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Direct Tutoring is proud to announce the opening of our own YouTube channel. We aim to deliver tutorials, past paper solutions and helpful guides and advice for national 5 and higher maths.
Here are some examples of our work…
Be sure to like and subscribe to our Youtube channel, to help us grow as a community. Leave any comments and suggestions to help us improve your viewing experience. If you have any video requests, drop us a message and we will be happy to create personalized content.
The SQA higher maths course is the next stage in a students journey through their high school career. It expands on the work covered in the National 5 course and also introduces several new topics. Visit the link to the SQA website for full course content.
It is safe to say the Higher course is much more challenging than the National 5. However, the rewards are much greater. This is the most important qualification of your school career as this is what universities and some colleges look for; so the better the grades the more choice you will have! That’s why we have a long list of maths tutors waiting to help you pass with flying colours. Click on the like to find a maths tutor near you.
This question really depends on the individual. For example, a student looking to continue their studies to university studying History, won’t need an in-depth understanding of maths compared to someone studying chemical engineering.
If you are in mixed minds however, I would highly recommend you take on the challenge and go for it! It’s a universal qualification and one that will look great on a CV. If you can prove you can understand a complex subject like mathematics, then you make yourself stand out from the crowd.
I’d love to tell you its easy; however, I would be misleading you. It is tough (at times), but not impossible. Higher maths gives you a more in-depth understanding of numbers and develop techniques that are relevant to everyday life.
The course covers several main topics, ranging from Calculus to trigonometry to logs. Let’s break each one down to get a better understanding of what topics you should expect.
Calculus is a branch of maths which covers two main topics at higher level. The first is Differentiation, the second is Integration.
Differentiation is an application of mathematics that aims to explain and simplify analysis methods. This topic is vast and covers many sub-topics; some of which students will already be familiar with. Differentiation covers quadratics, straight line, gradients, parabolas, optimisation and more!
Integration is the opposite of differentiation. This branch of calculus is more useful for modelling predictions based on graphs. Integration plays a vital role in developing a students understanding of quadratics, graphs, functions, optimisation and more!
Almost everyone had heard of trigonometry; also known as “trig”. This word makes most people shiver with flashbacks to the horrible time at school learning about trig. Trig is one of the main and most challenging aspects of higher maths. Trigonometry focuses on two main elements in the higher course.
The first being the trig triangles. The study of non-right angled triangles using the sine and cosine rule is a continuation from the National 5 course; except this time it takes it up a notch. The second is trig graphs; using standard CAST diagrams as well as wave function analysis. When I say higher maths is hard; this is what I am referring to.
When you think of logs, you won’t instinctively think of maths. However, logs are very important for modelling in maths. In the higher maths course, logs are covered using natural logs and exponentials. Exponentials are the opposite to logs; similarly with the differentiation and integration in calculus. Overall, logs are fairly straightforward however at the beginning they seem like an impossible task. Rest assured it does get easier.
Overall high maths is a great course to take in your 5th of 6th year. It opens a lot of doors for you to choose from in terms of what you would like to do after school. The course is challenging, stimulating, exciting and interesting all bundled into one! It can be fast-paced at times and can be stressful, but the main piece of advice I can offer is… Ensure you have excellent time management skills, willingness to learn, don’t leave everything to the last minute and remember to stat on top of your notes and do LOTS of questions. Good Luck with your studies and do check our tutors out for further help and support!
Alicia Lim is a well-known blogger who has written this post to discuss the quality of education in Singapore. The quality of education is the primary reason for any students to pursue higher education abroad. Studying in Singapore and still wanting to pay affordable tuition fees? Then, this article is the cherry on top for you to list of low tuition. Universities in Singapore for international students.
Before you decide to be enrolled in any Singaporean university as an international student, you need to figure out some points that describe to you why you need to study in Singapore. Let us examine some of the most common reasons for international students who love to be enrolled in a Singaporean university:
Singapore has a strong economy and the high quality of living as a comparison with other Asian countries. It also costs high, when it comes to living expenditure in Singapore. Boasting some of the highest tuition fees in all over Asia. However, it is very much a relatively inexpensive and cheap option when it’s compared with the living costs of international Countries.
The living cost in Singapore varies according to an individual. It can be as cheap or as expensive as you want them to be. However, the major cities in Singapore cost higher in accommodation, but this can be managed with living in university accommodation or homestays. Of which are relatively cheaper than city cost. The cost of food in the cities of Singapore are cheap, while public transport is excellent.
