Academia Education (Ivy Campus)

Title: Home - Academia | English and General Paper, Taught Properly

URL Source: http://www.academia.com.sg/

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Highlights from the blog

Check out our blog for the latest updates and insightful articles. From announcements and holiday programs, to educational content on English, and literature, our blog covers a range of topics to keep you informed and engaged on your learning journey.

The Fellows

Unveiling Pedagogical Excellence: Inside Academia's Teaching Team

I am truly grateful for the dedication and support that Ms. Koh has provided to my son, V. She is an excellent English teacher who guides him with patience and care at every step. Her encouragement and motivation have made a positive impact on his learning journey. Additionally, Ms. Koh helped V review his Commonwealth Essay and provided invaluable feedback, which greatly contributed to his success. Thanks to her guidance, he was awarded the Silver Award in the competition. I also appreciate her effort to keep me updated weekly on V's progress after each class. Ms. Koh's commitment to her students and her proactive communication make her a remarkable educator. We are extremely grateful for her support and guidance.

Parent of V

Having had the privilege of being taught by Mr Olivier from Secondary 2 to the end of my tertiary education journey in Junior College, I can earnestly attest that his teaching has transformed my proficiency in the English language. An incredibly dynamic and engaging educator, Mr Olivier uses diverse teaching methods ranging from multimedia resources to interactive class discussions to liven the classroom. Having struggled in secondary school with writing well-developed essays, Mr. Olivier’s consistent exam-focused guidance and meticulously structured essay packs were pivotal in refining my writing — breaking down complex themes and writing structures into manageable steps whilst incorporating relevant current affairs to fuel our understanding. His methodical approach to tackling comprehension questions further honed my ability to dissect texts and construct nuanced arguments. Beyond that, Mr Olivier was deeply committed to our improvement in examinations, dedicating time to review our schoolwork to provide thorough, constructive feedback that significantly improved my performance in examinations, helping me grow tremendously as both a writer and a critical thinker. Under his mentorship, my linguistic and literary insights expanded significantly, sharpening my ability to analyse, critique, and communicate with clarity and nuance. This enabled me to often rank among the top of my cohort in written examinations, excelling in both the General Paper and Literature in English subject at the A Levels.

J, NYJC Student

Ms Chermain, thank you for fostering a love of learning in my child. After attending your lessons. H has improved on her English significantly. Looking forward to her PSLE results. Your dedication and passion for teaching have made a significant impact on my child's education. I appreciate your efforts in helping my child develop strong language skills. You've made English class enjoyable and engaging; thank you! Your guidance and support have helped my child grow as a writer and thinker.

Parent of H

Dear Mr Loh, I am C, from your P6 class of 202x. I am delighted to inform you that I have received the Prime Minister's Book Prize award in recognition of outstanding achievement in bilingual studies in the PSLE. Therefore, I am writing this email to express my immense gratitude for your wonderful lessons, which have strengthened my proficiency in the English language. They have been extremely beneficial to me in my preparation for the PSLE. Thank you so much!

C, RS Student

I can say without a shadow of doubt that Dr Coomber is by far the best teacher I’ve ever had the privilege of learning from. He is extremely good at his job— his detailed essay packs and structured lessons speak for themselves, as do the nuanced and highly specific skill sets he teaches his students. Constantly aware of all his students’ strengths and weaknesses, he knows exactly how to help each and every one of them improve, as well as how to help them gain confidence in their own abilities. The resources he provides are incredibly useful, and the wide range of topics discussed in class allows students to explore areas that they would typically avoid, providing them with the broad worldview essential to excel at GP. Personally, Dr Coomber’s lessons were something I always looked forward to, for I always left feeling like I’d learnt something valuable, and improved as a student in one way or another— be it exploring a topic I was previously unfamiliar with, or gaining insight about something I knew well. I will always be thankful for the opportunity to learn from such a talented teacher, and for the fact that he sparked a genuine interest and love for the subject in me. I believe that learning with Dr Coomber is not simply something that keeps you well-equipped to tackle the GP A-levels, but also something that provides you awareness, skills and sensitivity of thought that will last you the rest of your life.

