance of Decimals. Thus
students who have not mastered Fractions as well as simple models by the end of
P3 will find P4 a tough and demoralising year, with some probably staying away
from Math for the rest of their lives. However, in P4, Section C (problem sums)
still only take up about 20% of the marks, so pupils will still survive and
scoring above 75% is not a problem for the hardworking student who is not
careless.
However, this ecstasy is short-lived. In P5, Ratio, Average and
Percentages start to appear, on top of decimals and fractions, and only the
well-taught and discerning student will understand that they are all roughly the
same thing in different forms. To add to the agony, Section C in P5 takes up
about 45% of the total marks! It is a very big jump from P4; students can no
longer afford to just concentrate on their short questions in order to score a
Band 1. P5 is the year that separates the men from the boys (or the women from
the girls). In P6 or PSLE, Section C’s weightage is increased to about 55%,
wiping out all remaining students who have not mastered complex problem sums and
non-routine questions. That is NOT the bad news yet. The worse news is, the
joy of quite a number of students who scored A-star in math at PSLE is also
short-lived (I have encountered quite a number of students doing badly in
secondary math even though they scored A-stars or A’s at PSLE).
2nd Gap – From P6 to Sec 1:
Why is it that some students can score A-stars or A’s at the PSLE yet become average or even failures in math at the secondary level? The answer lies in two words – Algebra and presentation. It’s unfortunate that even at the upper primary level, students are not taught to form and solve equations using algebra, and they are also not taught how to present their answers in logical and coherent mathematical statements. Thus I find that many Sec 1 students provide math workings that will not earn full marks by ‘O’ level standards, and these habits are hard to change. Inability to use algebra properly also means inability to master important fundamentals such as algebraic expansion, factorisation and manipulation, resulting in poor performance at the upper secondary and JC levels.
Whenever I ask an upper secondary or JC student to state the main reason why he thinks he’s doing badly in math, the reason given is almost always that he had difficulty handling algebraic concepts and formulae while in Sec 1 and Sec 2. Thus parents and students need to comprehend fully the importance of mastering algebra in the lower secondary years.
3rd Gap – From Sec 2 to Sec 3:
Even students who perform well in Sec 1 and Sec 2 may suddenly suffer a drop in their math performance by the middle of Sec 3. This is largely due to the full impact of Additional Math and the pure sciences taking place and finally being felt by students around that time. A. Math can be a shock to some students who are not used to algebra-intensive questions with solutions that are one-page long. Trigonometry in A. Math is also substantially more difficult to grasp than it’s counterpart in elementary Math.
4th Gap – From Sec 4 to JC 1:
H2 Math is more shocking to new JC students than A. Math is to new Sec 3 students. H2 Math is significantly more difficult than A. Math and from my experience, students who do not get an A1 for A. Math will have a hard time even in completing their JC tutorial worksheets. This is because on top of having to write out solutions that are often more than one page long, students have to familiarise themselves with a new graphical calculator. Many topics in H2 Math are also completely new to students, such as Complex Numbers, Series and Sequences and Probability Distributions, just to name a few. H2 Math is also difficult for most students because some parts of its topics are taken from the former subject Further Math, which was meant for only top students in Math. Thus it is not surprising to find many students failing in Math tests in their first year in junior college. From my experience, two topics in H2 Math that most JC students complain about are Complex Numbers and Vectors. This is largely because these topics speak their own language.
My main point is – Concerned parents must monitor their children’s
mathematical development extra closely when the kids go through the above
stages.
Good luck.
Best Regards,
Ilyasa
Related Links:
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For our latest timetable, click here =>
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ORIGINAL POST (OUTDATED):
Click here to register for the above programme.
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