Category: Singapore Mathematics

Singapore Mathematics Tuition by eduKate Singapore. PSLE, GCE O-levels, IGCSE, IP, IB Diploma Maths. What we learnt from Warren Buffett and how we use it in our tutorial classes.

“The best business returns are usually achieved by companies that are doing something quite similar today to what they were doing five or ten years ago.” -Warren Buffett

Our tutors have been teaching Singapore Mathematics for the last 15 years. And produced distinctions in the National Examinations PSLE and GCE O-levels for our students throughout. We believe that experience counts, and putting all our eggs in a basket makes all the difference. We know how to teach, and our tutors have been doing that for the last 16 years. Knowing how Singapore Mathematics works and taught is a factor in getting distinctions.

“I don’t look to jump over 7-foot bars: I look around for 1-foot bars that I can step over.” – Warren Buffett

We start teaching from basics. We are not going to jump into any complicated problem sums unless we know that your child is up to it. Confidence is a fragile component of psychology. It takes time to build, and a moment to crush. We have to teach and empower the mind, and the soul will follow. Getting your child into a happy place takes effort and its an implicit ethos that we include in our classes. Learning from basics, building upon a solid foundation and we’ll have a Burj Khalifa eventually.

“I try to buy stock in businesses that are so wonderful that an idiot can run them. Because sooner or later, one will.” -Warren Buffett

We come up with teaching methods that makes complex sums turn easy. Our approach to mathematics is simplicity will always win the day. We figure out methodologies that makes sense to anyone and everyone. We do not make things harder. Making things harder  just makes mathematics exclusive. If we cannot teach 100% of the population, then what good is our teaching? We need to be inclusive. We aim to make every topic understandable. Bite size informations, digestible to everyone. However, do not think that simplifying sums mean we do not do hard sums. We approach complex sums with the same belief of breaking it down for our students to understand. If 100% of our students do not understand what we are teaching, we have failed.

“The first rule is not to lose. The second rule is not to forget the first rule.” -Warren Buffett

Remembering what we learnt in class is by far the most distinctive studying skill that is needed for success in examinations. Our students are required to remember everything that they learn. Remembering means we don’t lose any information, and have to restart the whole learning process all the way from beginning. That is just a waste of time.

“No matter how great the talent or efforts, some things just take time. You can’t produce a baby in one month by getting nine women pregnant.” -Warren Buffett

Ever heard teachers or tutors saying they have to teach faster and complete all the syllabus at breakneck, unreasonable time frames? That is just counter-productive. We have to take it at a comfortable pace. Learning is a process, and given the typical cross section of Singapore students, rushing the process just makes it worse. There are easy topics that can be learnt in a fast pace, but when its complex heavy duty Math Olympiad sums, there is not much chance of surviving the onslaught if taken at speed. The only man that could have survived that would have been Usain Bolt. Even then…

So we take our classes at a steady pace, adjusting to our students. If need be, we just extend our lessons to a longer duration. Eventually, their pace will increase with practice. That is where they will be speed trained for examinations to complete the papers on time.

“Someone’s sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago.” -Warren Buffett

Our education system can be compressive in nature, especially for higher level learning institutions. That creates a high level of stress and scientifically, stress hampers learning. It can be disruptive and creates a sense of helplessness for students, unable to learn, unable to do homework, unable to thrive in school.  We ease this problem and decompress the whole situation by teaching ahead. Given every chance, we teach ahead of class curriculum. Learning it earlier pays off by doubling the learning process, reinforcing concepts, and ability to finish homework. That gives students more time to concentrate and digest their work, gaining confidence.

“Chains of habits are too light to be felt until they are too heavy to be broken.” -Warren Buffett

Our most important and favourite quote. Students, at formative years, are susceptible to external character and work attitudes. Picking up habits that will last a lifetime. Our tutors are actively identifying ways to arrest any bad habits from forming, and encourage positive attitudes that can turn into habits. It is a job of an educator to not only teach curriculum, but to include affirmative attitudes to be adopted and eventually become habitual. It is a collaborative effort with parents. But it is an effort that needs to be undertaken to produce awesome students.

Call Yuet Ling +65 8222 6327 if you would like to attend our classes.