Mathematics

IST Maths tutors have graduated from Oxbridge, Ivy League or other top universities in HK, UK, USA, and Canada. The tutorial lessons shall focus on helping students develop their knowledge, understanding and skills in algebra, geometry, statistics, and calculus. Students shall learn to apply maths theory to solving problems in real-life situations, as these questions may be asked on the SAT Subject Test, AP, UKiset, 11+, 13+ Common Entrance Exams and Eton King’s Scholarship, IGCSE, GCE A-Levels, and IB Diploma. Of particular importance is recognising the differences in the methodology between British, American, and Hong Kong styles of mathematics. The most common topics for 11+ and 13+ are bearings, transformations, angle names and properties, using a compass and protractor, symmetry, degree of accuracy, significant figures, standard form, surface area, volume, polygons, units of measurement, ratio, proportion, and probability.

As students progress, they will also learn the key techniques required to use graphing calculators and spreadsheets when solving problems relating to simultaneous linear equations, inequalities, quadratic functions, sequences, number sets, Venn diagrams, mensuration, vectors, circle properties, coordinate geometry, trigonometry, Pythagorean Theorem, exponentials, logarithms, differentiation, integration, roots, complex numbers, Maclaurin and Taylor series, polar coordinates, hyperbolic functions, matrix transformations, mechanics, kinematics, dynamics, centres of mass, collisions, elastic strings, and springs. Hopefully, IST tutors will be able to help lay a foundation of passion in maths that will inspire further study at university that will lead to interesting and successful careers.

Mathematics Tutor 2020 – present

Mr Giles Chambers, having graduated from the University of Oxford with a Master of Engineering (Hons) in Materials Science, joins IST as a Maths tutor. After a year of degree-level mathematics, Gil is ready to share exactly what kind of maths it takes to get into Oxford and succeed in a Science degree and research environment. Taking time to understand how the student learns best, Gil aims to encourage their mathematical abilities to flourish so they can feel confident tackling any problem from multiple angles. In his Maths A-level and GCSE he achieved A*.

Senior Mathematics Tutor 2009 – present

Mr Calvin Chan holds a Master of Science in Mathematics and a Master of Science in Data Science and Business Statistics with an Academic Excellence Award from the Chinese University of Hong Kong and Bachelor of Science in Mathematics (Hons) from the Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine (UK).

Most of Calvin’s recent students were preparing for their AS/A2 exams. Calvin has taught trigonometry and equations with modulus to an OCR A-Level student from St George’s Ascot, complex numbers and conics to an Edexcel A-Level student from Wycombe Abbey, circle properties and geometry to a Key Stage 3 student from Badminton College, polar coordinates and simple harmonic motion to a student from Rodean School, and De Moivre’s theorem and Argand diagrams to an Edexcel A-Level student from Dulwich College. During the Easter Term Break, Calvin tutored many students from independent boarding schools in the UK. He tutored a GCE A2 student from Tonbridge who needed help with parametric equations and vectors. Calvin focused his maths tutorial lessons on locus of points, angle properties of circles, and statistical calculations on the calculator to GCSE and GCE AS students from Badminton School. To students from Island School, Calvin tutored them in transforming the amplitude and period of trigonometric functions. Arithmetic and geometric sequences and series were tutored to a student at Canadian International School (CDNIS). A student from Australian International School (AISHK) was tutored in integration, differentiation, and logarithms. To an IGCSE student from French International School (FIS), Calvin was tutoring trigonometric identities and simplification. Calvin is also tutoring calculus to a King’s Scholar who attends Eton College, and to Higher Level (HL) IB students who attend German Swiss International School (GSIS).

Senior Mathematics Tutor 2009 – present

Mr Daniel Chan shall be fulfilling the requirements for his PhD in Chemistry at Cambridge in the near future. He also holds a Bachelor of Science Degree (Hons.) in Chemistry from the University of New South Wales, Australia, and a Bachelor of Science Degree (Advanced) from the University of Sydney, Australia.

