HL / SL CHEM & BIOL

IBDP in Chemistry and Biology are an intensive and fast-paced program in which tremendous amount of concepts and topics are covered within the two years of teaching in school📚. Hence, we always heard from our students that their school teachers are covering the topics too fast or skipping some of the chapters without much explanation. This is understandable - IAs, and EEs, the core curriculum, together with the option to finish in only 16 months🏃.

We focus on two main directions to ensure every single of our IB student receiving the top grades from their public exam.

• Covering the topics early in advance ✍️ - After our first lesson, with a better understanding on your level and performance, we will plan a timeline specific to your progress. First to clear the topics you might not be familiar with. Then we start cover the upcoming chapters ahead of your school, leaving us adequate time to prepare for the exam. We aim to finish the whole IB curriculum by the beginning of the second year (~ Year II October).
   
• Analyzing past exam papers 📐 - With early completion of the curriculum, we can start work on the past papers in advance than the others. An interesting fact about IB is that it is very common to see the same question repeatedly appearing in the past exam papers. Hence the earlier we start practicing and the more papers we go through, we are no further from securing a "7" for your IB Chemistry and/or Biology.

Chemistry is similar to Mathematics. It requires students to have a very clear understanding on the concepts and be able to explain the principle behind every chemical reactions💥. Cramping doesn't work. Therefore, Our approach - "Understanding rather than memorizing 💡."

Over the years of paper marking, we observed that questions in the exam are always sort of within the box, like not much variations, asking the same thing again and again. To achieve a "7" in Chemistry, it is more like how "familiarized" you are with the concepts, and how "fast" you can complete the questions. Therefore, Our approach - "Master the concept and get used to the exam approach ✒️"

"Chemistry's concepts are difficult and abstract, but the questions are straight forward in the exam. In reverse, Biology's concepts are straight forward, but the questions are difficult and abstract."

The tricky part is answering technique. What we heard most from students is "I understand the topic, I memorize everything but I cannot get marks from my answers". This is true. Biology exam is like English writing exam. You need to demonstrate to the markers your understanding by using specific keywords.🎯

We are markers, and we know what terms shall be used to answer, and what phrases are needed.