About Me
My name is Eric, and I am an engineer-turned educator who has been mentoring students for the past 27 years. After teaching for 14 years, I started PassionInLearning in 2010, upon realising that the tuition industry is very much, transactional. The aim of PassionInLearning is to leverage on my experiences of working with parents, and share pointers on how best to help learners. As such, you will not find frequent instances of me publishing compliments about myself from parents. Besides imparting knowledge, I work closely with parents to develop learners into holistic positive young adults.
Some (not limited to) of my experiences including mentoring students from the following:
Secondary Schools
1) Victoria School (IP)
2) Dunman High School (IP, mainstream)
3) Anglican High School
4) Tanjong Katong Secondary School
5) St Joseph’s Institution
6) St. Andrew’s School
7) Bendemeer Secondary School
8) Anglo Chinese School(Independent)
9) Cedar Girls’ Secondary
10) Monfort Secondary School
11) Bedok View Secondary School
12) CHIJ St. Joseph Convent
13) Zhonghua Secondary School
14) Bowen Seconday School
15) Nanyang Girls’ High School (IP, mainstream)
16) Holy Innocents’ High School
17) St. Gabriel’s Secondary School
18) Punggol Secondary School
19) Geylang Methodist Secondary School
20) Edgefield Secondary School
21) Anglo Chinese School(Barker)
22) Maris Stella High School
23) North Vista Secondary School
24) Kuo Chuan Presbyterian Secondary School
25) Pasir Ris Crest Secondary School
Primary Schools
1)Tao Nan School
2) Anchor Green Primary School
3) Haig Girls’ School
4) Hong Wen School
5) Bendemeer Primary School
6) Poi Ching School
7) Raffles Girls’ School
8) Temasek Primary School
9) Paya Lebar Methodist Girls’ School
10) Kong Hwa School
11) Anderson Primary School
12) North Vista Primary School
13) Horizon Primary School
14) Rivervale Primary School
15) CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls’ School
16) Maris Stella High School
17) Mee Toh School
18) Nan Chiau Primary School
19) Sengkang Primary School
20) Greendale Primary School
21) Punggol View Primary School
22) CHIJ Our Lady of the Nativity
23) Pei Chun Public School
24) CHIJ Primary (Toa Payoh)
25) Punggol View Primary School
26) Geylang Methodist Primary School
27)Townsville Primary School
28) Punggol Green Primary School
29) Edgefield Primary School
30) Punggol Cove Primary School
31) Monfort Junior School
32) Rosyth School
33) St Joseph’s Institution
International Baccalaureate
1) Beijing World Youth Academy (China)
2) Australian International School
3) Overseas Family School
4) Canadian Academy (Japan)
Diversity of students include elite students, students from Normal Tech Stream, national sportsmen (DSA), as well learners with special education needs (Autism, ADHD, Dyslexia, etc)
Sessions will usually be based in Punggol.
I can be at :
passioninlearning@gmail.com
http://www.facebook.com/passioninlearningericng (newly set up)
http://www.facebook.com/passioninlearningeric (old Facebook page. Compromised in March 2023)
Email inquiries will be responded within 24 hours on weekdays, and 48 hours on weekends. Thank you and have a nice day.
Passion In Learning 
I am interested to know your rate for the upper primary level (PSLE) and your methodology for student who is weak in Maths as well.
Thank you.
Hi Mrs Chua,
For details on my mentees, I have sent you a reply to your xxxx09@gmail.com email address.
Please check it out.
For methodolody, I can perhaps offer some insight here.
Having taught some students from Taiwan and China over the past 7 years, i realised that there’s a distinct edge that they have over local learners.
Students from overseas are exposed to algebra at a much younger age. Hence, by the time they reach Pri 5-6 in Singapore, they would have a significant advantage over their local counterparts.
Singapore students, on the other hand, rely very much on Model Method. Not that this is not good, but rather, at times, using this to map out questions can be very time-consuming. Model Method, in my perspective, is a form of visualisation resolution. This may explain why certain students cannot finish their maths PSLE paper on time. Algebra on the other hand, is a sequential approach.
On my part, I like to equip my students with two sets of tools to solve problem sums. In the event that they cannot visualise the sums, they can switch to Algebra as a sequential approach to solve questions. This also prepares them for another phase of their academic life in secondary schools.
While parents may highlight that primary schools students are indeed introduced concepts on algebra, they are mostly taught on how to solve direct questions (eg: if 3a + 2a =?), and not exactly on how to apply concepts to solve problem sums.
