I didn’t know there is such a grade as A1*. Does it exist only in RVHS? Anyway, today my S3 Math student Ryan told me he obtained that grade for his Term 1 Math. He had been doing well so far this year, but it wasn’t the case 2 years ago when he first came.
I’ve always said that IP students should not be doing badly in math in the first place, for the simple reason that most of them obtained A* for math at the PSLE. But many IP students DO perform poorly in math right from sec 1. When Ryan showed me his test answers back then, I could immediately tell what his problem was. So I gave him some diagnostic questions to confirm my suspicion about his weak areas. Continual coaching and many lessons later, his math became OK and now it is of a high standard.
But it takes two hands two clap. Ryan succeeded not only because he sought help early, but also because he has developed a learning disposition that is typical of eventual top students. So if you want to improve your grades, please do the following:
Always THINK about what you are doing. ASK QUESTIONS when something about what you are learning or solving doesn’t seem to fit in (i.e it causes a dissonance in you). READ A LOT so that your knowledge base is sound to begin with. Always REFLECT on your own learning, your solutions, and even your questions.
WHAT YOU ASK REFLECTS A LOT ABOUT YOU. That is why you must ask a lot of questions, so that your teacher or tutor knows what your problem is. Of course you might get some scolding along the way, but that is how you learn even more.
Happy Learning!
Ilyasa
Improvement in a student’s math result …
Daniel, one of A. Math tutees, showed me his class test result yesterday: 34/40. The test was on Indices and Surds, Wow, excellent, I said to him. Daniel is from the N(A) stream, and usually fails his Math tests. That he could obtain 34/40 and top his class in just a few weeks of tuition was phenomenal. So I started reflecting on what went right, because there are many students, even those from top schools, who do not make such a giant leap in such a short amount of time.
So what was the major factor contributing to Daniel’s significant improvement? Well, it’s not some secret special technique. In fact, it’s a well-known technique that some students just don’t want to use – ask many, many questions, even “silly” ones, about the same topic until one is satisfied that understanding has been achieved. Daniel even questions me when he doesn’t understand the steps I show him, whereas many students simply copy or write down my solution. Daniel sometimes takes a while to process the information I give to him; he will pause and ponder, and then sheepishly asks a basic question. He will even ask questions periodically to affirm that his steps are correct.
Students need to make meaning out of what they hear or see; it’s not enough to just listen to teachers or observe what they do in class. And you make meaning when you have a dissonance in your mind; some pieces of the jigsaw puzzle don’t fit and you have the courage to ask and then ponder again.
Regarding asking questions, I have one advice though: you must attempt to answer your own questions first, for the struggle to answer your own questions will make it easier for you to understand another person’s explanation. : )
Good luck!
Rgds,
Ilyasa