Preparation for the PSLE begins early. Concept Learning, a division of Singapore Learner, provides weekly PSLE prep classes for the following:
P6 MATH (Problem Solving & Heuristics); P6 ENGLISH (Writing & Oral Skills); P6 SCIENCE (Process & Application Skills).
Our standard monthly fee (4 sessions) for each P6 subject is $160. But students who register before 1st Feb enjoy a Special Early Bird Discount of $40 off each subject, paying only $120 per month per subject till they complete their PSLE.
We are OPEN for REGISTRATION from 10 am to 4 pm on Weekends. Our Location: Blk 644, Bukit Batok Central, #01-68.
Our centre is also open for registration on weekdays, from 11 am to 6pm, from 5 Jan to 9 Jan. (Tel: 65694897; 97860411).
Choosing a sec school: Is it more important to be in a ‘Top’ school or the Top class?
If you are confident of being in the top class of a top school, go ahead and choose that school. This normally happens to students who have PSLE aggregate scores of more than 270. But if you happen to be in the bottom 20% of those admitted to a particular school, chances are, you will eventually not be in the top class of that school for your level.
What are the implications of not being in the top 20% of a school? In many schools, only the top 80 pupils get to do the Triple Pure Sciences plus A. Math in Sec 3, the subject combination that gives you the most choices when choosing subjects to do for the A-levels. Some schools even have only one such class. These top students are selected based on their end-of-year streaming exams in Sec 2.
The exams in top schools are of course difficult, thus many Sec 2 pupils in top schools find themselves disqualified from doing the Triple Pure Sciences (TPS) in Sec 3. If you are in IP school and doing badly, you may be barred from doing at least one Pure Science subject in Year 3. Thus a student who scored 240 in the PSLE may end up doing TPS in a ‘neighbourhood’ sec school whereas one who scored 252 to enter a top school may eventually be deprived of doing A.Math or one of the pure sciences only because the latter school set much harder exam questions in Sec 2!
Parents often forget that their once top-performing children may end up being the worst performing students in a top school, a result of being a small fish in a big pond, a possible reality that many students and their parents are not ready to face, after spending 6 years in a primary school where the child was the “darling” of the principal, HODs and teachers. Let me give you a few examples of the devastating effects of being an average or bottom student in a top school. I shall begin with my own experience:
(1) I did not work hard enough when I was in Sec 2 in RI in 1986. RI test and exam papers were tough so I had mediocre grades. Thus I was not given the option of doing Pure Biology. I could only take the Physics-Chemistry-History-Literature combination, in addition to other compulsory subjects. That meant I would not be allowed to do Biology at A-level, and at that time, Biology was a compulsory subject for choosing Medicine and Dentistry at the NUS. Thus many of us could not eventually become doctors simply because we did not do very well at RI’s sec 2 exam papers. Had I gone to a school near my home then, I’m sure I would have been in top 20% of that school as I was already in the top 2% at the national level for my cohort!
(2) Very recently, an NJC student has not been allowed to do H2 Math or H2 Chemistry in his Year 5. This means he will be excluded from ALL Science, Engineering or Medicine-related courses at most universities. With a PSLE score of 257, I’m sure he wouldn’t have been in the same predicament had he gone to do O-levels in a sec school whose COP is around 235-240, as NJC papers are way tougher than the papers of most schools at Sec 4 level.
(3) An RVHS student was retained in his Year 4 because of poor results. Imagine that your friends from non-IP schools getting places in JCs while you still have to struggle to pass your own school exams in Sec 4 again chiefly because your school sets harder exam papers. Repeating a year can be very hard for a student, both academically and psychologically.
(4) A HCI student was asked to take the O-levels instead because of poor performance. I found his academic standards below that of students from lesser known schools. This must have been a case of being demoralised from right from Sec 1. And he was NOT the only such case from HCI or NYGH that ended up with me since I started tutoring in 2004.
The above are just a few real examples. There many more cases of IP students being asked to do O-levels or leave the school to find an O-level school, or students in some top schools (IP or non-IP) being retained. The less serious cases involve students in top schools not being allowed to do certain subjects such as A. Math or a Pure Science. My point is that these very good PSLE performers might have fared better in less ‘prestigious’ schools, acing the O level exams and going on to top JCs and eventually getting 4 A’s at the A-levels. For example, I had a tutee (with very good PSLE score) who came from Tanglin Sec, went on to PJC and obtained enough A’s at the A-levels to get a place in a much-sought-after course in a prestigious university.
Some parents and students also have this mistaken idea that top schools have better teachers and better academic materials. BOTH of these perceptions are often wrong. If you are in a top school, most of the teachers EXPECT you to be either smart (can’t blame them on this right?) or have tuition. They teach fast and set very hard test and exam papers. Do they sound like nurturing or caring teachers to you? Top schools become top schools simply because they take in top students to begin with, not because they take in poor-performing students and are able to turn them around through skilful teaching.
In summary, to me, consistently being in the top class of your school is very important, regardless of which school you are in. And it’s just common sense that it is easier to academically dominate a good school than a top school.
There is NO NEED to compare your results or choice of school with friends or relatives or neighbours, or desire to be part of a ‘Top’ school. There is no need to be egoistic or elitist. There is no need to be exclusive, else you’d find yourself being excluded from many good things in life. Let others do what they want. You must have your own clear idea what success means. The end is almost always more important than the beginning. How you END your formal academic training matters more than how you started.
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!