K, RI Student

Dear Mr Jeremiah - today is the last day of school for M and I want to take this time to thank you for all your guidance and support . She often tells us about how patient and kind you are. Despite being one of the youngest in the class, you have never made her feel that she is not good enough. Because your responses and corrections are always so gentle, she is not afraid to try, even if it means making mistakes and then learn from them. Beyond imparting knowledge, your deliberate effort to be online at least fifteen mintues before every lesson so that you could chat and build relationships with your students is really commendable too. M received her progress report today and she told she's the only one in class who has managed an A1 for English. I want to share this good news with you because you are an integral part of her learning and she couldn't have come this far without your support and unceasing encouragement. In her words, "I've learn five times more in the two hours at Academia than when I am in school the whole week". Although she has to switch to a Saturday class next year due to schedule conflict. I am really thankful that she was able to learn from you. Your emphasis on nuances has sharpened her greatly and has built an even stronger foundation. You are a tremedous blessing indeed. Thank you once again for everything, I wish you the very best and joy as you continue to impact lives at your job.

Parent of M

Mr. Matthew Low is a very patient, understanding, and insightful teacher, with vast experience in teaching literature. His personalized style of teaching ensured that I not only improved in my literary analysis skills but also developed a genuine appreciation for literature. Mr. Low took the time to tailor his guidance to help me approach texts with deeper insight and critical thinking. He has an exceptional ability to break down complex passages into manageable segments, uncovering the intricate details that shaped my overall understanding and widened my horizons on literary texts. Additionally, he introduced me to various alternative perspectives, helping me to see literature from multiple angles and to appreciate the richness of diverse interpretations. In his classroom, Mr. Low fostered an open-minded environment where I felt comfortable sharing ideas freely. He always encouraged us to explore our interpretations without fear of judgment, which made discussions engaging and thought-provoking. I am deeply grateful for his support and dedication, and I would highly recommend him to any student looking to excel in literature.

E, ACS(I) Student

Academia has shaped my passion and love for the English language, and it goes far beyond just a tuition centre. This is especially so with the top-notch tutors, such as my teacher in secondary school, Mr Azrael, who has provided unwavering support throughout my whole secondary school journey. He is a highly motivated teacher who helps his students reach beyond their potential, willingly marking my myriad of extra essays and giving helpful feedback during the multiple oral consultations. He has truly laid the foundation of my appreciation of English by imparting valuable skills and knowledge.

K, ANDSS Student

Dr Coomber is a patient, dedicated and extremely experienced teacher. His wealth of knowledge is remarkable and he is able to break down difficult concepts for me to understand and he has helped me to master the format of GP papers, as well as increased the breadth of my general knowledge and piqued a genuine interest in the subject of GP and the current affairs of the world. Not only did I gain valuable skills of writing through Dr Coomber's lessons, I also was able to change my perspective of the world and hone soft skills of communication and critical thinking. I enjoyed every single one of Dr Coomber's lessons and none of them were ever a bore, and truly looked forward to each of his classes. Thank you, Dr Coomber, for helping me to improve my GP grades from Cs and Ds to As, for teaching me patiently and caring about me as a person and going the extra mile to make summary notes and revision packages for us, which were very useful. I really appreciate you! Would highly recommend Dr Coomber to any student struggling with GP/English.

I, ACJC Student

Mr. Matthew is an exceptionally patient, dedicated, and experienced teacher. His impressive knowledge and ability to simplify complex concepts have greatly helped me in analysing and structuring my literature essays, sparking a genuine interest in literature. Through his lessons, I gained valuable writing and critical thinking skills. I thoroughly enjoyed every class and always looked forward to them. Thank you, Mr. Matthew, for helping me improve my literature grades from Bs to As in IP English, and 6s to 7s in IB Literature, for your patient teaching, and for caring about me as a person. I am also very grateful for his support in helping me transition smoothly from the Singapore IP system to the IB system. I highly recommend Mr. Matthew to any student seeking to enhance their grades, performance, or fundamental skills in critical thinking and literature.

