Like many industries, there are many chemistry tuition centres in Singapore that operate on different scales. There are freelance tutors doing 1-on-1 lessons in homes, and small scale tuition classes in homes or commercial spaces. Of course, there are also several big centres with outlets in prominent areas like shopping malls. So, how does the size of a tuition centre affect the quality of education?
Bigger Chemistry Tuition Centres in Singapore
Big chemistry tuition centres in Singapore are usually well-renovated and equipped with amenities that smaller centres do not have due to lack of space and budget. These include vending machines, comfortable couches, customer service representatives, and digital whiteboards. When we ask some parents or students why they patronise big centres, we hear familiar reasons. For instance, there were more sophisticated administration systems including registration and payment, and excellent and updated teaching materials. We even heard a comment from a parent; the parent mentioned that big centres would not close overnight, unlike smaller tuition centres.
At Focus Chemistry, we have students who hop over from some big centres that offer a wide range of subjects. When asked why they moved, common reasons are that the tutors lack experience, and a change in tutors would mean a difference in the teaching materials or focus. In addition, one of our ex-students also mentioned that one of his past tutors refused to look at his examination script to determine the reasons for poor performance.
Small-scale Tuition in Singapore
Focus Chemistry is considered a small outfit, and we only tutor what we are best at – Chemistry. Although we do not have the large classrooms similar to the ones you see in bigger centres, we do have the teaching experience in Chemistry education that many other tutors do not have. Having been teaching Chemistry since 1992 (O, A levels, IGCSE and IB), we have an excellent understanding of the requirements for each examination. While the notes and materials from a tuition centre can be easily copied or replicated, it takes time to gain the experience that we have. We excel in explaining the reasons behind different concepts in a clear and concise manner, and explaining how different ideas interlink across chapters. A concept learnt in one chapter can be adapted to another chapter, and this is what value adds students’ learning. We guide students to understand what they learnt instead of them merely memorising their textbooks. This way, they will be able to apply their understanding of different concepts to explain trends and phenomena.
Another advantage we have is that we have smaller class sizes. This way, we can give full attention to our students even if we conduct lessons in a group setting. Furthermore, we assess each student’s performance by examining their answer scripts to determine which areas they need to focus on. Therefore, we can provide accurate and effective suggestions for improvement. For more information on assessing the areas for improvement in an examination, you may refer to a separate blog, “Examination script autopsy”.
Finally, at Focus Chemistry, we encourage students to arrange consultation sessions regarding concepts clarification or IA and EE matters (for IB students). These services are complementary and available to all our students.
We take pride in the amount of attention we place on each student and our extensive experience in Chemistry education. We believe these set Focus Chemistry apart from bigger tuition centres. Join us today for an enriching learning journey!