Our years of formal education can often be a challenging and stressful period for students growing up, and it is no different for those enrolled in an IB or IGSCE programme. It often requires students to take ownership and discipline to excel in their day-to-day learning and improve in each of their subjects. Students in the IB programme also have the added decision on their choice of HL or SL subjects as well.
As much as we hope that say that learning is a walk in the park, most these subjects are generally difficult to get to grips with, especially when they get into the advanced courses, and many students are often overwhelmed on how to best overcome its many challenges. Thankfully, it is key to note that it is not the talent of the student but the consistent habits and proper mentality that leads most of our best students to score the top of their cohort. Here are four practical tips we teach our students on how to improve their comprehension and excel in their studies.
1. Explore new approaches
Experiencing difficulties in comprehending or understanding certain topics or content? Consider changing up your revision strategy. Odds are the strategies you use work better for subjects you are confident in and not those that are more challenging to tackle. While most students have different working styles, it is common to see them prioritising their revision on subjects they are already good at as it often brings them the most desirable results.
This is a game-changer when these students realise a small change in their approach to revision for topics they are weaker at can make such a huge difference. They say “work hard, study smart”, and this is exemplified when you create effective studying habits for different subjects. While students strong in memorisation and going through huge swathes of content in geography and history can score well, they need to apply a completely different set of skills like understanding and application of formulas in subjects like science and maths. These skills might not be the easiest to naturally develop but studying with friends who are strong in those subjects and seeing how they approach it might give you a better understanding of effective approaches to the subjects at hand.
2. Always plan ahead
While many students might rely on last-minute revision to pull off a miracle, we say that studying with a long-term plan gives the best long term results, especially if you want to improve consistently as a student. Furthermore, it helps you constantly stay on top of your studies and make sure you do not fall behind. One way to put this into action is by looking at your schedule in the few upcoming weeks and dedicating enough time to work on practice questions or revise content.
Rather than cramming huge chunks at one go, it is advisable to plan multiple sessions to cater to each topic. These study sessions not only promotes long term retention of your studied materials, they also save time in the long run as you do not need to constantly revise on topics that you typically cram on right before your big tests and exams.
3. Partner up with a study buddy
Having a study buddy not only helps you keep accountable to a friend in your studies, it can also give you the motivation to study as you both encourage each other to do better. You are also both able to share your notes with one another, supplementing each other’s notes with personal insights to create more comprehensive revision materials.
Going through questions with someone else and collaborating on solutions is undoubtedly simple but effective. As the adage goes, ‘two heads are better than one’, and having a group of friends to tackle the same questions while sharing the proper methods to reaching the right solutions can increase the effectiveness of study sessions manifold.
4. Enrol in tuition courses
Apart from enlisting the help of a study buddy, another way of getting the right study community and environment is by enrolling in tuition for more advanced subjects like IB Chemistry tuition.
There can often only be so much you can self-study and getting the help of trained professionals can save time as they show you the right approach and understanding for complex formulas. These teachers can often supplement educational material with proper study methods as well as help students cope in an often stressful and unforgiving educational system.
Conclusion
While the educational capacity of students differs mildly across IB or IGSCE programs, it is clear to see that the proper study habits and mentality can bring students of either programmes far. However, for students that want to maximise their studying times and ensure excellence in their grades, enlisting the help of IB and IGSCE tutors in Singapore can be the next logical step of this equation.
Having the guidance of experienced and professional tutors familiar with the syllabus inside and out is invaluable to help you reach your potential. QE can help you attain this support with our comprehensive range of courses for both IB and IGCSE programmes, connecting you with the top school teachers in Singapore. Get in touch with us today by sending an enquiry at enquiries@qeducation.sg and we hope to help you see the improvements in your grades that you desire.
