Category Archives: Tips for Improvement

2011 GCE N-, O- and A-Level Examinations – Registration for Private Candidates

Dateline for registration for 2011 GCE N-, O- and A-Level Examinations is 19th March 2011 for Private Candidates.

You can register at http://www.seab.gov.sg and make payments later at any Singpost or Self-Service Automated Machines within Singapore.

All the Best!

Start Preparation Early = Confidence

Greetings from Fuzhou China

Agricultural Land in Fuzhou, China

Two days ago, i received an email update from one of my Sec 4 (2010) Chemistry Student from NanHua High School which had went to Fuzhou, China for close to a month, after completing his GCE O-Level Examinations.

In the email, he would like me to blog about his suggestion to all students that are taking the GCE O-Level Examination in Year 2011 to start their preparation early, as well as those in Sec 3.

From his personal experience, he felt that Sec 4 passed too fast with time spent on CCAs and the rush to complete syllabus by the school. Revision time before the exam is really too short, stressful and there was not enough quality time with friends due to the hectic nature of revision.

“It’s only after the examination, do I really understand that the time for preparation is really short. I hope that you could pass this to other pupils who are preparing for the examination that hey should grasp every second of secondary four year” – extracted from his email

This is in line with what i always advised parents and students – that is to start their revision early so that it is consistent and they will not be so stressful before the GCE O-Level Exams. Consistency = Confidence!

For GCE O-Level Chemistry Exams, students will be tested on all the 20+ topics that i have mentioned in the earlier post. As such, it is important for students to understand all the key essential concepts learned in Sec 3 before they progress in Sec 4. This is because in Sec 4, students have very little chance (truly time constraint) to do proper revision if they start their preparation late.

Now, if you agree with my student’s advice and willing to work hard together with me, i would like to invite you to join our Ultimate Leap Programme – our weekly regular classes – that aims to build in consistency in the student’s progress. Topics to be covered for Sec 3 and 4 Classes can be found in the earlier post. Classes will start in mid-Jan.

Happy 2011 and look forward to meeting you! =)

PS: If you are new to this blog and would like to continue to receive Chemistry Tips, Exam Questions Discussions and other Educational News, go ahead to subscribe to this blog.

PPS: I have some interesting Chemistry stuff to announce in Jan/Feb 2011! Stay tune for it!

Chemistry Phenomenon: Educational Trip to Northern Vietnam – Nov 2010


Youtube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYt6phIXt9E

Hello everyone!

I reckoned some of you would have finished your major exams (GCE O-Levels, IP, IB and IGCSE). Congrats! It’s time for your to enjoy your holiday before you embark on the next stage of your academic and knowledge pursuance.

It has been a while since you last hear from me. We (Winners Education Group) just came back from our educational trip to Northern Vietnam (Hanoi City, Sapa and Halong Bay, etc) and we have learned alot about their:

  • Educational system for Primary, Secondary, High School and Universities
  • Educational levels as compared to other developed and developing nations
  • History and Literature
  • Language and Economy

And, of course – i saw several interesting Chemistry Phenomenon – Chemistry reactions and actions that are related to our everyday life!

Halong Bay – an UNESCO World Heritage Site has 2000+ limestone structures that are formed due to the wave and wind erosion of one huge island, over thousands and thousands of years.

Halong Bay - Unesco World Heritage

We also saw villagers selling home-made Corn Wine along the streets! This corn wine has 50% v/v alcohol (ethanol) content!

Tribal Lady selling Corn Wine

And apparently some villagers used it to power and run their cars and motorbikes! Chemistry students! Ready for actions?

Be like the tortoise – Final Dash for ‘O’ Level Chemistry

NOTE: Singapore students who are taking GCE ‘O’ Level Chemistry Paper 1 on 12 Nov 2010

O Level Chemistry MCP Paper 1

I’m sure you have heard the tortoise and the hare story. Despite its slowness, the tortoise won the race with its perseverance and determination.

Yesterday, you completed HALF the race - Chemistry Paper 2 (Pure Chemistry) or Science Paper 3 (Combine Science).

From SMS, facebook and twitter messages i have received yesterday, some students said it was easy while another group mentioned that it was tricky. Whatever the case (easy or tricky), this is not important now. The important thing is that you are only half-way through the race.

