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Xiaodan (Zhang)   |   Tutor ID: 13662

IDENTIFICATION VERIFIED

Highest qualification verified: 'O' level

Home tutor - Xiaodan

Basic
Gender: female
Age: 34
Nationality: Singaporean
Race: chinese
Tutoring Experience: 15 years

Education History
Highest Qualification: Diploma
NIE trained: No
Integrated Programme: No
Secondary School: Queensway
Junior College / Polytechnic: Temasek (Aviation Management and Services)
University: University of London, SIM (Bsc Mathematics and Economics)
(Currently attending)
Results: E&A Maths: Both A1

Preferences
Minimal Expected Rate: $35
Student's Gender: No preference
Tutoring Location: Central/City, North, East, North East
Teaching IP Students: IP & IB

Tutoring Subjects
Pre-School: -
Primary School: Maths
'O' Level: A Maths, E Maths
'A' Level: -
Polytechnic and above: Engineering Maths
Music: -
Foreign Language: -

Self Introduction
1. What type of teaching experience do I have? How many years? With what age groups? Do I specialize in any particular subject?
I started out teaching ‘O’ level Mathematics during my poly days in 2010. Since then, I have taken 2-3 students in O level prep each year. On average, students who have faithfully followed my teaching through a period of at least 9 months graduated with A1, A2, or improved by a significant margin; (2 grades or more) In the 2012 GCE ‘O’ Levels, my weakest student who followed me through a year managed a B3, the other A2.
I have also been teaching PSLE Mathematics for 3 years now. I have taken 1-2 students in preparation for PSLE each year. Students who have faithfully followed my teaching through a period of at least 10 months graduated with A or A*, or improved by a significant margin; (2 grades or more) In the 2012 PSLE, my student attained a B.
Last year, I had an NA student, an O level student and a PSLE student who scored A, B and B respectively for E-maths and PSLE maths.
A. Mathematics – 1 student (2010)
E. Mathematics – 2 students (2010), 1 student (2011), 1 student (2011)
PSLE – 2 students each year (2010-2011), 1 student (2012)
N.A Mathematics – 1 student (2012)
N.A Mathematics – 1 Student (2014)

2. Why do I want to be a tutor?
Mathematics is a tough subject to handle for young students if you don’t start right. Its technical and it requires a high level of understanding and thinking. Primary school students usually finds this troublesome as they do not understand the rational behind Maths thus they show little interest in doing the subject. In addition, the use of English in Mathematics questions add on to the difficuitly. It obstruct the student as to what they are expected to show to the examiner. But with adequate practice and patience, students can overcome this obstacle.
Teachers are often busy and with limited class time, they cannot pass on every knowledge to the teacher. Nevermind one-on-one tutoring. Thus, tutors are here to fill up this gap and this is the exact reason why I want to be a tutor.

3. How long of a commitment can I make?
I will commit until the student is having his/her examination.

4. How do I access a student’s preferred learing style or evaluating student’s needs?
I access it from the first lesson and thereafter, I would try different approaches to teach. If the student doesn't get the concept, I will change my way of explanation. This changes everyday and depending on the student as well. Once comfortable with a certain way of learning, I would use it to full extent and also challenging myself to advance further.

5. What different tutoring techniques have I used for the various students that you have tutored?
The first technique to Mathematics is understanding the concept. For example, differentiation, the concept says it’s the rate of change per unit increase/ decrease. Then, students have to remember the general formula. Lastly, is the application of it into the questions. However, not all questions is asking for the same thing. Rate of water flow is different from rate of interest increase. So students have to identify which rate of change they have to find.
The tutoring technique I use is to do as much questions related. It exposes the students to the different kind of questions examiner can ask and how they are expected to answer. It also train them to have a thought process. Moreover, it trains them to understanding the question way of structure, which usually lies in the English.

In addition for PSLE, I am adept and experienced in teaching my students to handle ‘Creative Math’ or ‘IQ Math’ often mentioned in schools as the more challenging, analytical series of word problems. I have broken down the variety of question styles into a few key types, namely, number patterns, area, geometry etc. Using a systematic step-by-step my students will ready themselves to tackle the toughest and wittiest of problems.

6. What was my greatest tutoring challenge and how did I handle it?
My greatest tutoring challenge is laziness. I would need the parent's full cooperation to handle this together. So far, it is effective to reducing the student's shirking.

7. What is my tutoring philosophy and success?
It is due to my teaching methodology mentioned in Qn5. Also, I really like to help students understand Mathematics. I really love Mathematics and I don't see why anybody should hate it. I would like to help those in trouble to grab the concept as soon as possible.

8. How do I motivate students?
I motivate my students by asking them to think about their future and what they want to be when they grow up. It is good to dream big but it takes hard work for it to come true.

9. What do I like most about tutoring?
The satisfaction when the student fully understands what is going on and utilise the concept in examinations.

10. What qualities and skills do you think a successful home tutor should have?
Patience.

11. Do I provide tutoring materials?
Yes, definitely. I would get my resources online or from bookstores. I would also have materials from other schools through connections.
12. How often will I update parent on their child’s progress?
I update his/her child's progress after every lesson.

13. Will I be available for special sessions before big tests?
Yes I will. I would ask the student when his/her exams are and book lessons in advance.



∴   Registered: 29 Jun 2014 ↵   Last Login: 03 Jul 2014 ↵   Last Modified: - ↵



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