Reviews
Students' Testimonials
Any questions or comments are welcome! I would love to hear from you! Please indicate your NAME, SCHOOL, EMAIL so that i can get back to you.
Alternatively you can leave a message at admin@thephysicscafe.com.
Yours truly,
Mr Dave Sim
Reviews from students who know the SECRET.
I used to struggle with Physics in J1, as it was such a complicated subject to me. I did not understand any of the school's lectures and they seemed really boring to me. However, when Mr. Sim started to teach me the subject, I found myself understanding the concepts involved instead of pure memorising, and Mr. Sim always managed to simplify even the most complicated ideas in the H2 physics syllabus. Mr. Sim made learning Physics easy and even interesting, and I started to do better during my exams without much difficulty. Mr. Sim was also concerned about my grades and gave me much needed encouragement during the days leading up the 'A' Levels. My experience learning in The Physics Cafe has hence been very fruitful and enjoyable, and I would definitely recommend it to those who do not already know about this learning centre! :)
Once again, thank you so much for your guidance and encouragement :) regardless of my result in March, I feel that you have really made Physics more understandable and fun for me :) Your physics lessons were indeed very helpful and enjoyable, I cannot even begin to describe how thankful and happy I am! Haha :)
Wishing you the very best for 2012,
HELLO MR SIM!!!
here's a tribute to you x)
You're seriously, seriously the most awesomest coolest physics teacher I ever had. After you took over I never skipped a single day where there was physics cos every lesson was really really important and helped me a lot. I think you were meant to be a teacher all along: you have the seemingly effortless gift of making students understand concepts even though you sound like you're just teaching normally most of the time. So I guess it's good you stopped being an engineer in the field of p and n type objects and depleted layers. And you have no temper at all haha, and I'm really grateful for the amount of patience you have when teaching my class.
And of course, there's those insanely amusing and funny times you shared with my class. I swear I've never laughed so much or been so happy in a freaking lesson before (of course GP is the exception but that's cos I'm biased towards GP) I think i'll miss physics lessons a lot. haha.
Happy teachers' day! (albeit a rather belated one) It's because of teachers like you that I finally see how important teachers are.
I do think your learning center will be successful! By word of mouth we learnt that you were legend hahaha. And although we can't kaoguang I'm pretty sure this batch will help spread this reputation too.
Mr Sim is a superb physics teacher that is completely different from your typical JC lecturer/ teachers.
Even though I was a consistent student in school, I was rather confused by the physic theories taught by my school lecturers and hence repeatedly scored badly in school tests/exams.
Rather baffled and frustrated by this, I was urged to find the best solution to improve my physic grade with the A Levels looming and this was when I was recommended to go for physics tuition at the Physics Cafe.
Astoundingly, Mr Sim was able to explain theories and concepts so clearly, it is as if I was introduced to physics for the first time all over again. The small class size also makes it convenient to ask any questions to clear my doubts, and hence making it much more effective than school lectures/tutorial classes. Mr Sim's teaching methods are also interesting, concise and easily understandable.
The notes he specially made for his students are another plus point, where school notes wane in comparison and can be cast aside.
By taking the very last minute resort to improve my physics grade in the last 2 months before A levels by not only going to weekly tuition but also the holiday crash course, one may say that I was very lucky to have obtained an A in my A levels physics; but the other reason would be because Mr Sim is such a good teacher! :)
The thing that struck me about Mr Dave Sim was how dedicated he was to teaching and helping his students improve. We had a class from 4:30pm to 7:00pm, following which he had another group of students at 7:30pm – meaning that he had barely half an hour for his dinner. However, he often extended our lessons and answered our incessant questions, resulting in him having less than fifteen minutes to eat. (Sorry Sir ><) The four of us started lessons with him with only a few months left to the exam, in other words, a crazy crash course. I was terrible at Physics, really really terrible, but Mr Dave Sim managed to help me understand various concepts through his precise, yet simple explanations. One thing that was particularly useful was the mind map he'd create for each topic, condensing the entire chapter into a single page of concise and extremely useful notes. Make no mistake about it, those mind maps were our lifelines on the day before our exams. It was pretty tough having such a tight time constraint, but Mr Dave Sim was extremely patient, going through multiple questions and repeating examples to make sure we got all our fundamentals right. Somehow, we covered all that was necessary, and did well in our exams. Lessons weren't only informative – they were highly enjoyable as well. The four of us actually looked forward to Thursdays! Mr Dave Sim made use of interesting teaching methods to help us visualise abstract Physics ideas. Videos, animations, models – you name it. He particularly had a knack for little magic tricks (too bad we figured them out though) which held Physics notions behind them. Learning Physics became fun and exciting. You'd want to have Mr Dave Sim as your Physics tutor, because really, he is an awesome teacher. Not only because of how capable he is, but because he truly has a heart for his students. I wouldn't have conquered survived Physics without his help. Thank you so much Sir! :D
Mr Sim's lessons are really great, he is an awesome physics teacher in that he really helps you understand the physics concepts behind each topic and also helps tie the different parts of a topic together! His methods to tackle questions are also very effective. He makes it really very easy to understand Physics and I've learnt more under him in 1 year than I could in 3-4 years at school!
