- Is Tuition Necessary in JC? JC students may be facing dilemmas as to whether they should get extra help in school. Explore why tuition can be helpful for a student in JC.
Is tuition necessary in JC? This article breaks down some of the reasons why tuition is required for a JC student.
The JC curriculum takes 2 years to complete and their schedule is extremely tight. Students have to participate in other CCA on top of their studies. They have less than 2 years to learn all the syllabi of all the subjects before they sit for their A-Levels.
There are three different tiers for the JC curriculum. Subjects can be taken in H1, H2 or H3 level. The compulsory combination would be as follows:
- Three H2 content-based subjects
- One H1 content-based subject
- Compulsory H1 subjects
- Mother-Tongue Language (MTL)
- General Paper
- Project Work
Read our H1, H2, H3 Singapore JC – Explained article to find out more about the JC curriculum and how it works in Singapore!
CCAs are additional co-curricular activities the students have to take part in such as the following:
- Clubs and Societies
- Physical Sports
- Uniformed Groups
- Visual and Performing Arts Group
It is not uncommon to see students entering JC and already knowing the topics they have not been taught. This is because they have been studying in advance during their holidays.
Time is extremely precious when you start JC, once JC starts, you barely have time to finish your homework, let alone studying and revising. You have to pay close attention during lectures and try your best not to lack behind.
The first few months of JC life, students will find themselves investing most of their time on CCA and lots of other orientation activities. These few months also helps students to adjust to their new studying environments and new habits like going for lecture and tutorial classes.
As such, with all these new changes and added workload, we will be discussing whether tuition is necessary for JC students. We will be exploring both the pros and cons of having tuition and let you be the judge of whether you want to look for tuition.
So, is Tuition Necessary in JC?
We have already established the lack of time JC students have when their curriculum starts, so, is it necessary to have tuition in JC?
Here’s our take.
Tuition should be taken upon willingly. Students entering JC are at the stage where they make decisions for themselves. Therefore, Tutopiya lists the following with regards to the student’s perspective.
Know yourself.
You know best whether you actually need additional help. If you find yourself struggling, failing your semester exams, and finding yourself losing confidence in studying, then perhaps you need additional help.
Though we understand that additional help means additional work and less time than before.
However, the purpose of tuition was never to scare students and add on work to their list. The purpose of tuition was and is still to provide additional help to bridge your knowledge gaps for subjects.
As compared to traditional home tuition, where they go through the entire syllabus with you, Tutopiya also conducts assessments to understand your weakness and strengths of the subject.
Tutopiya then customises a personalised study plan for you with the help of a professional and experienced tutor. This plan will help to tackle your weaknesses and close up any possible knowledge gaps you have for the particular subject. So fret not! Tutopiya is here to help!
The need for tuition is due to different learning needs. Every student learns at a different pace and being in a fast-paced class setting does not mean all students are able to follow along.
Furthermore, tuition allows the student to learn the same topic a second time and hence the student can understand concepts and topics better.
It is okay to admit you need additional help.
If you are shy and uncomfortable to seek help in class, Tutopiya can help with this problem. Our classes are one-to-one and online, making it easier to sound your doubts and questions without feeling uncomfortable.
Your tutor will be there to guide and help you with any question and doubts you may have, so don’t be afraid to ask questions. We offer a FREE 60 minutes trial lesson for all new students. Tutopiya has experienced ex-MOE tutors that are ready to help you!
Keep in mind, tuition is not supposed to scare you, though we understand that when we were younger, tuition was so tedious and tough. Tuition was not enjoyable.
However, JC students are now capable of understanding their own strengths and weaknesses, this includes knowing whether tuition is going to be helpful for them.
As the saying goes, you cannot help those who do not want to be helped.
JC Subjects
Unlike subjects like science and humanities, economics is a very new subject for most students which consists of many new concepts that students have to learn and understand in a short span of 2 years.
Economics can be difficult for students to understand since they are not yet in the working world.
It would be difficult to link points like investment or tax to their own personal lives. This is why hiring a personal home tutor or online tutor for economics can help students to simplify concepts and make them easily relatable.
Does this mean for subjects that the student has been learning, do not require tuition?
Science concepts also become more in-depth with less time to study it. Refer to some of our comprehensive resources to help you with your revision – Study Notes for A-Level Biology – Tutopiya
For example,
Physics is a subject that requires guidance from an expert to do well, whether a student is sitting for their O Level, A-Level, IB, or IP physics exams.
Students are expected to know the meaning of certain keywords even before they attempt solving the questions. Some keywords are not clearly explained to students in their school notes and textbooks. Therefore, subjects like Physics, Chemistry and Biology may require guidance.
Learning JC sciences also means learning more in-depth than before, thus guidance could be helpful in students performing at optimal capacity.
Read our detailed guide to A-Level H2 Chemistry
Limited help from School
There are many subjects, concepts and topics every student has to learn before they sit for their A-Levels in 2 years’ time.
Schools also tend to go through the topics very quickly to catch up with the curriculum. The pace may not be suitable for most students.
Moreover, due to relatively larger class sizes in schools, teachers are usually unable to devote time to each student individually.
Additionally, learning a new subject can be very tedious for students as they may not know what they are lacking in, their weaknesses and thus they would need a lot more monitoring to learn from their mistakes.
Benefits of Tuition for JC
A Better Understanding of The Subject
Tuition during JC will help students get a better understanding of the principles and concepts of the subject that will come in handy when they enter the job market.
High Confidence When Seating for Exams
Examinations can be intimidating; the student could be prepared for the exams, but still, fail to meet the desired grade.
The reason for this could be diminished confidence.
Giving a student extra O Level physics tuition will increase their confidence in tackling exams. More so, the tutor will provide the students with motivational tips when it comes to seating their physics exam.
Reduced Doubts
In a typical classroom setting, a student might feel shy about asking questions.
However, when they are with a tutor since consultations are private and one to one, students would be more open to sharing their doubts, and this increases their understanding of the subject as well as their love for the subject.
This resolves all their doubts as to whether they are meant to excel in the subject.
About Tutopiya
Tutopiya is a one-to-one live online tutoring agency that offers JC online tuition. Assessments will be conducted to assess a student’s weaknesses and knowledge gaps.
From there Tutopiya is able to customise a study plan that is catered to close up knowledge gaps of the student as well as a plan that matches their study pace.
Tutopiya offers a FREE 60 minutes trial to all new students. Tutopiya has experienced and professional tutors including ex-MOE teachers. Approach us today!
Eleen Tan
I am currently a full-time student studying at a local university in Singapore while freelancing as a writer. I enjoy writing and sharing useful education-related tips with my fellow studying peers. During my leisure time, I enjoy doing creative arts and volunteering work. I am passionate about sharing my experience as a student! ☺