The IB (International Baccalaureate) programme isn’t a regular one. It is a four-stage programme that starts at a Primary level and ends at the pre-career level, equipping students with skills to seamlessly enter the workforce or pursue higher education.
It is more rigorous than the Singapore school syllabus, developing young minds into well-rounded individuals with excellent critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
The IB Diploma is an internationally recognised qualification that numerous top universities acknowledge and require for admission, and only taken by 10 to 20% of Singaporean students, which might make obtaining tuition for the subjects challenging. At Private Tutor SG, we are happy to offer tuition less in all the IB subjects across PYP, MYO, DP, and CP.
Overview of Our IB Tutoring Services
IB Mathematics
Regardless of the type of education a young student may pursue, one thing is always constant, which is the study of mathematics. The IB Programme is no different. Students will study IB Mathematics Analysis and Approaches (AA) and IB Applications and Interpretations (AI). Both subjects are offered at a Standard Level and Higher Level.
Several new topics have been added in the last years including Binomial Distribution, Math Modelling, and Voronoi Diagrams, and our tutors have an excellent grasp on the changes to the syllabus. In our IB math programme, our tutors will prepare students for entry into mathematical disciplines at a tertiary level such as Engineering, Computer Science, and Mathematics.
IB Physics
The scientific study of the physical world around us can be fascinating but it can also be extremely challenging. Most IB students agree that physics is one of the most challenging science subjects, but it also opens many doors in higher education and professional opportunities in engineering, medical science, and computer science, as it is a prerequisite.
We will cover all the required topics in the curriculum such as mechanics, thermal physics, electricity and magnetism, waves, and motion and gravity. Our programme will also consist of extensive exam preparation to guide students with the end-of-course examination.
IB Chemistry
There are a near-infinite number of processes going on in our world at any given second, and chemistry is at the heart of it all. Students will learn how particles interact with each other at the fundamental level and understand what makes our universe tick. The two-year IB Chemistry programme will have a written exam at the end of the course as well as an investigation that students have to deliver that takes up 20% of their final scores.
In addition to the IB syllabus, we will also guide students throughout their investigation and encourage experimentation to see how their applied chemistry knowledge can impact the real world.
IB Biology
The road to the ‘A’ Levels is a short, but intense one. With only two years of preparation, it is a critical phase that requires diligent studying, hard work, and a genuine desire to excel. Through an extensive array of practice tests and past year exams, our tutors will help students understand the requirements of the ‘A’ Levels and conduct numerous assessments running up to the ‘A’s.
They will also identify any knowledge gaps or weaknesses in the student, thoroughly addressing them and having the student understand completely before moving on to more advanced concepts.
Our Private IB Tutors
At Private Tutor SG, our IB tutors come from all walks of life. With extensive experience tutoring the IB programme, they have a broader perspective of our globalised world compared to those that teach only the Singapore syllabus. This puts them in a better position to guide students in a more well-rounded curriculum and share their real-world experience with the next generation of leaders.
In addition, tutors are closely evaluated based on proven results, attitudes, versatility, perseverance and problem-solving skills. Armed with academic qualifications obtained from universities worldwide, our IB tutors are not only skilled in the Singapore syllabus but also in the standards of international education and what it entails.
Educational Philosophy and Approach
Our Educational Philosophy and Approach for IB Tutoring
We pride ourselves in providing all our students with an engaging and supportive environment for them to be their best.
Like all our tuition programmes, our IB programme takes a student-centric approach that focuses on each student’s unique strengths, weaknesses, learning styles, and motivations. Providing personalised support and teaching methodologies, our tutors encourage active, interactive participation to ensure that a student doesn’t only passively receive information but also engages thoroughly in the learning experience.
The IB programme isn’t only an academic one, but it also emphasizes intellectual, personal, emotional, and social skills. Because it is an international program, we will seek to foster a greater understanding of cultural diversity and global issues, helping students understand the how and why of their academic life, not only how it will impact them in the future but how it will reverberate in the world.
Why Have Private IB Tuition
Common Challenges of the IB Programme
Students must manage their IB coursework across numerous subjects including demanding ones like HL Mathematics and Science. In addition to regular classes, students also have to complete many essays, investigations, TOK (Theory of Knowledge) assessments, and CAS (Creativity, Activity, Service) requirements.
This can get overwhelming and stressful. Anxiety is a very common condition in students, especially in a highly competitive environment like Singapore, and this level of stress isn’t healthy for anyone, much less a young student.
The extended essays that students are required to write require extensive research and written communication skills which can be daunting for students, especially if they don’t have a high level of proficiency in structuring arguments, providing evidence-backed data, and articulating ideas clearly.
Students often can adhere to the given academic standards when the solution is in black and white, but essay writing is about putting opinions down on paper and making persuasive arguments that can back up claims, which is difficult for some who see things in absolutes.
Students in the IB Programme are taught an interdisciplinary approach to a wide range of subjects and perspectives, many of them global. Understanding different cultures and global issues does not come naturally to some, especially if they have a family background that doesn’t identify with that.
Students have to quickly broaden their perspective to learn about the world at an accelerated pace and can be difficult if they are not used to such a broad focus.
Regardless of whether students sit for their ‘O’, ‘N’, ‘A’ Levels, or even their PSLE (poor things), exam stress is a very real thing for the typical Singaporean student. The IP Programme is no different, and IP students are as susceptible to anxiety as their other counterparts.
Lack of sleep, depression, anxiety, and loss of focus are serious mental health issues that can manifest itself later on in life and well into adulthood. That’s an extremely worrying problem and certainly not what we want for our young!