It is common that students’ attitudes and views towards a subject they are studying change as they gain more knowledge in the discipline through the years. As much as this might be seen as a natural shift that is bound to occur amongst students as they move from one academic year to another, the truth of the matter is that their standpoint can have a huge impact on their motivation and approaches toward their studies. And one major shift that occurs throughout a student’s academic life is when they get promoted from Secondary 2 to Secondary 3. Exposed to a new environment, new teachers with different teaching styles, new subjects to learn and new responsibilities, these changes can be overwhelming for any 15-year-old teen.
While there are several things that parents can do to help their kids with the transition, they must remain realistic of their expectations. Since change is inevitable when learning, the different amounts of time that each student takes to get comfortable and adapt to the new environment is something that must not be seen in a negative light.
Dissecting Upper Secondary Sciences & What to Expect
As mentioned, getting promoted from lower to upper Secondary might be seen as a trivial milestone in the eyes of others. However, the smallest of transitions like these can have a huge impact on a student’s life. One factor that slightly pushes students out of their comfort zone lies in the fact that they are now a part of one the steepest turning points in their education journey, especially in terms of the Sciences.
Unlike the single catch-all lower Secondary Science, upper Secondary students have to choose between three different Sciences — Biology, Physics, and Chemistry — that have a wider and deeper coverage of topics taught in the early years. In general, Physics is more abstract than Biology and Chemistry and has countless real-world applications as it deals with concepts like energy, forces of gravity and magnetism. And given the in-depth nature of upper Secondary Physics, it can be difficult for students to bridge the gap between what they learned in the lower and upper levels. As such, students need to have a strong foundation in the basics to ace their Physics exams in Secondary 3 and 4. Other than establishing a robust foundation, what else can you do to help yourself through this transition period?
Ways to Facilitate a Smooth Transition
In early 2022, the Minister of Education Cha Chun Sing announced that mid-year examinations of all Primary and Secondary school levels will be removed. While this has been stated to help schools better pace and deepen students’ learning, not having exams in the middle of their academic year can make it hard for students to decipher if they have mastered Physics. This might lead to them only figuring things out after their final year results are released. To ensure that you are able to build strong content mastery in Physics despite transitioning from lower to upper Secondary, consider doing the following:
1. Be Prepared
Just like all buildings, it is important that a firm and solid foundation is built in terms of a child’s understanding of Physics. For example, to cope with upper Secondary school Physics, basic maths skills are required. If lacking in these foundational areas, it is important that they look into where to start building a good foundation in Physics. To truly ensure that they are no longer lacking in any areas, students can use their school holidays to revise or do Physics past year exam papers and benefit from them.
2. Be Consistent
While it is typical for students to find it hard to keep up with the pace of all their new classes, it is important to keep consistent with all revisions and get clarification of doubts to remain confident. Similarly, many students struggle with Physics but are able to overcome it. Learn how to manage your time in school and studies and go full steam ahead with gaining complete content mastery through practice tests, discussions with peers, or watching tutorials online.
3. Seek Help Early and Not at the Last-Minute
Since Physics will be discussed in more depth in terms of content syllabus and there are no mid-year exam results to give insight into one’s academic standing, it is important that students get help early rather than waiting till the last minute and cramming the revision into a few months. This is where enrolling in Physics tuition classes or seeking the help of a good Physics tutor can enhance your level of understanding of all the concepts taught in school.
At Physics Academy, we understand the stresses that come with overcoming all academic struggles and trying your hardest to achieve goals amidst a range of transitions. Therefore, our Physics tuition centre in Singapore leverages proprietary solutions to increase the interest level in gaining mastery in the subject matter. Beyond our Secondary 4 Physics group tuition and our Physics private tuition classes, we also offer workshops to give our students a head start. Our Physics Head Start and Revision Bootcamp, for example, is more than a mere condensed version of a Physics tuition class for Secondary 3 students before they move on to Secondary 4. Designed to help students relearn all critical Physics concepts and build a solid foundation so that they are all ready for their Physics classes in 2023, we at Physics Academy aim to transform results for the better from the get-go.
To ensure that your child is all prepared for the new shift in their school years, enrol them at Physics Academy for the reliable Secondary 3 Physics tuition like combined Physics tuition. Alternatively, contact us if you wish to attend a free trial class to get a feel of what our Secondary Physics tuition and Physics tutors have to offer.