new opportunities new possibilities JC 1 28 Feb

new opportunities new possibilities JC 1 28 Feb 2014 Website: www. nanyangjc. org Email: nyjc@moe. edu. sg

Agenda • About Nanyang JC • JC curriculum • Discussion: – University admission – JC 1 promotion criteria • What roles can our parents play in JC education? • Some important dates • Dialogue with parents

Desired profile of a NYJCian • Obtains credible ‘A’ Level results • Is a good role model • Is confident – Is knowledgeable – Is articulate – Is independent, flexible and street -smart

IP schools vs JCs Scope (GCE ‘A’ Level Exams) Efforts (IP Schools -Intensive vs JCs - double the intensity) Timeline (IP Schools - 4 years vs JCs - 21 mths to prepare for ‘A’ Level exams)

JC vs Secondary School • • • Revised JC curriculum Lecture - Tutorial system Lecture notes vs textbooks Learning strategies and skills Timetable and free periods CCA involvement Leadership and self-management Service-learning projects Global awareness and current affairs

JC vs Secondary School • Leadership development @ JC – Communicating, influencing & strategising • Life-skills development @ JC – Problem-solving & decision making – Personal management and effectiveness – Networking • How would parents position themselves with regard to supporting and monitoring their young adults?

Possible conflicts… • Students who had good ‘O’ Level grades or L 1 R 5 scores may not necessarily do well in their ‘A’ Level exams • Learning methods that worked for ‘O’ Level exams may not work for ‘A’ Level exams • The college systems and practices will not be the same as secondary school systems and practices • The roles played by JC teachers are different from secondary school teachers • The JC’s learning environment is different from the secondary school’s

Roles of parents • Collaborate with the college through meetings with, and phone calls or emails to the Civics Tutor or College Admin – Share information – Give/Receive feedback/suggestions • Help the young adults to help themselves in: – problem solving – decision making – time management

Uniquely NYJC • Official starting time: 8. 30 am • Two-week block timetable to cater to more than 80 sets of subject combinations • Attendance taking through the bio-metric system • Four dress-down days: From Tuesday to Friday • Consultation slots open to students

Uniquely NYJC • Open 24/7 – Students use bio-metric key to the side gate of the college – Students are welcome to study in the college during weekends and public holidays • Privilege to use college facilities • Covered walkway to Lorong Chuan MRT station • High element adventure stations and team building stations

How strong is NYJC? • Singapore Quality Class (SQC) (2009 -2015) • School Distinction Award (SDA) (2009 -2015) • Sustained Achievement Award (SAA) (Academic Value-Added) (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013) • Sustained Achievement Award (SAA) (Aesthetics) (2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013) • Best Practice Award (BPA) (Staff Well-being) (2009 -2015) • Academic Value-Added (Silver - 2007, 2008, 2010 & 2013); (Gold – 2009 & 2011 and 2012)

How strong is NYJC? • Choir, Symphonic Band, Dance, Chinese Orchestra, Guzheng Ensemble and Chinese Cultural Society (Chinese Drama) took part in 2013 SYF Arts Presentations – All of them were awarded Certificates of Distinction

How strong is NYJC? National Schools ‘A’ Division Championships Volleyball Boys – 1 st Girls – 2 nd Table Tennis Boys – 4 th Girls – 3 rd Judo Boys – 3 rd Girls – 3 rd Basketball Girls – 3 rd

Desired profile of NYJCians Mission Shared vision Enhance life -skills Maximise Potential Uphold values A leading college serving the nation with Enh anced Character development CULTURE Quality staff Quality learners nisational excellence Org Culture of Excellence Culture of learning Culture of care VALUES Drive Responsibility Integrity Inventiveness Empathy

Revised JC curriculum (from 2006) • Life-skills – Holistic curriculum – Including non-academic activities – Develop values and skills to take NYJCians through life as responsible and active citizens – Life-skills programme (Self-awareness, personal management, personal effectiveness and aesthetics / interests) – Through CCAs, NE, PCCG, service-learning, leadership training, Civics programme, and MSLO programme

JC curriculum (from 2006) • Knowledge skills – Develop thinking, process and communication skills through the content-based subjects – GP and PW

How General Paper (GP) is learnt? • GP is not about English language • Personal commitment is key – Reading widely to gain different perspectives – To form own perspective upon reading – To articulate that perspective clearly through writing and sharing – Master the essay and comprehension skills

Some examples from the 2013 A-level GP exam • Discuss the claim that in the modern world people should care more about international than national issues. • Why should we be concerned with current affairs when most of them will soon be forgotten? • How far, in your society, should unpopular views be open to discussion?

JC curriculum (from 2006) • Content-based subjects – Languages – Humanities and the Arts – Mathematics and Sciences – At least one contrasting subject from Humanities and the Arts or vice versa – A contrasting subject helps provide a broad base of learning.