He has completely overthrown my years-long belief that Physics is a subject not meant to be understood! Thank You Mr Sim, you're a genius! :D
Mr Sim is really the coolest teacher one can ever have. He makes physics so fun and easy to learn! He is just like a friend to all of us and it was never difficult for me to approach him with questions. I looked forward to his lessons every week because they were always enjoyable. Getting an A for physics was definitely a no-no for me but that was before joining his tuition. With his comprehensive notes, creative teaching and fun-loving character, how tough can it be! I love physics so much now because of him! MR SIM YOU'RE THE BEST ^___^
Mr Sim is a responsible and experienced physics teacher whose passion for teaching inspired many of his students to thrive for their personal best. As one of his student, I found his lessons intellectually stimulating, as he prepared well for each lesson and his interesting and insightful remarks successfully attracted the attention of students. He made learning not a stress but a joy, yet he encouraged each student to develop their intellectual potential to the fullest. I personally found the summary physics notes prepared by Mr Sim most useful, as I often felt suddenly enlightened by his brief yet in-depth analysis, and these notes serve as a wonderful guide for my revision as they helped me to clear and organize my thoughts. Most importantly, Mr Sim taught us a series of logical methods to approach physics questions, which I found extremely useful especially when our academic workloads are getting heavy. This method allowed us to effectively simplify complicated questions, and extract the most important information from the question in the shortest period of time, so that we can hardly be tricked or perplexed by those seemingly difficult questions.
I was really bad at physics (Averaging around S or E?) all the way till my J2 mid years where I improved significantly after attending the june holiday crash course where Mr Sim showed me how to solve physics problems in ways which I never considered before. He managed to make physics really fun and easy for me and I eventually managed to get good results at A levels which was a feat I never thought I could achieve.
I was that bad at physics! His notes were really useful, comprehensive but short enough so that it does not become a turnoff and it was really handy to refer to before the start of the physics paper. Thank you Mr Sim for being my physics tutor!!
Mr Sim has been my physics tutor for about a year now and indeed it must be said he is one of the most likable teachers around. The first thing that strikes you about Mr Sim is that he is indeed a teacher at heart. Mr Sim enjoys a passion, magic. We all know that magicians never like to reveal their tricks, no matter how trivial they may be. However, Mr Sim has on several occasions taught us a few of his tricks, of course not before performing them first. (Let me stress that this was of course done during our free time!) To many this may seem as an irrelevant point, to me it is a testament of Mr Sim's character. Teaching is in his blood, by it physics, magic, or other things. What makes him so special is not only his heart to teach, it is also his personality. Despite being our teacher he has still retained his youthful nature and is able to bond with the class on a whole new level. In my opinion, a teacher cannot effectively communicate his or her knowledge without first bonding with the class. I've never enjoyed a lesson so thoroughly and learnt so much at the same time. Indeed my journey with Mr Sim has been short, it has been an unforgettable journey. Though as a student close to competing my A level i'll "disappear like the pen in ear" (this is reference to a trick taught to us by Mr Sim), i'll never forget what Mr Sim has taught me over this period of time, and what he represents. (a rare breed). Bravo Mr Sim. A million thanks of gratitude (:
chris 09S06H (i mean every word =p) you're the best, RJC
From the point of someone who does not find physics largely interesting, I have to say Mr. Sim's classes are always interesting. I espescially found his lecture notes helpful because he combines the important parts of the topic together with an array of questions.