Since 2009, Daniel has been a Maths tutor at IST. As a student, Daniel achieved perfect scores of 800 – putting him in the 99th percentile – on his SAT Math and SAT Math IIC tests. Daniel has tutored algebra and calculus to a student at Diocesan Boys’ School, and functions to a student sitting the SAT Math II Subject Test. Daniel is currently tutoring a Middle Year Program (MYP) student on Global Issues Projects, who attends Chinese International School (CIS), and a Middle Year Diploma student who attends West Island School (WIS) on geometry and algebra. To one of our brightest and youngest students from Diocesan Boys’ School (DBS), Daniel has been tutoring direct and inverse variations and functions, amongst other advanced topics. Daniel has also been tutoring both SAT Math and calculus with trigonometry to an IB Diploma Standard Level Maths Renaissance College student. An IGCSE student from German Swiss International School (GSIS) has been learning Sine and Cosine Rules from Daniel. He has tutored a student from Shrewsbury School (UK) on Edexcel A-level Maths, covering topics such as differentiation, integration and trigonometry. He has tutored students from Island School on IB at Higher Level (IB) on trigonometry and differentiation. He has offered guidance working on IB Internal Assessments (IA) on differential equations and statistics. Also, he has tutored students from the French International School on their CIE IGCSE exams on topics like circle theorems, functions, asymptotes of a graph, statistics. He has offered guidance to tackle the questions in Paper 6 which involves investigation and modelling of maths problems. On junior secondary level (Year 7-9), Daniel has tutored a student from the Yew Chung International School on sine rule, cosine rule, graph sketching, quadratics equations, ratios and percentages. In addition, he has tutored students from Independent Schools Foundation Academy and Hong Kong International School on congruent and similar triangles, trigonometry and networks. Daniel tutored a student from King’s College Old Boys’ Association Primary School No.2 to prepare for his maths test in his application to Horris Hill School (UK) which he successfully received the offer.

Daniel also helped students preparing for their SAT maths subject test. He tutored the pre-calculus syllabus on the topics of functions, limits, trigonometry, polar coordinates, complex numbers and vectors. He tutored several students currently studying in the UK on the Edexcel IGCSE maths exam. He has taught topics including but not limited to differentiation, quadratic equations, non-right angle trigonometry, probabilities and transformation of graphs. Daniel can also offer good guidance on past paper practice and help students to reach their full potential in maths. Furthermore, Daniel tutored students on tackling Aptitude and Skills Paper in BioMedical Admission Test (BMAT) where he provided guidance on the requirement of logical thinking and problem solving skills.

Principal Mathematics Tutor 2005 – present

Mr Don Ho is the Principal of International Scholars Tuition (IST) and has been teaching or tutoring mathematics to young international scholars in Hong Kong or Canada since 1991. As part of his Bachelor of Education from the University of Alberta (Canada), Don’s minor was mathematics. He studied calculus, linear algebra, statistics, and advanced geometry. While studying his Master of Business Administration at the University of Victoria (Canada), Don studied statistics and advanced financial modeling, including regression analysis. Don was also awarded the South-East Asia Business Research Grant and the Asia Pacific Scholars Grant.

For the 13+ Winchester College Maths Entrance Exam and the 13+ Maths Common Entrance Exam, Don’s students have done extremely well. Don’s current maths students include an IB MYP student from Chinese International School (CIS) who is now entering the IB Diploma Program, three German Swiss International School (GSIS) students who are preparing for their SSAT and SAT exams, a Canadian International School (CDNIS) student who is reviewing algebra and geometry, and DBS and DGS students who also preparing for their SSAT. Don also tutored a Summer Field School young scholar who received the Winchester Academic Scholarship and a Horris Hill student who now attends Eton College. Don has a very high success rate with SSAT students; many have gone on to receive offers from Hotchkiss School, Milton Academy, Lawrenceville School, Deerfield Academy, St. Paul’s School, Choate Rosemary Hall, Taft School, and Peddie School. Don can also tutor the Writing and Critical Reading sections, in addition to the Mathematics section of the SAT Reasoning Test. Don has also tutored EPGY mathematics to students from Chinese International School and DGS.