V, IB Student

Dr. Coomber is one of the best GP teachers I’ve learnt under. Over the course of his tuition, I found myself reading and writing about topics I never thought I would be interested in. My GP grades improved drastically after just a few lessons, as Dr Coomber provided me with targetted feedback for both Paper 1 and Paper 2. Dr Coomber is unlike most other GP teachers - he goes the extra mile to help you develop your own perspective on contentious issues around the world today. By the end of his lessons, I found myself growing into a more well-informed global citizen. Not only is he a great educator, he has an excellent sense of humour as well. Thus, I never failed to look forward to his lessons even when GP wasn’t a subject I particularly enjoyed.

V, HCI Student

I joined lessons with Dr Coomber quite late compared to other students in the tuition, joining only at the beginning of J2. I started with an S grade, struggling to grasp the concepts of the entire subject. I found it difficult to grapple with the basics and foundations of writing essays and answering techniques of short answer questions. In school, I would often just complete work and tests and end up failing without even know why I did so badly, and how to do better. After I started lessons, Dr Coomber quickly gave me very directed and specific advice as to how to improve my writing skills and what to do to work on them. Slowly I began to understand the reasons behind the marks I was receiving, and with the support and help of Dr Coomber, I began seeing gradual improvements in my grades. Not only did I improve academically, I also grew to like the subject, one that I used to shun. I would gradually flip the Straits Times App to read the news, and also learnt to like reading and absorbing the current affairs from the notes given during lesson. This helped the learning process a lot. Dr Coomber was amazingly patient with us throughout the entire journey, and extremely humorous as well, making lessons fun and exciting. I never thought I would see such great improvement in a language subject in just 1 year, and would also never have imagined myself to enjoy it this much.

J, HCI Student

In my 6 years of studying at Academia. Mr Olivier Tan was one of my most memorable teachers who had guided in my academic pursuit. He would guide us while discussing different current-affair topics and pump in fresh insights so as to enliven the class atmosphere, making the process of improving my English Language and linguistic ability a more enjoyable one. His thoughtful advice to my mistakes have allowed me to find ways to ameliorate my understanding and excel in my studies.

M, EJC Student

Throughout my 2 years of GP lessons with Dr Coomber, he has always been patient and detailed in offering personal feedback and input. Be it explaining writing and answering techniques or equipping students with the content knowledge, Dr Coomber has always strived to help his students achieve both. He is always willing to go the extra mile to help students clarify misunderstandings or share ideas and ensures that each and every student comprehends and internalize each concept and idea. His attention to detail and updated, comprehensive essay notes and examples have truly made GP a much more enjoyable subject as it exposes me to endless possible essay topics and broaden my general knowledge, even allowing me to make sense of real world events and phenomenon. Through this, essay writing has not only become easier, but also much more intriguing as I explore countless perspectives and events, eventually choosing a few topics of interest to focus on. Furthermore, Dr Coomber greatly encourages in class participation, which is thought provoking and makes the subject much more interesting and encourages active, on the spot thinking, which has boosted my confidence and helped me with exam-style critical thinking as well. With his guidance, my GP has improved but more importantly, I have gained an interest in keeping myself updated with current affairs, which I believe is extremely meaningful, even beyond the academic curriculum.

Z, HCI Student

Mr Singh has always been supportive and very helpful when I needed guidance in my work. He is very prompt to respond to any text from me and my queries, certainly a one in a billion teacher. Before PSLE he set aside time for us to ask him questions and go to the centre. He is also very patient, well versed, understanding and kind. He is very knowledgeable and I thoroughly enjoy my classes with him.

E, SJIJ Student

Dr Coomber has been instrumental to my growth as a thinker and a learner. From the time I joined Academia in Secondary 3 to the day I sat for my A level GP paper, his tips and guidance have stuck with me. His patience and willingness to entertain seemingly silly ideas (that other teachers may have simply shut down) have made me feel seen, not just as a student but also as an individual with a unique perspective — because of this, I’ve felt empowered to further explore my intellectual interests and ask questions without fear of embarrassment. In terms of examination preparation, the guidelines and frameworks he provides simplify exam components, making them feel less mountainous and more doable — this, in turn, has bolstered my confidence and improved my performance tremendously. Overall, Dr Coomber has definitely played a major role in helping me develop crucial competencies, such as critical thinking and making cogent arguments — these takeaways will follow and benefit me for the rest of my life.