Mr. Sim was always more than happy to explain topics repeatedly until his students have grasped the concept sufficently and is ready to hang back after class to answer questions and clarify doubts. His tution classes, concept maps and regular class tests helped me pull my physics grade from an S to an A. Thanks Mr. Sim!
Mr Dave Sim is very clear in all his explanations, even for the H2 topics that are usually hard to understand. This helps me grasp difficult concepts more easily and be able to apply them in problem solving. Thank you so much for teaching me over these two years and I'll definitely recommend my friends to join too!
For me, Mr Dave Sim has been like a friend, albeit a very smart one, who was always there when I needed help. He doesn't give you the impression that typical teachers give (think: uncaring and unconcerned). I think this trait of his makes attending his lessons an immense joy. That aside, I would say that he is really very strong in his physics concepts, which diffused over to me via his super effective teaching style. The method that he teaches does not involve anything complex, and hence, there is no need to memorise much (except for definitions of physics terms, a requirement that no one can escape from). As a result, my physics results shot up from class average to one of the top. I would say, my concepts are so good now that this subject has become a breeze to me. In addition, Mr Sim, gives out great notes (something he's proud of too)! You only need to browse through these notes before the exams to sufficiently refresh your concepts. 5 stars! I think the tuition fees were totally worth the value that I got out of this experience. Thanks Mr Sim!
I studied IB Physics [HL] with Mr. Sim in the months leading up to my final exams. Before I started with Mr. Sim, Physics lessons at school didn't make much sense; concepts were disconnected and poorly organized, and were pitched a level that went way over our heads. My teacher told me, frankly, that he didn't expect me to do well. After just five months with Mr. Sim, though, I got the best possible score for my final exam of 7 points. Mr. Sim is a dedicated teacher, who was determined to give me as much time as I needed to do well. He has full confidence in his students' ability as well as his own, which inspires even the most unenthusiastic students. This confidence is not uncalled for; my friends and I showed a rapid and marked improvement in our test results even after just a few sessions! His notes are concise and well-explained; his unique and problem-solving-based approach ensures that the student understands the reasoning behind the Physics, and he tailors his style for each student. And not only is he capable, he's nice as well; he has a great sense of humour and boundless patience. He fielded even my most inane questions with perseverance. His ability to explain concepts from multiple angles allowed him to clarify questions that continued to trouble me, as opposed to a lot of the teachers out there who just keep repeating themselves until the student gives up and pretends to understand! He's also well versed in the tips and tricks of question setting, and is able to advise his students on common mistakes and even some of the more unusual ones, which was miraculously useful for our very tricky final paper. Thanks, Mr. Sim, for putting the sense in science.
The best tuition centre I've ever joined :D
Mr Sim helped me to understand Physics much, much better, and the grades kind of speak for themselves. During my 'O' Levels I managed a A2 for my Physics out of pure memorization of questions, and I didn't get it at all.
Definitely didn't help in JC! I am extremely thankful that I got to know Mr Sim.
He's clear and enthusiastic in his teaching and explains it in more simplistic ways to aid understanding. He helped me to improve my understanding of Physics, and also helped me enjoy studying it much more. I would recommend all my friends who need help in Physics and don't like it to join :D Hahaha, because Mr Sim is just that awesome.