Recommended subject combination • Three H 2 content-based subjects – (3 x 2 units) • One H 1 content-based subject (1 unit) • At least one is from a contrasting discipline • H 1 Mother-tongue language (1 unit) • General Paper (H 1 level) (1 unit) • Project Work (H 1 level) (1 unit) • Total: 10 units

H 3 subjects • Subjects with diverse learning opportunities for in-depth study (e. g. advanced content, research papers, university module) • Must also offer the corresponding subject at H 2 level • Students will be invited to take up 1 or 2 H 3 subjects at the end of the year based on their JC 1 academic performance • 1 H 3 subject = 1 unit • Grading: Distinction, Merit, Pass and Ungraded

H 2 and H 1 Grading Scheme Grade Mark(s) A 70 – 100 B 60 – 69 C 55 – 59 D 50 – 54 E 45 – 49 S 40 – 44 U 0 – 39

Grading for H 2 and H 1 subjects H 2 (University pts) H 1 (University pts) A 20 pts 10 pts B 17. 5 pts 8. 75 pts C 15 pts 7. 5 pts D 12. 5 pts 6. 25 pts E 10 pts 5 pts S 5 pts 2. 5 pts U 0 0

Begin with the end in mind • Why JC? • University admission criteria • University admission indicative grade profile • Upcoming institutions • JC 1 promotion criteria

University Admission Criteria • Based on three H 2 and one H 1 content-based subjects (at least one has to be a contrasting subject) • General Paper • Project Work • A minimum of ‘S’ grade in Mother-tongue language • Attempted all subjects in the same sitting at GCE ‘A’ level exams

University admission (some examples) • GP – at least a ‘C’ grade (NUS, NTU, SMU) • PW – at least a ‘C’ grade (NUS, NTU, SMU) NUS (10 th percentile) 3 H 2 1 H 1 Law AAA A Medicine AAA A Dentistry AAA A Architecture AAB C Industrial Design BBB C Real Estate BBB C

University admission (some examples) NUS (10 th percentile) 3 H 2 1 H 1 Engineering BBC C Chemical Engineering AAB C Civil Engineering BBC C Electrical Engineering BCC B Ind & Systems Engineering ABB B Mechanical Engineering BCC B Pharmacy AAA A

University admission (some examples) NUS (10 th percentile) 3 H 2 1 H 1 Science BBC B Business Admin AAA B Accountancy AAA A Arts & Social Sciences ABB C Arts & Social Sciences (mother-tongue related) BBC B

University admission (some examples) NTU (10 th percentile) 3 H 2 1 H 1 Medicine AAA A Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering AAB B Computer Science BCC D Environmental Engineering BCC B Biological Sciences BBC B Mathematical Sciences CCC B

University admission (some examples) NTU (10 th percentile) 3 H 2 1 H 1 Mathematics & Economics BBB C Accountancy AAB A Business AAB C Communication Studies ABC C Economics BBB C Psychology BBC B Sociology BBC C

University admission (some examples) SMU (10 th percentile) 3 H 2 1 H 1 Accountancy AAB C Business Management BBB B Laws AAA A Economics BBC C Information Systems Mgt BCC C Social Sciences BBC C

Singapore University of Technology & Design (SUTD) • High-end, research-intensive university • To advance knowledge and nurture technically grounded leaders and innovators to serve societal needs • In partnership with MIT and Zhejiang University

New possibilities • • Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine Yale - NUS College Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) Uni. SIM (Private university, partially funded by Govt)

About JC 1 …Computation of Final Mark for each subject (except GP) • • JC 1 Block Test (July): 10 % Continual Assessment: 25 % End-of-year Exam: 65 % Final Mark: 100 %

About JC 1 … Computation of Final Mark for GP • • • Individual Research Assignment: 10% JC 1 Block Test (July): 10 % Continual Assessment: 20 % End-of-year Exam: 60 % Final Mark: 100 %

JC 1 Promotional Criteria • Must have obtained: – at least a pass in GP, two H 2 passes and one H 1 pass in the content-based subjects – This excludes H 1 Mother-tongue language • Pass = At least a ‘E’ grade

JC 1 Promotional Criteria – What’s next? • Students who do not meet the promotional criteria are expected to re-do their JC 1 in 2015 • Students who read 4 H 2 content-based subjects but do not obtain an average ‘C’ for these subjects are expected to downgrade one of the subjects to a H 1 level • Students who excel in the exams may be invited to read one or two H 3 content-based subjects in JC 2 based on availability and their capabilities

How to study? GP, Economics, Humanities, ELL, CLL/MLL/TLL • Read widely and critically • Understand concepts and issues • Form perspectives • Participate actively in discussions • Write with clear perspective and be able to substantiate your views • Ask clarifying/probing questions, seek consultation

How to study? Understand concepts Practise, reflect, practise Master application skills Ask questions, seek consultation Mathematics • • Sciences • Understand concepts • Participate actively in discussions • Master application skills • Ask questions, seek consultation

About CCA • Strongly encouraged • More than 40 CCAs & student interest groups • Objectives of CCA – Leadership development – 21 Century Competencies & character development – Service-learning opportunities – Building a credible portfolio and SGC • Time frame – from now to May 2015

About Scholarships … • Know what to expect – Participate actively in Service-learning – Take up Leadership positions and focus on leadership development – Engage in activities that would bring about positive impact on community and beyond – Ensure credible academic performance – Read H 3 subject(s) (for PSC Scholarships) – Do well in psychometric assessments (for PSC Scholarships) – Master interview skills

Some dates to remember 30 May 1 Jul – 4 Jul 7 Jul 8 Jul – 11 Jul 14 Jul 1 Aug (from 5 pm) 4 Aug – 30 Sep JC 1 Block Test (H 1 GP) JC 1 Block Test School Holiday: Youth Day Special Timetable (pm: PW) Independent Learning Day Meet-the-parents Session Night Study Programme

Some dates to remember 25 Sep – 26 Sep Study leave 29 Sep – 10 Oct End-of-year Examinations 13 Oct – 24 Oct Special timetable 27 Oct 30 Oct – 6 Nov H 1 CL/ML/TL ‘A’ Level Exams PW Oral presentations 12 Nov Release of JC 1 Exam results 14 Nov Last day of school

Dialogue with parents