J, RI Student

Through the years, Mr Johann has dedicated so much of his time to give us the best materials and pedagogical ways. His unwavering support and believing in all of us has made us to be the best we can be. I am immensely grateful for his generosity in imparting his knowledge and values to help me through my learning journey. Thank you Teacher!

L, SNGS Student

Hi Mr Johann, thank you for guiding K. Because she scored AL1 for English she managed to get back into St Nicks. We are so grateful for all the extra lessons given free to her and believing in her. Thank you thank you. Please take care and we hope to see you again.

Parent of K

Hi Olivier! Thank you so much. T scored well for English and we very glad. He DSAed back to ACSI. I was worried that he would fail his english. Thanks for your support. You have been a source of encouragement to us. Thank you so much.

Parent of T

The A-Level General Paper curriculum increasingly places an emphasis on critical thinking - being able to critically analyse question, be it an essay or a comprehension question and answering based on the needs of the question. Dr Coomber is an adaptable and understanding teacher who makes it a point to assess every student that he has and to adapt his teaching style to meet the needs of the student. In doing so, Dr Coomber helps every student achieve their potential based on their current skillset while also expanding their skillset such that they are prepared to tackle and answer any question. Dr Coomber has been a wonderful mentor and any student will be lucky to be under his guidance.

J, RI Student

Despite the brevity of my time with Dr Coomber, his nuanced and challenging lessons have proved to an invaluable resource in my preparation for the General Paper. His meticulousness in taking note of each of his students difficulties thoroughly impressed me and it was through this he was able to deepen our understanding of social issues and prompt us to be both sensitive and discerning. The essay packs that he crafted were not only easy to understand but also incredibly detailed which is testament to his in-depth knowledge of current affairs. His classes will most definitely be a great asset to all General Paper students, couldn’t have done it without you Dr Coomber!

M, RI Student

Ms Annabelle, I appreciate all the extras miles you are going for the weaker students like J. This quality is what makes a good teacher, exceptional. May you continue to find meaning, joy and fulfilment in being a teacher.

Parent of J

Ms Koh has been teaching me for several years. She is very nice and patient. I have learnt many things under her wing, and I got AL1 for my English End-of-Year exam. I always look forward to attending Ms Koh’s class!

K, CPS Student

Hi Mr Azrael, W got A1 for her English and she's very happy with her results. Thank you so much for your kind guidance!

Parent of W

Dear Ms Koh, THANK YOU FOR TEACHING ME! You have taught me right from wrong. You are always kind, caring, inspiring, and helpful, guiding me whenever I need help. I always look forward to coming to Academia lessons.

J, LHPS Student

Mr Aman really went out of his way to personally make sure that A spent time doing more revisions and to go through those revisions with A in a 1-1 setting. A is very appreciative of Mr Aman’s attention and care.

Parent of A

Hi, we dropped by earlier and wanted express our heartfelt gratitude to Mr Loh for his guidance. Please kindly inform Mr Loh that C did fine in his PSLE and we would like thank Mr Loh for all his guidance to C!

Parent of C

Dear Ms Chermain, I would like to thank you for all your coaching. After attending your lessons, I was able to tackle the exam papers with confidence. Your lessons are fun and enjoyable. Thank you!

M, YMPS Student

Dear Ms Annabelle, thank you for teaching me. I enjoy your lessons tremendously! Your lessons are very fun, which encourages me to do better.

C, ATS Student

Hi Mr Azrael Tseng, thank you for your guidance for O this year. Your support has helped my child grow as a writer and thinker. Thank you!

Parent of O

B loves Ms Annabelle, he really enjoys her classes and a big thank you to her!

Parent of B

Hi Mr Jeremiah, thank you for always responding to all my queries and spending time to look through all the extra work I've done. I really appreciate your patient mentorship and have enjoyed your lessons and learnt a lot. I'm really thankful for your guidance this year, and I could tell - especially since I feel I did significantly better for GP compared to J1.

J, HCI Student

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