Singapore Maths Tuition - University and JC

Individual and small group maths tuition in Singapore - University and Junior College

How to make the best use of tuition classes

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From the Editor’s Desk
6th March 2023

Taking tuition classes for help with school subjects is a common practice amongst Singaporean students. However, there are some students who make the best use of tuition classes so that they can maximise their time (and possibly save money). This article will provide tips on how students can maximise their time with their tutors so that they can achieve the best results in their subjects.

1. Come with genuine questions about revision which you have undertaken yourself

Students should first do some preliminary revision and try to go over a topic themselves before coming to their tuition teacher. This method is more effective that letting the tuition teacher teach a topic from scratch, as the student will have areas in their understanding which lack that the tuition teacher does not know about.

2. Attempt and mark past year papers first and ask about the mistakes you have made

Furthermore, students should attempt and mark their past year papers before coming to the tuition class to revise their mistakes. This way, students can address their mistakes directly instead of wasting time doing the papers during the class itself. Tutors can better get a sense of which mistakes students are more prone to making and tailor their revision to those mistakes.

3. Do not be afraid to ask about any concepts you do not have a solid foundation in

Students should bear in mind that tutors are there not to question knowledge but to help build an understanding of different concepts. If there are concepts where students do not understand the full extent of knowledge required for the exam, they should ask their tutor to explain it from the beginning. Students should be humble and honest about what they do not know and what gaps there are in their knowledge.

To conclude, it is important for students to make full use of their tuition classes. It is entirely possible for a student to undertake years of tuition and yet still not learn a substantial amount about their subjects. However, a student who is diligent and knows how to maximise the utility of their tutor’s time will be served well.

Schools in Singapore are rapidly gearing up for full Subject-Based Banding

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6th March 2023

Secondary schools in Singapore are rapidly gearing up for full subject-based banding. With full SBB in secondary schools, students will have greater flexibility to study more subjects at different levels that suit their interests, aptitudes and learning needs. Students can better leverage their strengths and enjoy learning at a pace suited to their needs.

Starting with the 2024 Secondary 1 cohort, the Ministry of Education will post Primary 6 pupils to secondary schools in three posting groups – 1, 2 and 3 – mapped to the Primary School Leaving Examination score ranges for Normal (Technical), Normal (Academic) and Express courses, respectively. This is meant to ensure that schools admit students with diverse strengths, and students continue to have access to a wide range of schools.

Under full SBB, eligible students will have the flexibility to take certain subjects at a more demanding level. At the end of secondary school, students will receive a common certificate, the Singapore-Cambridge Secondary Education Certificate (SEC), which reflects their different subject combinations and levels. From 2027, the SEC will replace the separate Singapore-Cambridge General Certificate of Education, for O and N levels.

Schools to be established in newer estates to meet growing demand

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6th March 2023

New MOE schools will be set up in or relocated to newer estates such as Tengah and Punggol to meet growing educational demand in those precincts.

The Ministry of Education said that it will open or move another four mainstream schools in the western and north-eastern regions of Singapore from 2026. A new secondary school in Sengkang is expected to begin operations in 2026, followed by the relocation of Bukit View Primary School, currently in Bukit Batok East, to Bukit Batok West, in 2027.

A new primary school will open in Tengah, tentatively in 2028. And two years later, the relocated Anglo-Chinese School (Primary) in Tengah will begin operations.

International Baccalaureate students in Singapore will be permitted use of ChatGPT in completing assignments

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6th March 2023

International Baccalaureate students in Singapore will be permitted the use of ChatGPT in completing their assignments, but any content generated by ChatGPT should be credited and appropriately referenced.

An International Baccalaureate spokesman said that the IB will not ban the use of artificial intelligence software, and that it is more sensible to adapt and teach students how to use these new tools ethically.

If students use AI technology to produce content, they are still expected to submit authentic work that represents their individual abilities.

To avoid plagiarism, students must credit the software in the body of the text and appropriately reference it in the bibliography.

The surprising utility of attempting drill or repetitive questions when learning Mathematics

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From the Editor’s Desk
18th Jan 2023

When studying Mathematics, it is not enough to do practice questions from the textbook or understand the concepts in theory. It is imperative that a student drills with past questions before their examinations, as this will help them identify the pattern which is prevalent in these questions to score well for the subject.

Students should perform these practice exam papers and time themselves so that they are sure that they can finish answering the questions in time. It is important that students simulate the actual examination as much as possible, as they will be used to exam conditions. Students who are more used to examination conditions will be less likely to panic when they sit for their actual exams.

Alternatively, if students want to revise a particular topic, they could obtain a book which sorts the past examination questions by topic. If a student is weak in a certain topic, they should focus on revising that topic and understanding the relevant concepts for the topic. For example, if the student needs help with translating graphs, they could do all the past year questions for the topic and check with their teacher or tutor if they are unsure about their work.

Aside from doing the questions as practice, students should mark the questions according to the answer scheme. It is not enough to merely do the questions; students must find out why the answers they have given are right or wrong. Students must take the initiative to find out the reason for their mistakes and how they can improve themselves. At times, the mistakes made by students are due to their carelessness, and at other times, the mistakes made are due to the student’s lack of understanding. By knowing the cause of the mistake, students will be able to improve themselves.

New scholarships open to Institute of Technical Education students from May this year

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18th Jan 2023

From May 2023, Institute of Technical Education students who achieve good academic results will be able to apply for a new scholarship launched to support the next step in their education. 10 scholarships worth $6,000 each will be given out each year.

The merit-based scholarship will be open to those who wish to pursue any structured vocational training or apprenticeship programme. The scholarship will also be open to those who opt to start working first, before deciding to pursue further studies and training.

There are no restrictions on the field of study for scholarship holders. In contrast, scholarships offered by other organisations to ITE graduates are often targeted at specific fields.

Minister for Education Chan Chun Sing said that the scholarship would greatly benefit ITE students, who are a group in need of support within Singapore’s education landscape.

Singapore Institute of Technology has begun to attract students with better academic results

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18th Jan 2023

Applicants to the Singapore Institute of Technology now comprise of students who attained higher grades compared to previous cohorts, indicating that the reputation or the university is rising amongst varsity applicants.

SIT, which became Singapore’s fifth autonomous university in 2014, recorded a greater than 20 per cent increase in the number of applicants who scored a grade point average (GPA) of between 3.6 and 4 in 2022, compared with 2021.

SIT president Chua Kee Chaing said that the university has seen a gradual improvement in the academic quality of applicants over the years, especially in the more competitive programmes.

In 2022, SIT increased the amount of time its students spend at the workplace through a new Term-In-Term-Out pathway where they alternate between campus and companies every year. By the end of their undergraduate studies, they would have spent nearly half of their time learning at the workplace.

Polytechnic graduates enjoy an improved job market

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18 Jan 2023

Last year, according to the 2022 Polytechnic Graduate Employment Survey, the proportion of polytechnic students who found full-time permanent jobs after graduation attained a three-year high of 59 per cent.

Slightly more than nine in 10 of fresh graduates and graduates coming out of national service were employed.

Graduate salaries also increased across the board, with the starting pay of graduates from eight groups of course types rising from an average of $2,500 a month in 2021 to $2,600 in 2022.

As at Oct 1, 2022 – about six months after graduation – 57.9 per cent of respondents were part of the labour force. Another 41.3 per cent were pursuing or preparing to begin further studies.

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Academic Qualifications

Ph.D. in Mathematics;
B.Sc. First Class Honours in Mathematics