We all need a role model to look up to. Here’s to the teachers at OFS who go the extra mile to help their students achieve success!
Tell us, who’s your favourite teacher? Think about your school years, and chances are that you had a teacher figure that helped you through them. Indeed, a teacher’s impact is for life, positively shaping our lives in more ways than we can think of.
Teacher’s Day is right around the corner, and what better time to celebrate our teachers! We talked to two students, Vivaan Kapoor and Yujun Jeong — who are Overseas Family School’s (OFS) perfect scorers in the 2024 International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) exams, no less — to find out more about how the teachers contributed to their success.
Congratulations on your fantastic scores! Can you share about how your teachers helped you during the two IBDP years?
Vivaan: Thank you so much! Well, one of the key differentiating factors was that I had teachers who were experienced IB examiners. In fact, some of them were even regional heads for the subjects they taught. This made a huge difference, as they were acutely aware of how the IBDP exams worked, and how best to approach them. They gave us valuable insight on how to go about doing our revision and Internal Assessments (IA) — which, I feel, really gave us a leg up above the rest.
Yujun: Thank you! Like what Vivaan said, OFS has excellent teachers who supported me throughout the two years of the IBDP course. I don’t know how I could have done it without them! They taught us extended concepts during classes, which significantly boosted my understanding of the subjects. Whenever I had any queries about my Extended Essay (EE) or IAs, they were always there to help. My teachers were a lifeline that I really couldn’t do without.
Are there any outstanding teachers that you’d like to mention?
Vivaan: A special shoutout to my EE supervisor, who was an EE examiner herself! She gave me invaluable advice from her experience on how to hit mark bands, and even included exactly what the examiners were looking for. This helped me narrow down my study fields, and hone in on the key points.
Yujun: I especially want to thank my chemistry teacher. I was admittedly a little nervous about my university interviews, but she constantly reassured me. This gave me a much-needed boost of confidence. I also appreciate how she went out of her way to help me prepare for my university interviews.
Is there anything else that helped you with preparing for the final exams?
Vivaan: The teachers at OFS encourage a collaborative approach. In class, we often do our revision and practise together in groups, creating a positive-sum environment where every student benefits.
Yujun: My teachers introduced programs like the Prestigious University Program and Oxbridge Preparation Program, which were invaluable in helping me understand the requirements for getting into prestigious universities. These also gave me useful feedback on my personal statement, which was instrumental in my application process.
That’s fantastic to hear! We want to know more: do you have any tips or tricks for students who will be taking the IBDP examinations soon?
Yujun: Planning ahead is key. You’ll be faced with multiple tests and assignments — the deadlines just keep coming! — so it’d be best to come up with both long-term and short-term plans. For long-term goals, have a rough timeline for completing major components like the EE and IAs to avoid any last-minute panic. For short-term goals, plan out your day-to-day workload to ensure that you stay on course.
It’s also good to be flexible, and try different study methods. For me, I tried various note-taking methods, but found them to be time-consuming and ineffective. To counter this, I focused on thoroughly understanding the content and theory before even attempting any practice questions. A tip would be to study the content details until you can explain the entire unit to yourself without hesitation. Only then should you move on to tackling past papers.
Vivaan: Basically, prepare for the unpredictable. The IBDP exams will attempt to frame questions in unconventional and unfamiliar ways to throw students off guard. It’s hence imperative to have an in-depth understanding of the course content, and always seek help and support from teachers when in doubt.
As a general rule of thumb, make sure you’ve got your course content down pat by December of the year before you sit for the IBDP exams. This might sound like a given but hey, you’ll be surprised at how easily you can lose track of time!
Thanks for sharing with us, Vivaan and Yujun. And a big thank you to all our teachers!
This post is in partnership with Overseas Family School.
