Experienced IB (DP, MYP) and IGCSE (O, AS, A Levels) Chemistry Teacher, Examiner, and Head of Department; holds BA in Chemistry and a Diploma in Educational Administration with 25+ years of teaching experience.
Experienced IB (DP, MYP) and IGCSE (O, AS, A Levels) Chemistry Teacher, Examiner, and Head of Department; holds BA in Chemistry and a Diploma in Educational Administration with 25+ years of teaching experience.
Both IB HL/ SL and MEB chemistry courses at all high school levels
The Fulbright Teacher Exchange Program
MEB chemistry courses at all levels and science grade 7 and 8 courses
BA in Chemistry
Educational Administration and Supervision
Everything starts with making the content meaningful for the student and what the target in each learning session makes the difference. Once our students have the objectives clarified, everything is easy. What the end product is is to be defined at the very beginning. Success criteria for each student are different. Identifying the specific success criteria for the student is my job. Will we focus on the definition only, or will we excel at the topic?
What the student's experience with science is essential. I try to make my students talk about their school approach. Student and out vert or an invert. Is my student willing to ask questions, or shall I be asking alongside the session? Depending on the student's academic level, I make my student ask questions and start with multiple choice questions on a topic my student looks like they have an idea about. To make my student see that I know the syllabus, I have school experience, and I can simplify my priority.
My two strategies are to make the student paraphrase and construct a concept map. Tell me what this question is about; let us list the terms here and discuss the mark scheme first. Where to scaffold is essential. The student should understand that practice makes it perfect. Assign only five questions and ensure that assigned questions are quickly done so the learner will develop confidence in the topic. DP is all about paper 1, paper 2, and paper 3. The student should learn the system first so that the tools during the two year program are obvious for the student. Once the task is subdivided into chunks, it is more doable for the learner.
Sometimes switching to a different topic is the best tool. To insist on a topic for too long with the same strategy is not meaningful. Maybe the topic is too abstract for the student and we need a one minute animation about the topic or the level of the topic is too difficult. When the student starts to space when the student can not talk about the topic, the student should be a hundred percent of my approach to the learner. My job is to simplify the topic. If the student can express where he or she is lost , we can make progress quickly and efficiently. Ask me the right question to learn is my only request from my student during our tutorials.
Which type of student are we talking about? If my student is also taking HL maths, I try to quantify the concept; if my student is taking biology, we need a story for the idea. DP past exam questions and animations are always helpful tools. List me the terms, and now let us go to the basics. What is the main idea here? Why does the question give you this value?
Subdivide the statement into parts. What is the topic here? What are the key terms? Let us define the keywords. Let us solve five multiple questions about these terms. Now let us talk about this paragraph. Can you paraphrase the question? How would you describe it to a 6-year-old?
Problem-solving, Using short statements, Showing the student how to use sources, and introducing the student DP system
Always baby steps work. Make the student feel that everything is doable once you have enough practice. Can you run for two hours if you have never run? DP chemistry paper one questions are always the best practices for each topic.
Exit questions and wrap-up done by the student always work.
Please write me with two questions about this topic.
From the student's questions and mistakes.
Depending on the student's level of comprehension, I change the type of questions to start the topic. The sequence followed for the issues is very important.
Think IB online sources, Cambridge textbook test yourself questions, Kognity, and past IB exam questions