How to salvage combined science (chem/physics)

• Mikethm

  24 Jan 09, 20:11

  Hi I have a student who came back from Hong Kong last year and went into Sec 4 level. The problem is that the educational system in HK is 5 years. She study in Singapore until PSLE before going to HK. She was sent back to Singapore in September last year to stay in a hostel. As such her sciences and mathematics were practically at Sec 2 level. Her mother engaged my services for mathematics in November. With just 16 2hrs lessons, she was able to understand the entire Sec 3 Additional Mathematics syllabus and we are already at differientation max/value problems. Her 1st test this year on advanced trigonometry was full marks but probably coz the test was too easy. But this prove that she is a fast learner. However she is a little lazy ( Skipping my homework and not listening in school lessons due to the typical student flaw of thinking they know everything already).

  
  The problem now is her science... I am unable to tutor her in her science as I only took biology at secondary level and do not like to teach people what I am not totally informed about and familiar with regards to content and exams style. And even if I want to, I have no time due to a full schedule. The situation is quite desperate due to SPA in March. I would like some advice as to what I can do to help her, be it a self recommendation to tutor her if you are confident of turning around the situation (if your fees are reasonable and you are committed) or some other recommendation on what can be done. The reason why I care so much is because her E Maths is probably still rubbish and her A Maths will need 2 rounds of revision in March and June. So if she delay resolving her science, it might cause me difficulties in the sense that she can't turn up for my full day combined sessions in March/June/October. So I'll appreciate any good advice.

• eagle

  24 Jan 09, 21:33

  Mike, I'm confident of pulling up her physics. There's still enough time till prelims, to even cover through the whole sec 3 and sec 4 syllabus, plus finish up lots of questions, provided she's hardworking enough.

  The only thing is that I can't do chemistry... So.... :(
  And my 1 to 1 time slots are rather full... :(

  Btw I kaypoh a bit... Why is she taking combined science and not pure science???

   

  P.S. Make full use of Homework Forum and ExamWorld. :D

  Oh ya... this is what I wrote about physics

  http://ezinearticles.com/?Physics-in-a-Nutshell-For-O-and-A-Levels&id=1759215

• syncopation_music

  24 Jan 09, 21:45

  Originally posted by Mikethm:

  Hi I have a student who came back from Hong Kong last year and went into Sec 4 level. The problem is that the educational system in HK is 5 years. She study in Singapore until PSLE before going to HK. She was sent back to Singapore in September last year to stay in a hostel. As such her sciences and mathematics were practically at Sec 2 level. Her mother engaged my services for mathematics in November. With just 16 2hrs lessons, she was able to understand the entire Sec 3 Additional Mathematics syllabus and we are already at differientation max/value problems. Her 1st test this year on advanced trigonometry was full marks but probably coz the test was too easy. But this prove that she is a fast learner. However she is a little lazy ( Skipping my homework and not listening in school lessons due to the typical student flaw of thinking they know everything already).

  
  The problem now is her science... I am unable to tutor her in her science as I only took biology at secondary level and do not like to teach people what I am not totally informed about and familiar with regards to content and exams style. And even if I want to, I have no time due to a full schedule. The situation is quite desperate due to SPA in March. I would like some advice as to what I can do to help her, be it a self recommendation to tutor her if you are confident of turning around the situation (if your fees are reasonable and you are committed) or some other recommendation on what can be done. The reason why I care so much is because her E Maths is probably still rubbish and her A Maths will need 2 rounds of revision in March and June. So if she delay resolving her science, it might cause me difficulties in the sense that she can't turn up for my full day combined sessions in March/June/October. So I'll appreciate any good advice.

  I am confident of Physics and Chemistry ..have already PM u

  since distance is so near

  my rates is not much

   

  but my timeslot is the nightime one

   

  I will be able to pull her up to A1

   

• UltimaOnline

  24 Jan 09, 22:45

  I teach Chemistry and Biology only, not Physics.

   

  Mikethm, your student has to make consideration and decision based on all factors, including fees (my fees are stated here), location (I'm located at Bedok / Marine Parade), and subject combination.

   

  Perhaps eagle or syncopation_music might be a suitable tutor for her, based on these considerations. Or she could engage two (or more tutors) simultaneously (eg. stay with you, Mikethm, for Maths, and engage me, eagle or syncopation_music for her other subjects).

   

   

   

• bohiruci

  24 Jan 09, 22:52

  woo...so sorry only night time slot

   

  if the student want day one .. perhaps i take a bow lor :)

   

  sorrie ...maybe some private candidates may want the nightime teaching in my house

  near potong pasir ..convenient for toa payoh , kallang , aljunied ,sims ave ,city area student to my house

   

   

• Mikethm

  24 Jan 09, 23:21

  Originally posted by eagle: Mike, I'm confident of pulling up her physics. There's still enough time till prelims, to even cover through the whole sec 3 and sec 4 syllabus, plus finish up lots of questions, provided she's hardworking enough.

  The only thing is that I can't do chemistry... So.... :(
  And my 1 to 1 time slots are rather full... :(

  Btw I kaypoh a bit... Why is she taking combined science and not pure science???

   

  P.S. Make full use of Homework Forum and ExamWorld. :D

  Oh ya... this is what I wrote about physics

  http://ezinearticles.com/?Physics-in-a-Nutshell-For-O-and-A-Levels&id=1759215

  This is where it is totally surreal... I don't even understand why the school let her take A Maths. They let her take Physics, Chem and Bios when she went to the school to study in September last year... then they made her take the year end examinations and as far as I am concerned... I was interested in how much A Maths she knew... she only know a bit of coordinate geometry and got part of the lone question correct so it was low single digit for her year end... and her science probably as inadequent. I was thinking what the heck... why didn't they make her drop A Maths... Then she dropped pure Physics and Chem. Now taking combined Physics/Chem plus Biology as she is interested in the life sciences.

  Then today, I was talking to her about having to attend a 12hrs cram session in March holidays at my place for all the I-don't-think-they-are-ready-for-distinctions Sec 4 students (by the way, I really dread the suspected excuses I will probably get from 1 unmovitated student) I have when she said she was worried about her March SPA... which in turn got me worried about late Sept/ early October where I want every single student to turn up for a total of 5 full days.

  The problem here for Utima, Eagle and music will be distance. She is staying at NUS High Hostel which is across the road from NUS aka Clementi. If you guys willing and capable, state so and I will ask her mother (in HK btw) to discuss the issue with you. I will be calling her mother after the CNY to voice my concerns at the situation.

  

   

• eagle

  24 Jan 09, 23:24

  Clementi is a bit too far for me :(

  Have already rejected quite a number of students for being too far :(

   

  But homework forum is never too far :D

• UltimaOnline

  24 Jan 09, 23:35
• Mikethm,

>>> The problem here for Utima, Eagle and music will be distance. She is staying at NUS High Hostel which is across the road from NUS aka Clementi. If you guys willing and capable, state so and I will ask her mother (in HK btw) to discuss the issue with you. <<<

 

Since (as far as my tuition services are concerned), all sessions are held at my place (Bedok / Marine Parade), so it's definitely not pragmatic for your student to travel all the way from NUS to my place. So it's ruled out.

 

Eagle travels to the student's house (whereas students need to come to my house), but for the same reason of being too far (from NUS to either Eagle or myself), it's a no go.