One-bedroom apartment (outside the city centre) costs around S$1,992
Dairy items like milk cost 2.93 S$/litre
Bread as the main source of meal costs around 2.28 S$/500g
Rice and other cereals cost approximately: 2.65 S$/1kg
Eggs cost 2.88 S$/dozen
Cheese: 21.49 S$/1kg
Chicken: 8.74 S$/1kg
Water: 1.75 S$/1.5Litre
Fruits and veggies
Apples: 4.41 S$/1kg
Oranges: 4.61 S$/1kg
Potato: 2.53 S$/1kg
Banana: 2.50 S$/1kg
Tomato: 2.49 S$/1kg
Onion: 2.23 S$/1kg
Halls of residence – This is solely for students who chose to live on campus.
Homestays – When you live with a family, it presents you with the opportunity to learn more about a new country.
The cost of studying in the country somehow affordable as most of its Asian counterparts and international universities are relatively higher in costs, hereby the cost is still cheaper when compared to universities in the big three study destinations like the USA, UK, and Australia.
By comparing, the quality of education in Singapore from any country it always seems tremendous to what is obtainable in other Asian countries. You can easily discover its excellence in the quality of education by measuring up with its cost.
Those are some factors, which make Singapore an attractive destination for international students.
According to HSBC banks, Singapore is the second-most expensive academic destination after Australia. Therefore, if you are planning to study in Singapore, you must have well hands-on funds to afford to be tight-fisted.
The highlight of the cost of studying in Singapore is the uncharacteristically high cost of living, around $20,292, as the glance of it is been mentioned above. In addition, another aspect to be taken into account when calculating the cost of studying in Singapore is which level of education you are going to study in Singapore, as depending on the level tuition fee can vary.
Here is the average calculation of approx. value of study for an international student:
Diplomas
Duration: 1 – 2 years
Tuition Fee: Around S$8000 – S$15000
Bachelors
Duration: 2-4 years
Tuition Fee: Around S$24,000- S$40,000
Masters
Duration: one- 1.5 years
Tuition Fee: Around S$ 18,000- S$30,000
If you want to study in Singapore, then you must have to apply directly by yourself to the college or university you are interested in. Before selecting any university and institution make sure, you research thoroughly to understand all the guidelines peculiar to each institution.
There are simply two intakes each year in Singapore (SGP): August or January, and this period is subject to the selection and recommendation of students own choice. Although, every University reserves their right to admit the applicants in other semesters these two periods is the major month of intakes in SGP.
All applications were referred to the relevant Universities for consideration according to students when they are selecting the course of study and university. After that, their applications will be forwarded to the university management for approval.
The normal application process will take up to 4 months or more depending on universities criteria, so make sure to fill applications prior to the intake. Moreover, try to make it as fast as you can to complete your paperwork assessment by Universities and management.
Tuition fees in Singapore vary according to the different UNIs and widely depending on universities and its courses.
For example, at the National University of Singapore, the courses may cost you between S$17,100- S$141,100 per semester for the first intake. This fee structure is also depending upon the course studied and whether or not the student is eligible for the MOE Tuition Grant.
Whilst tutoring in my local area, a frequent question I always get is; “Are school reports really that accurate”? Usually, when the reports come out some students are reluctant to show their parents in fear of what may be disclosed inside. Often what you find is the teachers copy and paste 90% of what they write for every student, no matter what they are like in class. That final 10% is where the truth really lies.
From a teachers point of view, it is understandable as to why a lot of it is copied and pasted; however, this does raise a number of questions. “Is this a clear representation of what my child is like”?
This can often lead to arguments between parents and children because their ‘working grades’ aren’t what the parents expected or a slightly negative comment means they are going to fail. More care and attention is needed to help improve the accuracy of these reports.
The philosophy behind the working grade is something yet to be determined as to who actually came up with it. In all my years of tutoring, the working grade has caused nothing but doubt inability, lack of self-belief, which discourages students in thinking they aren’t good enough to pass.
As with every report a ‘working grade’ is a teacher futile attempt at saying “this is what your child would expect to achieve in an exam”. It is often downplayed. I have tutored many students working towards and achieving A’s; they’re working grade was set at a C! Come on, really?
The term ‘waffle’ was used by a headteacher in an interview a few years ago to describe school reports. By writing what seems to be a tailored report to your child is simply a generic transcript which comprises of 80% copy and paste and 20% specific to each student.
It bears little accuracy to the majority of students that receive them. This in mind sparked debate with principle teachers around the UK.
