Mr Leonard tutored me in elementary mathematics (E.Maths) for about 4 months, just before my O Levels when I was in secondary 4. His style of teaching was quite different, in the sense that he was somewhat more strict and pushed me to do more, although there was a balance of humor and jokes in between so as to lighten up the atmosphere and that learning wouldn’t get too boring.
He used different colored pens to write and explain concepts to me, which I found very effective as the different colours were useful in helping me to notice and absorb all the information, instead of being in just 1 color all the way – as after some time the brain gets used to it and may not click and understand. It was therefore easier to remember ideas and concepts, especially by linking them to particular colour.
Eg: If Pythagoras’Theorem was written in red, whenever I saw red color I would think of the Pythagoras’Theorem.
He has immense content knowledge, in that he knows what he is taking about and is usually able to bring it across in a way that I can understand, although there are times when I would ask him many questions and he would reply me with equally pertinent answers which did help to clarify my doubts. He is patient with me even though sometimes I asked some weird questions, he did try his best to answer them.
If there was a concept I didn’t understand, he would try to explain to me in many different ways until I finally comprehend. Then, he would drill and make me do many questions of that particular concept, so that I would be able to keep in my head and understand what I had just learnt.
I also met up with him 3 times or more a week – practice makes perfect. As the frequency of sessions meant more ‘homework’, so I also had to discipline myself to finish up the assignments. Thus, I was practicing and doing much of the same concepts, so the more I did, the more mistakes I made, which meant that I had the chance to correct them now instead of during the O Levels.
My grades did improve nevertheless, soon I found it much easier to do the Maths Ten-Year Series exam papers which he and my teachers gave me to do. Steadily, I got relatively high marks for those mock papers and it also help me to increase my confidence. He also praises his students when they deserve, which helps as it affirms them and gives more self-confidence, although he will also rebuke to correct me at times. Especially when I make a really silly or careless mistake that I shouldn’t have.
All in all, he has been a great help to me in polishing up my Mathematics, and my results jumped from a C6 to an A2 for my O Levels, which was really a lot of difference from before.