To win the race, you must have the perseverance and never-give-up spirit all the way till Chemistry Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ) paper on 12 Nov.

It isn’t easy, I must admit. There are so much distractions and mentally, you could be tired with major papers completed by next week. Everyone could be in celebratory mood since what’s left are mainly the MCQ papers (perceived by most students to be easy). Hmm … …

This was the attitude of the hare, wasn’t it? The race is easy since that tortoise is so slow and I can run so fast, I might as well take a nap and when I wake up, the tortoise must be still far far away.

This is what happened to a lot of O Level students over the past years! (Plus the fact that if this year’s Paper 2 is relatively easy, the more you should be mentally prepared that Paper 1 would be CHALLENGING!)

So come on, WAKE UP! You must stay focused and persevere to score well for your Chemistry MCQ Paper 1.

On my part, I’m training a very committed group of students on 6 Nov 2010 to fight against distraction and focus on the remaining part of the race: Pure Chemistry MCQ worth 40 marks! A whopping 30% weightage for Chemistry!

If you want to win this race, I welcome you to join with open arms.

Details & online register here: http://www.simplechemconcepts.com/MCQ100percent.htm

If you can’t sign up online by the time you read this, it means the limited seats left are all taken. I’m sorry.

All the best to your exams! =)

Annual (2010) O Levels Chemistry June Holidays Intensive Revision Bootcamp

Hi Students (and Parents),

With GCE ‘O’ Level Examinations coming in less than 5 months time, how many of you are prepared for it?

Not sure? Take a look at your Mid-Year Examination Paper + Sec 3 End-of Year Paper + Continual Assessment Tests recently.  If you are not scoring B3 and above, it might shows that you are not that ready for ‘O’ Level Examinations.

Click HERE for Early Bird Price registration!

Some would argue that you do not have enough time to revise and memorise all the materials before you have gone for your Mid-Year Exams, and thus the not-so-good results you are getting.

But is that true??????

Now, Chemistry is a abstract subject of Science (as compared to Physics and Biology) and you need good understanding of the essential concepts in order to score. Only about 10% of the marks are awarded based on recalling of facts (i.e. memorising itself might help here), with the rest (90%) all based on your understanding and application to challenging questions.

More importantly, ALL the Chemistry Topics are inter-related and it is the norm this days that a structured chemistry question is based on 3-4 topics. As such, it is of paramount importance to have a strong foundation of essential concepts in all the chemistry topics! SORRY you cannot skip topics and expect to do well in Chemistry!

Revision-O-Level-Maths-Chemistry-Message

Every June Holidays, we have groups of students that came to our June Holidays Intensive Revision Bootcamp to master their Chemistry concepts. These students realised that June is perhaps the last chance for them to really master Chemistry – and they continue to do well for the ‘O’ Level Examinations in 5 months time

[98% of our 2009 batch scored 'A's or 'B's from 'D' - 'F' grade]

[97% of them achieved minimum 3 grades jump]

This June Holidays, i will be personally coaching you on the following key essential chemistry topics:

Announcement: GCE A-Level H2 Chemistry Tips available!

Announcement:

In the last 1 week, you should have noticed on the right-hand-side of this blog, a new banner on Recommended Resource for GCE A-Level H2 Chemistry Tips! Yes, we have gone live with that new blog to provide unconditional resource and a platform for Advanced-Level Chemistry Students.

H2

The new blogsite is dedicated to help:

  • Chemistry (A-Level/IP/IB) Students – source of Advanced Chemistry Tips & Exam Strategies
  • Educators (Teachers/Tutors) – platform to discuss & learn effective Coaching methodologies
  • Parents/Guardians – tips to help their child to achieve the Chemistry grades they truly deserve

If you find the information available on SimpleChemConcepts.com to be too basic for you – do check out this new blogsite for Advanced Level Chemistry Students.

Why a new Chemistry Blogsite?

Back in 2006, i observed that

Registration for 2010 GCE ‘N’, ‘O’ & ‘A’ Levels Examinations for Private Candidates

Registration for 2010 GCE ‘N’, ‘O’ & ‘A’ Levels Examinations for Private Candidates

O Levels Registration for Private Students

Dateline: 3 April 2010

For more information, please call MOE Customer Serive at 6872 2220 or visit http://www.seab.gov.sg