Gone are the days of those long and god awful report ‘booklets’ which posed nothing but extra stress on teachers. They have been replaced with a shorter, quicker, and to the point report. None-the-less they still contain similar fiction to their predecessors.
We aren’t saying that school reports are all bad, as they do offer a little insight into how their child is getting on; and it is a way for parents to connect with the teachers from time to time. However, they should be taken with a pinch of salt!
It’s important for the parents to take the time to talk to their children about the report to fully understand their thoughts on the subject and to work out for themselves if there are any obvious issues which relate to the report.
For any help and advice on your child’s report card please contact us today, and we will happily answer any queries you may have. Finding a tutor can also help clear things up on a more personal level. Browse our tutors.
In many ways the National 5 exams mark a milestone in in an adolescent`s life. Discounting the possibility of any earlier, precociously acquired accolades, the marks achieved in these exams will probably be the first academic qualifications that could potentially appear on their CV. In many students` minds their national qualification grades will be the first results that really matter; which can be daunting. They will have taken many tests before, indeed they will have been regularly graded and assessed for most of their time at school – however by the time of their national`s they will be mature enough to know just how important these exams are.
The transition from GCSE to 6th form means the beginning of specialization, a reduction of the number of subjects being studied. Most students will take 9 subjects for GCSE, but after this the academic range will narrow. Three subjects are the norm for a post GCSE student – their strengths and weaknesses will have been established, and they may well have an idea as to what they would like to study at university.
Even though highers / A-levels may be seen the expected route to take after national 5, there are a number of alternatives that may be more suitable. The three main options, apart from entering the workplace directly of course, are NVQs, BTECs, and apprenticeships.
NVQ stands for National Vocational Qualifications, and they are work based certificates, which means they are specifically designed to help students gain `competency` in the workplace. One key feature of this qualification is that they do not have to be completed within a specific time frame. Because of this accommodating feature many students work on completing their NVQs while undertaking a part time job or a work placement. Many employers look favorably upon students undertaking NVQ`s, as it shows commitment and dedication to their chosen career.
BTEC stand for a `Business and Technology Education Council` qualification – they were introduced to the UK back in the 1930`s, and continue to be very popular. It is largely a coursework based assessment, and because of this many universities stipulate that students must also posses at least a single A-Level to gain admittance. From 2016 the proportion of coursework in the BTEC course has reduced, and exams now account for a larger proportion of the final grade.
Like NVQ`s, BTEC`s are designed to be specialist work-related qualifications – and as such they specifically cater to a whole range of different sectors, such as engineering, business, and ICT. The courses are available at a number of different levels – ranging from the Entry Level Skills for Working Life, through to professional qualifications of Level 7, which is actually equivalent to postgraduate study. Because BTEC`s are tailored to the workplace, and correspond to the myriad of different professions, there are an astonishing number of unique courses – well over 2000 different BTECs, each catering to a different workplace skill.
Another post national 5 qualification option is a apprenticeship. These are short courses which include work experience, and are designed to get a student ready for work or an apprenticeship. They last up to 6 months, and are primarily aimed at those who are qualified below Level 3, aged 16 to 24, along with those who are unemployed and have little or no work experience.
Most students who have completed their National 5 exams have chosen to continue studying into higher will already have decided upon the course they want to take. It can daunting indeed to be faced with such important choices as such a young age. I have often thought that it`s rather unfair that adolescents, barely into their teenage years, are compelled to make these life defining decisions. Looking back on my own career, I can see now how it was profoundly shaped and defined by the subjects I chose to study in my mid to late teens. Career advisers can certainly help – and of course the options available to the student will be constrained by their academic abilities. Ultimately though it will be up to the student which path they choose. If you choose to study further and need a helping hand click HERE to search for expert tutors in your area.
In today’s educational system one of the most common questions many tutors are asked by parents is, why is the school not doing anything to help?
This can be a frustrating situation for parents to be in, especially if there child was achieving well in years previously. In this post, we will discuss what the National 5 curriculum is and what you can do to help your child succeed in getting their national 5 qualification.
Back in the good old days of ‘O-levels’ and even ‘standard grades’ life seemed a little more simpler. The shift from O-levels to what is still GCSE’s in England and Whales, and what used to be Standard Grades in Scotland took place in 1987.
Essentially a National 3,4,5 qualification is exactly the same as the ranking scheme of the old grading system. With a National 5 being the highest (most challenging) and National 3 being the easiest of the three. Apart from the names they mean pretty much the same thing.
