Reviews for my math tuition

Click here to read reviews for my math tuition.

My experience

In year 2025's first semester, I was teaching Elementary Math (Secondary 3 G3) and Additional Math (Secondary 3 G3 and IP3) in Cedar Girls' Secondary School. Previously taught H2 Math (and H1 Math in a few of the years) as a flexi-adjunct teacher in Anglo-Chinese Junior College (Feb 2022 to May 2023, Jul to Nov 2019 and Jul 2012 to Nov 2013), National Junior College (Mar 2014 to May 2016) and Anderson Junior College (Feb to Nov 2018) and was a permanent teacher in Serangoon Junior College (Jan 2006 to Dec 2007).

Other institutions I taught at are Singapore University of Social Sciences (Jan 2012 to Jun 2016), Republic Polytechnic (using problem-based learning approach, Jun 2009 to Aug 2010), Anglican High School (Jan to Dec 2008) and Outram Secondary School (Sep to Oct 2024). I also analysed statistics for two projects as a Senior Executive with Ministry of Home Affairs (Feb to Apr 2012), worked as a cybersecurity analyst for NCS Singapore via a contractor (Nov 2023 to Sep 2024) and taught percussion in Raffles Girls' School Chinese Orchestra (Apr 2000 to Jul 2002).

I was a member of Mensa Singapore (Aug to Dec 2005) and the Olympiad Mathematics Training Team in Victoria Junior College (1997) and won the 3rd (individual) prize in the Singapore Mathematical Olympiad For Primary Schools in 1991.

Listed below are some of my private tutoring experience and the students' results.

~ IP2 and IP3 Mathematics for a student of Dunman High School (46 hours from Nov 2024 to present)

~ A-level H2 Mathematics for a student of Catholic Junior College (51 hours from Jun 2023 to A-levels exam in Nov 2023) (From Grade D or E not long before Jun 2023 to Ace, highest possible grade, at A-level exam)

~ Pearson Edexcel International Advanced Subsidiary/Advanced Level in Mathematics and Pure Mathematics for a home-schooled student (112 hours from Jun 2023 to Oct 2024) (Pearson Edexcel exam: Ace, highest possible grade for Pure Maths 1, 2 & 4, Stats 1 & 2 and Decision Maths; B, 2nd highest possible grade for Pure Maths 3)

~ IGCSE Additional Mathematics for a home-schooled student (45 hours from Nov 2022 to May 2023) (A*, highest possible grade, at IGCSE exam)

~ IB diploma Mathematics SL for a student of Tanglin Trust School (32 hours from Mar 2019 to IB diploma exam in May 2019) (From failing not long before Mar 2019 to Band 5, third highest possible band, after Band 7 and Band 6, at IB exam)

~ IB diploma Mathematics HL for a student of St. Joseph's Institution (16 hours in 10 ad-hoc sessions from Nov 2017 to Aug 2018) (From about 30% not long before Nov 2017 to Band 5, third highest possible band, after Band 7 and Band 6, at IB exam)

~ Introductory Mathematics for a student of National University of Singapore (33 hours from Aug to Nov 2017) (A-, third highest possible grade, after A+ and Ace)

~ Applied Regression with R for a student of The London School of Economics and Political Science (United Kingdom) (3 hours in 2 face-to-face sessions in Singapore in Apr 2017) (No reply from student after I WhatsApped and e-mailed her about her grade)

~ A-level H2 Mathematics for a student of Temasek Junior College (40 hours from Jul to Oct 2016) (From Grade S or U not long before Jul 2016 to Ace, highest possible grade, at A-level exam)

~ A-level H2 Mathematics for a student of Victoria Junior College (79 hours from Dec 2015 to Nov 2016) (From Grade S in JC1 promotional exam to Ace, highest possible grade, at A-level exam)

~ IB diploma Mathematics SL -- switched to Math Studies in Mar 2014 -- for a student of School of the Arts (134 hours from Dec 2013 to Nov 2015) (Band 6, second highest possible band, after Band 7, at IB exam)

Next: My education

Contact me

Email address: neo[dot]soon[dot]hua[at]gmail[dot]com

My education

National University of Singapore (2010-2011)
- Masters of Science (By Coursework) in Statistics

National Institute Of Education (2005)
- Post-graduate Diploma In Education (Secondary) (Credit)

Nanyang Technological University (2000-2004)
- Bachelor of Engineering (Electrical and Electronic Engineering) degree (2nd Upper)

McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada (2002)
- Exchange programme

Victoria Junior College (1996-1997)
- Distinctions in Mathematics C and Further Mathematics C
- Member of Olympiad Mathematics Training Team

Dunman High School (1992-1995)
- Distinctions in Mathematics and Additional Mathematics

Singapore Polytechnic (Apr to Aug 2018)
- Certificate in Infocomm Security & Defences

Next: How to revise for math

Resources for H2 Math (syllabus 9758 and syllabus 9740)

Summary of Integration Techniques.

