My Teaching Philosophy
What is GP about? GP comprises 2 components: Paper 1 which is the Essay paper, and Paper 2 which is the Comprehension paper. My GP tuition lessons will cover both Papers concurrently (so that students will be well-equipped for both papers), and we will be working on Content material (arguments, counter-arguments, examples etc), Language skills (paragraph development, paraphrasing, inference etc) and Structure format (proper argumentative style, essay coherence, Application Question format etc).
For my GP tuition lessons, there will be comprehensive notes and resources provided and also adequate practice to be done both in class and also as homework. At each step of the way, systematic and careful guidance will be given, so that regardless of one’s current GP standard, every student will find my lessons helpful and interesting!
When students join my GP tuition classes, the immediate differences they experience compared to other GP lessons they may have attended before are these 3 Cs: Competence, Clarity & Confidence.
Competence: A good GP tutor must be one who is familiar with the GP syllabus, the requirements of the GP exams, and the common learning challenges of students when it comes to studying for GP. Having taught GP for a number of years, and having experienced a wide range of GP material and diverse types of students, I believe that students will recognize the competence factor very strongly when they join my GP tuition classes.
Clarity: While competence and subject mastery are important, the ability to explain, impart and discuss GP issues clearly and succinctly is likewise crucial for a GP tutor. GP – being such a broad and all-encompassing subject – requires a clear mind and clear communication to inspire understanding and learning. I am confident that when students join my GP classes, they will be able to absorb my lessons well, so that their learning will be greatly enhanced!
Confidence: One common characteristic I notice of GP students before they join my GP tuition classes is their lack of confidence in handling a subject such as GP. This is because GP is unlike the other JC subjects in that it does not have as fixed a curriculum or as structured a syllabus compared to subjects such as Maths, Economics or Chemistry. To some students, this makes GP an especially daunting subject to face, such that they sometimes feel that GP is a subject that they either cannot prepare for or improve in. My hope is that through my GP tuition classes, I can help to restore and build up confidence in my students by showing that it is indeed possible to improve one’s GP grades and to enjoy the learning process.
So don’t give up on GP!
“Privileged and thankful to be invited for a live radio interview with CNA938 on 4 Jan 2021, the first day of the new school year. Do watch this video where I share my thoughts about the tuition industry in the new education landscape, my journey in setting up Irwin‘s Study 11 years ago, and also how to better engage young minds on a complex subject like General Paper.”