This is where the issues begin to arise in today’s academic society. With standard grades or GCSE’s your grade was determined based on a final exam at the end of the year. Achieving 50% or above would get a C, 60% or above a B, and 70% or above would get an A.
This is no longer the case for the national 5’s. There is a greater emphasis on coursework which counts towards the final grade at the end of the year. This can come in the form of class tests, assignments, projects and group work activities.
In a nutshell yes. However the transition from standard grade to Nationals hasn’t been the easiest, and it is for this reason pupils, teachers and parents alike feel the system is failing. The moral of the National qualifications is ‘not to put all your eggs in one basket’. Meaning that your overall grade isn’t determined simply by one exam lasting a mere couple of hours, but rather a collection of your ability to sit exams as well as the work you do in class.
The perception people have of the national qualifications are slowly shifting thanks to teachers and tutors around Scotland. Better grades are being seen nationwide, thanks to the new system and the help and support of tutors. For further information visit the SQA website here.
In today’s age where children are exposed to social media influences peddling lifestyle messages, cyber-bullies, targeted advertising and rapidly changing social expectations it can be harder than ever to ensure that they grow up with a positive view of themselves.
By putting the time and energy into helping your children nail positive approaches to self-esteem and self-confidence early on you can ensure that they become the happy, well-rounded individuals they were meant to be!
There are lots of help out there for parents looking to raise their children with a strong sense of self-esteem, ranging from self-esteem tests and activities to books and programs that teach kids and teenagers about the importance of valuing themselves and what they bring to the world.
Success Jars also known by many other names, are an awesome way to regularly remind your child of all their past glories, from the small to the spectacular and to make sure that a bad day or week doesn’t change all the things they’ve achieved!
Super simple to make, all you need is a big, clear container – think goldfish bowl or mason jars – and some slips of paper. Take some time to sit with your child and ask them about times they’ve felt proud of themselves, when they’ve done something on their own or as part of a team or even just done something nice for someone else.You can give them prompts as well but try to make sure that the majority of successes come from themselves.
Whack all the slips in the jar and on a bad day, get them to pick some slips out, read them aloud and really remember how they felt when the achieved whatever is on the paper. Also make sure to add extra slips every time they’re feeling great about something they’ve done!
Whether you do this with friends or just with family, this is a great way to help children see all the great aspects that others see in them. Sometimes it’s easy for children to feel down about themselves and forget that everyone has admirable qualities. Realising this can be a great self-esteem boosting activity.
Sitting around a table or just as a group, each individual writes something that they really admire about each person on the table on a slip of paper. Make sure to mark each slip with the name of the person that it’s about on the back.
Once everyone’s written all of their slips, put them into a bowl to help make the anonymous and then distribute the slips to the correct person. You can either let each person read them out loud or just let them enjoy them on their own.
Teaching your child to be resilient is a huge part of building their self-esteem and self-confidence. For a child, being able to tell themselves that they won’t give up until they’ve set out to achieve what they were aiming for and following through on this can be incredibly powerful. They start to see themselves as individuals who control their own fate.
A great way to teach perseverance is to create a bucket list with your child covering some major things they’d like to achieve. These can be as big or as small as your child feels comfortable with, the idea being here that you break something fairly substantial down into small, achievable targets on the way to the end goal.
Having the bucket list somewhere big and visible is a great way to regularly remind your child (and you) what they set out to achieve and keep it at the forefront of their mind.
Learning that mountainous tasks can be made achievable through commitment and small steps is a great way to develop a can-do attitude in kids which ultimately boosts their ability to self-actualize and feel great about themselves.
Giving your children responsibility for tasks, projects or just for making decisions can be one of the best ways to teach them their own power and help children with low self-esteem.
This can be something as small as making sure they’ve ticked off all their chores, that they’ve fed and/or walked any family pets or that they’ve chosen and helped to prepare a meal for the family for some evenings.
Whilst this might seem like a tiny thing to adults who are used to making seemingly thousands of decisions a day, for many children their decision making power is extremely limited. Showing that you trust them with responsibility is hugely important as they will start to believe in themselves too. Small, regular steps will soon build up to big changes in self-esteem and self-belief.
Leadership opportunities can come in many different forms and can be incorporated in to the previous point on responsibility and decision making.
Try creating projects or group situations in which your child is forced to act as the leader, whether that means that they make the final decisions on what happens, or that to get further instructions on what happens next, only the child selected as leader can communicate with the adult overseeing the project. This means that everyone else involved will have to defer to the lead child.