YAY PHYSICS CAFE FREE DRINKS FREE BISCUITS(^^)
Mr Dave Sim is an amazing physics teacher who is able to explain Physics theories and concepts in ways that we were able to easily understand. His physics notes were useful, especially the summary booklet we received during the June workshop. They were clear, concise and most importantly, have the most essential concepts and answering techniques for each topic summarized in A5 booklets which came in really handy. Mr Sim also has his way of encouraging his students to do better and was always sending us emails and texts to motivate us. I've always been bad at Physics especially since the start of my J2 year. After joining the physics tuition class in May, I saw myself improving gradually over the months and surprisingly also found myself developing an interest in the subject ( I really used to hate Physics!). All in all I'm really thankful to have had Mr Sim as my Physics tutor and if I were to choose again, The Physics cafe would still be my choice. (:
Mr Dave Sim is quite simply, the best Physics teacher that I have ever had in the past 18 years of my life! The key feature distinguishing Mr Sim from the rest of the physics teachers that I have been exposed to is the unique personal connection that he develops with his students. His heart and soul for teaching translates into improved results and passion from his students, and his unique ability to understand a student's needs complements his incredible explanation and teaching skills. He is not your ordinary run of the mill teacher, he is an inspiring person who can actually teach Physics. He has made Physics an interesting and enjoyable subject and I have never felt such excitement going for Physics lessons which are both enjoyable and productive, something which is indeed difficult to find in teachers. No regrets! :)
Before attending physics tuition at The Physics Cafe, I was actually totally clueless to how I could revise my H2 physics topics and what to actually pay attention to for each individual topic. Instead, I chose to cram my school lecture notes as much possible to clear my Physics exam. But after attending Mr Dave Sim's lesson, I found the mind map on the last page of the notes extremely useful in providing quick and instant recollection of my Physics concepts. In addition, after being taught color coding methods by Mr Sim to do our notes, I found Physics easier to revise than before. I would definitely recommend Physics Cafe to all students :)
The physics notes are good and simple. They are so simple that me, as a Physics student, I only need 10 minutes to revise for each topic that is covered in the syllabus. Mr Sim explains concepts and uses analogies so well that concepts that seemed alien in school will be cleared up by the end of the session. I would totally recommend my friends that are taking Physics of any level to come and join TPC as I am sure that they will improve continuously under the guidance of Mr Sim.
Mr Sim is a dedicated physics teacher and he takes time to make sure that students understand each and every topic clearly. He makes sure that students understand not just the concept behind physics, but also teaches us examination skills so that we can score in the Physics exams. Furthermore he is more than willing to answer any enquiries and clear any misunderstandings. Besides that, Mr Sim is able to engage with his students well, adding sometimes humour to his lessons which make them more refreshing.
I got to know about The Physics Cafe and enrolled in it when I was in J1. From the start, Mr Dave Sim really helped to clear the conceptual errors I had in Physics and thus made the learning and solving problems a lot easier. His teaching style also made lessons more interesting and engaging. Mr.Sim is very approachable when we have any questions or queries and almost always stays back after the lesson to help us with our problems. I would definitely recommend new junior college students to come to The Physics Cafe!
The emphasis placed on exam answering techniques is extremely apt and good, and has helped me alot in tackling questions accurately and swiftly. Lessons at Physics Cafe are more structured and well planned as compared to other tuition centres. Thank you Sir, I will certainly recommend my RI juniors to you!
The problem solving techniques taught are very concise and effective in solving problems as it allows students to logically tackle problem. Lessons in the cafe are much more focused and give room for critical thinking (which is sorely absent in most school lectures) especially with all the grade A questions we have become so obsessed with!
Mr Dave Sim teaches in a very fun, engaging and inspiring way. I will somehow feel the strong urge and passion for learning during and after his lessons. Wonder if others do feel that way too.!
I used to fail physics and hate physics. During everyday exams regardless if it is a major or minor one, physics is the last subject I want to study. After attending physics cafe, I no longer dread revising for physics. Putting my school notes aside, i only have to rely on mr sim's notes and practice papers. I can still remember that I passed my physics for the very first time And finally reached the average score in my school! And that is the very first step to good results!
The Physics cafe allows us to understand the difficult contents quickly as compared to school lessons which is rather slow and draggy. The June holiday package really helps in us understanding all the topics to be covered (hope that the lessons are longer or more lessons conducted though). I would definitely recommend my juniors to come to physics cafe.!
Physics used to be a subject that I fared poorly in. The Physics Cafe has helped me understand and apply the various Physics concepts that I previously could not grasp. Lessons are more hands-on as compared to school lectures and notes are more summarized and easy to comprehend. I will definitely recommend friends with difficulty in grasping Physics concepts to join.
Mr Sim's physics lessons are always insightful, clear and easy to understand. He knows how to teach the different topics in the simplest manner and package the content as small bite size portions for us to digest in class. His painstaking teachings and the effort he takes to go through each assignment as clearly as possible is very effective in identifying our common mistakes and our misconceptions. Overall, Mr Sim is an excellent teacher and I will recommend my juniors to The Physics Cafe.
I highly recommend Mr.Sim simply because Physics is made as easy as ABC in every sense of the phrase, he will enlighten you on what is the underlying concept behind the concept that you learn in school he explains how certain formulaes are derived from with the pure basics and at a pace that anyone may understand so listen up people!