(1) Choosing a secondary school …
(2) Beware the critical years in math education in Singapore …
_______________________________________
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.
What is the highest PSLE aggregate score for 2014?
I don’t know. I’m waiting for more gossip to come my way, especially tomorrow when I meet my Sec 1 Algebra headstart students, some of whom are very competitive as two of them are the usual top 3 in their primary school. Parents are also a good source of gossip.
I’ve found a good way to determine which sec school my daughter should go to though, by texting my ex-S4 students who just completed their O-levels or those going on to Year 5 of their IP. The secondary students who actually went through 4 years in a school know better about that school than anyone else, especially about the teachers in that school.
Anyway, if you suspect a PSLE score is the highest, you can put it up here and see if anyone else can beat that score. It’s like an auction you know. Please also state the school. It’s not good to state the name of the student as the MOE, the student, or the parents may not like it. But in the first place, I disagree with the view that by not publishing the top students’ names and scores, educational stress in Singapore would be reduced! There are far more effective ways to reduce academic stress and pressures in Singapore.
Btw, the highest score for 2014 I’ve heard so far, from a credible source, is 280.
Ilyasa
Related link:
Sec 1 (2015) Arithmetic & Algebra Math Holiday Enrichment for Post-PSLE students (starting 29 Dec)
Sec 1 (2015) Extended Algebra & Indices Math Holiday Enrichment for Post-PSLE students (starting 29 Dec)
P6 MATH (2015) HOLIDAY HEADSTART – SPEED & PROBLEM-SOLVING (starting 6 Dec)
This workshop, over 3 Saturdays, is to introduce current P5 students to a DIFFICULT TOPIC in PSLE MATH – SPEED, and PROBLEM SOLVING involving Speed (this time slot, Sat 9.30 am – 11.15 am, will continue to be the P6 Math weekly tuition slot for 2015)
TO REGISTER, SMS <STUDENT NAME> , <P6MHH> TO 97860411.
Level/Subject: P6 MATH (2015)
Dates: SATURDAYS 6/12, 13/12 and 27/12.
Time: 9.30 am – 11.15 am.
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.
Focus: Conceptual Understanding
Format: Teaching + Worksheets + Discussions
Fee: Only $120 for all 3 sessions.
Tutor: Mr Ilyasa
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> , <P6MHH> TO 97860411.
Yay, at least two from my PSLE Science class obtained A* for Science
I normally don’t ‘kay poh’ about my students’ results so I just wait for people to tell me. So I was pleased when two of my Science tutees informed me that they each got A* for Science, something I believe is harder to achieve than the same grade for Math. Hope for more good news tomorrow when I meet the students attending my Sec 1 Algebra class.
My own daughter has qualified for most of the schools in my list of top 30 (List of ‘Top’ Secondary Schools (2014) in Singapore by Cut-Off PSLE aggregate score (2013) ) so we are now having a headache again as to which school she should go to. Since I’m ok with any school in the list, it boils down to two things only: (1) distance from home and (2) her personal feelings about the school.
If she chooses a non-IP school, I will create an Integrated Programme for her and students like her, so that she will be as prepared as, if not more prepared than, the IP students if she eventually decides to go to a JC. Yes, since IP tuition is so messy due to different curricula, I will discuss with my JC Math and Science tutors about designing and conducting a Advanced Integrated Programme (AIP), with only excelling in the A-levels as its main objective, starting from Sec 1, in a progressive yet rigorous manner; we will only teach what is directly or indirectly demanded by the A-Level exams.
Anyway, my eldest daughter will be doing her O-levels next year and I would have to prepare for her a bridging course to close the gap between non-IP students and IP students.
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?
_______________________________________
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.
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.
New! PSLE MATH Intensive Revision 23 to 26 June
Due to popular demand, I’ll be repeating the 16-19 June course in the following week, just the Math. Sign up before it’s too late. The next PSLE intensive revision is in the Sep holidays.
Dates: 23 June to 26 June, 4 days.
Time: 1.30 pm to 4.30 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)
Fee: $240 (one subject)
Max. no. of students: 8.
Tutor: Mr Ilyasa (ex-sch 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><PSLE><Math2> to 97860411.
Update on PSLE math and science intensive revision june 2014
I’m quite happy that to date, 6 and 5 students have signed up for my june hols psle math and science intensive revision workshops respectively. My intention was to prepare my own daughter comprehensively for psle math and science, and the classes will continue even if she is the only student.
Each 3h lesson will consist of mini-lectures to highlight the important concepts to be tested at the PSLE, short worksheets with must-know questions that the students must do, and discussions at the end to reinforce the salient points of the topic. For math, I will display different ways to solve the same problem sum so that students can select their natural method of solving math questions. For Science, I will highlight common errors in answering the structured questions.
As it is a REVISION workshop, each worksheet will have easy to hard questions, and the faster students can do more questions while the slower students will be given guidance along the way.
There will be another PSLE intensive revision in the Sep hols, but I’ve not yet decided whether it will be a repeat or a continuation of the June one.
As with the previous year, participants will be invited to attend my post-PSLE Algebra workshops sometime in Nov or Dec, for which I already have one student signed up. : )
I believe in what I do, as I’ve successfully guided my eldest daughter (and most of my students) to make the transition from lower to upper pri, from upper pri to lower sec, and from lower to upper sec, without much academic pain.
I look forward to meeting the PSLE workshop participants this June.
Rgds,
Ilyasa
PSLE MATH & SCIENCE INTENSIVE REVISION JUNE 2014
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