There are also some amazing programs for developing leadership skills in children and adolescents. Institutions such as Scouts or one of the Cadet programs set up by the armed forces offer excellent opportunities for children to engage in exciting activities, take charge of situations and really push themselves, all under the watchful eye of trained instructors and most importantly, role models. You can read more about these in the Best Child Self-esteem Boosters of 2018, below.
Getting your child involved in sports is without doubt one of the most impact strategies for improving their self-esteem and self-confidence. Whether it be a team or solo sport, finding a great coach and applying some of the other advice in this guide can be a sure fire way to show children just how much they can do when they set their mind to it.
Sports teaches children the value of perseverance, discipline, training and that feel-good feeling of having a hobby that they love and can share with others. Sports, as with many hobbies, can help to give children a strong sense of identity, which is vital for improving self-esteem.
Possibly the most important factor on this list is nurturing positive self-talk in your children. Teaching kids that none of us are perfect, but that we all have intrinsic value and that we should all be proud of who we are is vital to raising children with a great sense of self-esteem.
There are a number of approaches to this, from ensuring that you encourage a growth mindset; teaching children that they can improve at anything they put their mind to, practicing the use of positive vocabulary like ‘excited’ rather than ‘nervous’ or ‘challenging’ rather than ‘difficult’, and most importantly leading by example.
Teaching children to see the opportunity in failure and regularly using affirmations all lead to a deeply positive self-talk. When nurtured consistently, this can be a powerful way to teach children self-confidence and grow their self-esteem.
In comparison to group tutoring, one-on-one tutoring has many benefits. One of which is an individualized study plan that a teacher/tutor creates for each student in order to best suit their learning needs. The study plan focuses on areas that a student doesn’t understand well. In one-on-one tutoring, a teacher can commit to a student and explain a lesson thoroughly.
On the other hand, group tutoring uses a study plan that focuses on more general learning goals and general topics that are relevant to the group of students. However, this means that a group study plan doesn’t consider the learning needs of each student. So it often includes topics that some learners already know.
Besides being more concentrated on teaching one student, a tutor can prepare a room for teaching in which a learner will feel comfortable enough to study. Another benefit is that every student can choose a tutor they like as that will have a positive effect on learning.
Another advantage of individual tutoring is a possibility to have a tutor that teaches several subjects. For instance, one tutor can teach several natural science subjects such as math, physics, chemistry, etc. That also means that a student can practice for more than one test during one tutoring session.
In one-on-one learning sessions, a student has to pay more attention to each lesson, therefore his or her studying is more effective and the time for learning is not only organised better but also better utilized.
A one-on-one learner can take advantage of being alone during individual tutoring sessions as there are no distractions. For example, fellow students aren’t there to send notes or to start conversations with each other and interrupt a tutor in the middle of a lesson explanation.
Additionally, some students are shy and afraid to speak in front of fellow students. Others simply don’t like to participate in group conversations. That is why their learning progress could be halted during group tutoring sessions, and they could learn better with a one-on-one tutor. Browse our range of tutors and find a tutor the can help improve your grades and self-confidence.
Has the examination time come? If it has, you now have to revise the learning material to get ready to take the exams.
You can try 5 of our efficient revision techniques that will help you get straight A’s.
There are several learning styles such as visual, verbal, and auditory. Students that learn visually like to draw diagrams and look at explanations with pictures. That helps them memorize study material faster. The auditory learners prefer listening to others, while verbal like to either write words on paper or read and repeat out loud. If you are not aware of your learning style, you can try them out and decide which of these suits you best. That will help you learn faster and smarter.
Some of the biggest studying distractions are your computer and your phone. Even if chatting with friends is more amusing than your revision, try to be determined in avoiding all distractions. That will lead to success.
If you start revising on time, you will be able to fully understand the study material and be confident during an examination. Studying intensively just before the exam is not good as you won’t be able to take breaks to rest. That can lead to exhaustion and even into a burnout. Simply create an achievable study plan and stick to your schedule.
While some students like to study together in a library or in a noisy cafe, others are solitary learners. If you are not a social learner, studying in the silence of your room could work best for you. Think of a place where you can be the most productive, focused and effective, and make revision notes there.
Try to find either practice tests or tests from previous exams to check your revision progress. That will provide an insight on how a specific exam looks like, so you’ll be more relaxed during the actual examination.
Try to be persistent in using these revision techniques and you will ace on your exams.
