If the first two years of your secondary school life could be described in a word as ‘exploration’, then the next two should certainly be thought of as ‘consolidation’.
Entering Secondary 3, the prospect of taking your O-Level examinations no longer seems that far away, and upper secondary is all about gearing up for the second major examinations of your life in the best way you can, based on your strengths and weaknesses.
Thinking about how to do this can be scary and overwhelming, but it’s far better to start early than to kick the can down the road and hope that the O-Level will somehow vanish. Spoiler alert: they won’t.
As the great Chinese military strategist Sun Zi said, “know yourself and your enemy, and in a hundred battles you will not know defeat”.
You also do not have to fight your O-Level battle alone. Our teachers at The Learning Lab are more than willing to provide you expert guidance and to arm you with the weapons and strategies you need to prove victorious at the end of the day. Here is how you can get an early head start in preparing for the O-Level.
1. Lay Plans and Make Adjustments
Firstly, you have to be clear-minded about and aware of the conditions you are “fighting” in. Sec 3 isn’t just more of the same from Sec 2, as your subject combination and workload will have changed significantly.
This means different kinds of content you have to learn and different ways of being assessed, and that’s before we even factor in increased responsibilities in your CCA. You and your parents will need to make a series of small but important adjustments to be able to stay on top of all these changes.
For example, you will likely need to make changes to your weekly routine, balancing how much time you devote to working on each subject with getting adequate rest and break time.
2. Make Every Second Count
Secondly, you will need to come up with a strategy or game plan for the O-Level. As a Sec 3 or Sec 4 student, your approach and expectations will differ respectively, as will the approach of our teachers.
In Sec 3, you will have more time to play the longer game and build good habits such as time management, as well as develop a strong foundation in the 60% of O-Level content that will be taught in this year. You will also be able to devote more of your energy and attention to excelling in your CCA, expanding your horizons and building your leadership skills.
In Sec 4, you will need a more focused approach, concentrating on areas of weakness and common mistakes, and working to eliminate them. Our teachers will be working with you to draw up a study and revision plan to ensure maximum time management and adequate time allocation for each subject.
Students joining us in Sec 4 instead of Sec 3 should also be mindful that this leaves less time for our teachers to work with you, identify and target your pitfalls and help you progress. That’s just one more reason why getting an early start in your O-Level preparation is so important.
3. Rise to the Challenge
Thirdly, you will have to be prepared to work through more advanced content. At The Learning Lab, our curriculum and lesson materials are very closely aligned to what you will see in school, but a little more difficult.
We also expose our students to advanced concepts and complicated real-world issues through video clips and articles for them to read in their own time. This challenges students to think deeper and more extensively, drawing on multiple topics or sciences when approaching questions.
The idea is similar to a soldier who trains harder and more comprehensively than he expects to be pushed in a battle — when the actual battle comes, he is prepared for anything that is thrown at him.
When you have had more experience with higher-order thinking questions or application questions, you will be more confident and capable of answering standard 10-year series questions. And don’t worry about not being able to deal with the harder material. There are students of varying abilities at TLL and in class there are always check-ins where teachers will ask you if you are able to follow, and to repeat back what you have learnt in your own way!
4. Consult Battle-Hardened Experts
Lastly, proactively communicate with your teachers and help them help you. Our TLL teachers make a habit of asking what you are up to in school, but they will be able to have a much clearer idea of your progress, including what you may be struggling with, if you take the initiative to inform them.
Come to each lesson prepared with questions or material that you are having a tough time tackling. You may even want to talk about what has worked for you, to let your teachers know that you are on the right track together.
Each school has slightly different requirements when it comes to assessment, and the more your teachers hear from you the more they will be able to understand how they can help you succeed.
All our teachers are reachable by their TLL email addresses, and some even allow students to text them questions out of lesson time. Check with your teachers what they are comfortable with, and don’t forget to treat them with respect at all times.
Forging Onwards for the O-Level
Getting an early start in your O-Level preparation is crucial for laying a strong foundation that you can build and rely on in your upper secondary years.
At The Learning Lab, you will be immersed in a rigorous curriculum that stretches you intellectually, and be plugged into a supportive environment that enables you to seek help for and overcome your areas of weakness.
This means not only imparting the requisite skills to you but also the right mindset and attitude to approach any challenges that life puts in your way. Whether your're going onto Secondary 1, or moving up to Secondary 4, we would love to see you through the dreaded O-Level examination.
Click here to find out more about how your child can emerge victorious from the O-Level examination.
Resources to Excel in the O-Levels
The Learning Lab has a wealth of resources you can benefit from. Check out our secondary students' guides to mastering English, Maths and Science below.
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The Learning Lab is now at 9 locations. Find a location that suits your needs.
If you have any questions about our range of programmes or class schedules, you may contact us at 6733 8711 or drop us an email at enquiry@thelearninglab.com.sg.
The Learning Lab is now at 9 locations. Find a location that suits your needs.
If you have any questions about our range of programmes or class schedules, you may fill in the form below or contact us at 6733 8711 / enquiry@thelearninglab.com.sg.