Differential equations - how to and how not to solve for the unknown constant.

Sample variance versus unbiased estimate of population variance.

Transformations of graphs - tutor's thinking to avoid the common mistakes.

Next: My experience

How to revise for math

Below is a discussion (between me and a student in November 2006, when the student was in JC1) about how to revise. Most, if not all, of the points apply to many math students. (The student’s name has been changed to “ABC”.)

Topic:	How to revise for H2 Math
From:	Mr NEO SOON HUA
Date:	??

A student asked me how to revise for Mathematics. What do you think? How do you revise? Or are you thinking that there's totally no need for revision?

This is what I think.
----------------------------

The following should be attained in sequence:

1. Go through lecture notes and make a mark at parts which you do not understand. Do you understand at least 90 to 95% of each topic? If not, clarify them by discussing with friends or asking tutors. (Actually, this should have been done after every lecture.)

2. Redo the tutorial questions without looking at the solutions. Is your understanding already strong?

3. Redo the questions in the revision booklet and the mock papers. But take note that some of these questions are of a higher standard. Can you handle these questions?

(Added in on 11 July, 2015)

4. Do new questions to test and train your thinking skills. If you can’t solve a particular question, you would have to apply heuristics that you learnt when in primary school. Here’s a good summary of heuristics: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/How_to_Solve_It

Topic:	What If......
From:	ABC
Date:	19/11/2006 11:30:02 AM

Halo Sir, What if all these extra efforts failed? I experienced it at this years promo exams for maths. I completed both maths booklet and some other extras and I still got a 45/100. even though you can say there is improvement in my work; I got a " U " for common test.  It is rather demoralising , you know, when that happens.

Topic:	Re: What If......
From:	Mr Neo Soon Hua
Date:	22/11/2006 01:29:26 PM

There are a few possible reasons: 1) You completed the questions but did not resolve your mistakes. 2) You did the questions referring to your notes and other materials. As such, when you don't have them during your examinations, you can't solve the questions. 3) You get stressed up or nervous during examinations. 4) You didn't understand the concepts well enough to be able to apply them to new questions. 5) You made many careless mistakes during your examinations, probably because of the rush to complete the paper. Is it any of the above, ABC? How about the other students? Are there many of you who have this problem?

Topic:	Re: What If......
From:	ABC
Date:	26/11/2006 06:14:37 PM

I must admit that I may have revised via quantity and not quality, but you know what, it took me hours to actually solve certain questions during my revision and this actually affect my other subjects as well.If I revise by quality, it's gonna take a hell lot longer!

Topic:	So what are the reasons?
From:	Mr Neo Soon Hua
Date:	29/11/2006 01:07:50 PM

Quantity over quality? So which, among the five that I listed, do you think are the reasons? Another thing. I'm not sure if your "took me hours to actually solve certain questions during my revision" means: 1) The questions were difficult and you couldn't solve them with your skills and knowledge learnt from lecture notes, tutorial questions and other practices you had done. You pondered over them for hours. 2) The questions were moderate or easy and you could solve them with skills and knowledge covered in lecture notes and tutorial questions. You spent hours learning these skills and knowledge by going through your lecture notes and tutorial questions. 3) You made careless mistakes and you spent hours to identify them.

Topic:	Re: So what are the reasons?
From:	ABC
Date:	30/11/2006 12:51:41 PM

option 4 for reasons: “You didn't understand the concepts well enough to be able to apply them to new questions.” options 1 and 3 for what "took me hours to actually solve certain questions during my revision" means.

Topic:	My recommendations
From:	Mr Neo Soon Hua
Date:	07/12/2006 05:59:09 PM

I am not sure if I am right but it seems to me that you are the kind who wants to do well and puts in the effort. To students like you, I advise not to dwell on a question for too long. Yes, it's good to persevere but if you have limited time for revising or doing the tutorials for all your subjects, you have to find a balance. When you feel that you have put in the effort and you are still not advancing, I would recommend you: 1) discuss with friends who couldn't get the answers too; 2) compare your solutions with correct solutions (from friends or tutors), learn from your mistakes and make sure you understand the concepts well. These are what I do when I get stuck or can't identify my mistakes. But once in a while, when I can afford the time, I still like to persevere.

Next: Contact me