Having said, it takes time for students to pick up this skill, and be adept with it. Now, is algebra new to primary school students? Not at all! They learnt alphabets since K1, isn’t it?
Hope i have answered your query!
hi this is mrs lim, my son’s teacher told us that algebra is not good for primary school. do you have much experience in teaching algebra to primary school boys? was it successful? they can understand and apply?
Dear Mrs. Lim,
It depends on individuals. My understanding from my previous Taiwanese students is that they picked up Algebra around 9 years of age.
When I taught him in Pri 6, apparently, he found that for certain questions, it can get too long-winded to attempt using Model method. He got an A* for Maths subsequently, with emphasis placed on Algebra. When he progressed to Sec 1 and 2 in Victoria, he had no problems with concepts on algebra.
I recently had the chance to imparts skills of Algebra to an RGS(Pri) girl. She was able to understand and apply, even without much supervision on my side.
Having said, Algebra is not intended to replace Model Method. Rather, it is to present learners as an alternative tool to solve problems in totality or partially, in the event they cannot visualise questions using the Model Approach.
Algebra in short, is about substituting an unknown into a ‘known variable’ ( X or Y in this case). Hope I have answered your queries.
hi this is mrs lim, so am i right to say that you only taught algebra to the taiwan boy for 1 year and who already had algebra training from young? Otherwise do you have any proven track record for local students? Are local students who do not have algerbra traning can accept your algebra training and ace PSLE?
Dear Mrs Lim,
Yes, this Taiwanese boy had simple algebra training when he attended primary school in Taiwan.
As mentioned, I have imparted Algebra application skills to an RGS girl, and she was able to cope.
To further add on, Algebra is just one skill I impart. I do offer guidance on Model Method as well. Which method to impart will depend on my assessment of the learner. Algebra is not meant as a substitution for Model Method, but rather, a complement in the event the student has problems visualising the models.
In totality, the student will need to work hand in hand with me too, to soar to great heights.
If you are keen, we can have a further discussion, and we shall see how we can help your child, moving forward.
Hi, this is Mrs Seah. Can you describe how you usually spend the 1/1.5 hr of tuition time with your students? You have shared more on the methodology in Maths. What about Primary school Science?
Hi Mrs Seah,
Thanks for your query. Usually, the time allocated for each session will be largely devoted to interactive learning, whereby learners will tell me what they know about the chapters. For certain topics that are more challenging, such as ratio and algebra, I will go through some sums, before assigning learners with some homework. My belief is that, it will be more productive if qualitative work(active learning) in each session is done, rather than quantitative work (in terms of no. of sums.)
For science, it is important to relate concepts of general science in a more interesting manner. At times, some secondary school concepts are shared with learners to invoke their curiosity. But this will be on a case-to-case basis. Also, emphasis is also placed on how learners interpret short questions and answer them. Do they infer, or just ‘describe’ the diagram?
For a more indepth understanding, please contact me if you are keen. I can arrange for a *trial session.
Hi, thank you for the reply. Actually, this is the main question that I wanted to know – Do you just teach what they are learning/supposed to learn or do you impart them skills like strategies for smart study and the strategy/technique/tactic to ace the PSLE in accordance to the way PSLE papers are marked/formatted?
Hi Mrs Chua,
Thanks for your query.
I think qualitative work is more important than quantitative work. Having said, my sessions centre around invoking the child’s interest and ownership in the subject through interactive learning, and studying the smart way (not the hard way) by innovative methods to accumulate facts, and not just memorise . It is not intended to ‘spot’ questions.
Strictly, I do not teach a subject. Rather, I teach skills to learn at a faster pace, through letting the students know what they don’t know.
I hope I have answered your queries. If you want a more indepth discussion, please contact me at my number as listed in the ‘about me’ tab. Thanks and have a nice day!
Hi Mrs Foo,
Indeed, I have experience coaching dyslexic students. However, as this is a sensitive issue, was wondering if you can drop me an email instead, at passioninlearning@gmail.com?
We can probably discuss further from there.
Hi Eric
I’m interested to find out more about your private tuition. My son in in Catholic High P4.
We are interested in Math and potentially science. Do you conduct the session at home or your place?
How much do you charge per session? Please advise.
Thanks
Winny
Hi. Will you be able to coach my boys in maths? Pri 4 n 5. We live in Bartley.
Can you drop me a mail, and provide me with more info such current school, standard, etc?
Hi, I am an educator providing academic assistance for English, Maths and Sciences.
Hi,
I have dropped you an email.
Hi, can you provide me with your contact details?