Mathematics Tutor 2019 – 2020

Ms Yenga Yan received her Bachelor of Arts (Upper Second Class) and Master of Natural Sciences (First class) from the University of Cambridge in July 2018. She studied mathematics as part of the natural science tripos which covered topics such as sets and functions, single and multivariable calculus, geometry, trigonometry, probability, statistics, vectors, and matrices. Throughout her undergraduate degree, Yenga has applied mathematics to solve advanced problems in chemistry, physics, and biology.

Since joining IST, she has experience tutoring Hong Kong based GCSE and IB students studying at West Island School, GSIS, British International School (Kellett), Island School and Canadian International School. In addition, she has taught students from top UK secondary schools such as Sherborne, The King’s School, Canterbury, Eton College and Warwick School. Her lessons aim to help students revise background knowledge and guide students step-by-step through past-paper style questions to test and reinforce their understanding.  

For IGCSE mathematics, Yenga follows the updated 9-1 syllabus, and has taught topics such as algebra, functions, geometry, trigonometry, proportionality, scaling, sequences and series, and linear programming. She has also helped those students taking Further Pure Mathematics with more advanced topics such as vectors, logarithms, and calculus. Yenga has also taught A-level core mathematics as well as mechanics and statistics modules.

In addition, Yenga has achieved Gold and Best in School awards in the Senior UK Mathematical Challenge (UKMT) and is offering UKMT tutoring for students looking to challenge themselves mathematically and obtain higher scores. The UKMT organises standardised mathematical problem-solving tests in the Junior and Senior categories every year, where students can obtain Bronze, Silver, and Gold awards, which are highly regarded by the top UK universities. Lessons with Yenga will help students sitting the UKMT on how to answer the questions and give helpful strategic advice on how to raise their scores efficiently and effectively.

Yenga provides mathematics tutoring at IST for ISEB 11+ and 13+ common entrance exams, IGCSE, A-level, IB Diploma, UKMT, ACT, BMAT, SAT Subject Test, MAT (Mathematics Admissions Test) and first year university students.

Mathematics Tutor 2020

Mr Paribesh Khapung attended the University of Oxford and was awarded a Master of Science in Mathematical and Theoretical Physics, First Class. After Paribesh’s first year at Oxford, in recognition of his outstanding academic performance, his college made him a Scholar and awarded him a Finalist Scholarship. Paribesh earned three A*s at GCE A-Level in Maths, Further Maths, and Physics, and a (1) in STEP Maths, while at Palmer’s College (UK).  He also achieved 7 A*s and 3 As on his GCSEs, at The Hathaway Academy (UK).

Mr Khapung has extensive tutoring experience with A-Level Maths, Science,  Physics and English students, especially those who were preparing for the PAT, university interviews, and UCAS applications. His experience also extends to younger pupils who were revising for the  11+ and 13+ Common Entrance Exams. Paribesh’s own struggles with his studies have helped him to develop his own creative and flexible tutoring style that helps build rapport with his diverse students, which is essential to achieving excellent results.

Mathematics Tutor 2020

Miss Cherizza Choi provides tutorial lessons for 11+, 13+, and GCSE Maths covering all the topics in the syllabus, examples include Statistics, Algebra, Geometry and Probability. Miss Choi earned outstanding grades while studying for her GCE A-Levels at Concord College: Bio A*; Chem A*; Maths A; Chinese A; and EPQ A before choosing the BSc Biological Sciences programme at Imperial College. Cherizza was a pupil at Maryknoll Convent School before furthering her education in Great Britain. Miss Choi is also able to tutor Biology and Chemistry up to A-Level and IB Diploma, and guide students through the entire UCAS application process for top British universities.