Anyone who wants to do well in physics yet they can't do it on their own, find Mr.Sim and he will ensure that you get the basics right and have the foundation to tackle the harder, more complex concepts of physics. All hail Lord Dave!
Mr Dave Sim is the best physics teacher in the world I promise you!! He makes physics so exciting with all his secret teaching techniques and yes I definitely will recommend The Physics Cafe to everybody
Mr Sim has really helped me for physics for the A levels H2 Physics. Though I've only attended his lessons from April JC2, he taught me almost everything I knew about physics. I've learned more in the few months leading up to the A levels than the two years in school. I would really like to thank him for salvaging my physics, and I truly hope I can share the good news with him when I get my results.
Mr Sim is an excellent tutor who explains Physics concepts in a clear (and humorous) manner, which makes it easier to remember. Lessons focus on exam skills yet do not depend on pure memorisation just for the exam. The notes are simple, clear, no-fuss, yet tell you everything you need to know!
I would definitely recommend anyone to join The Physics Cafe, whether you're struggling with Physics or just getting by, or feel that you just need constant practice and clarification!
He can explain the concepts using 'common sense' words. He gives good analogies (this is VERY IMPORTANT to me!) (e.g. explaining the concept of COE and DC using 'eating dinner', 'climbing an obstacle', 'having less energy' and so on.)
Mr Sim, you were great! I started attending your Physics tuition halfway through JC as I couldn't understand anythig about physics. In fact I was the last position in class as of JC1 end of years for physics. After attending your tution, I've really understood every topic very well that now my classmates would just ask me for assistance for physics, a complete 360 degree turn compared to last year. Thanks!
Mr. Sim teaches in the most systematic and easiest ways to inspire his students' interests for Physics. He teaches with passion. He shows this passion with his gestures, voices and great consistency and this motivates the students to work hard and concentrate in the class. He learly illustrates what A level and all other Physics exams are about and breaks them down for students to handle part by part, which not many other teachers are willing to do so.
Mr Sim, I would definitely recommend my friends to join the physics cafe. The Physics Cafe made me interested in physics again due to Mr Sim's enthusiastic and clear teaching. Finally physics made sense. The lecture notes are also very useful as they are not just summarized but include tough questions that might potentially come up for school exams and ultimately A levels.
At the same time, the occasional small tests motivated me and trained me to be more calm and focused in exams. A skill which I felt was of utmost importance in exams. Ultimately I felt that the physics cafe really helped me a lot in my learning of physics.
I think that the different mind maps of key concepts for each chapter was really important to help us to take note of what are the ways a certain concept might be tested in problem solving. Furthermore, the answering techniques taught also help us to better answer the question even when we are not really sure of the answer. The lessons in school teach physics but the lessons in the physics cafe help us to know what are the important concepts for each chapter, how to be exam smart, and how to answer the questions asked.
The Physic Cafe has helped me to tackle various exam question in which Mr Dave Sim have trained us to. I am able to better recognized the questions and able to answer the questions in exam better. The Physics Secret Enclosed is definitely of great help where it help us to recognize the questions with reference to the booklet and we know which part of the topic is tested and what are the steps/formula to answer such question. It is very different from the school lectures notes where everything is of whole chunk of information and not summarized. I would recommend my friends to join The Physics Cafe as it had made physics much more enjoyable and bearable subject.
Mr Sim's notes are straight to the point and serves as a concise form of lecture notes, making it easy to revise for tests and exams.
He is very approachable and i wouldn't hesitate to ask him any physics question in class!
Yun Feng, ACJC
Mr Sim's notes and teachings are really easy to understand and learn. :) They build the perfect foundation for your Physics syllabus. All you need is a little effort on your part and the A should be yours. I came to this tuition with a U grade and only 5 months to the A levels. Mr Sim has helped me get an A for physics which is nothing short of a miracle! :p You'd want to have Mr Dave Sim as your Physics tutor, because really, he is an awesome teacher. Not only because of how capable he is, but because he truly has a heart for his students. I wouldn't have conquered survived Physics without his help. Thank you so much Sir! :D
Since JC1 ,my girl in one of the top JCs had changed 5 Physics tutors. Mr Dave Sim is the sixth.Before she joins Mr Dave Sim's class she was demoralised and had no confidence in learning Physics cos no matter how much time she had spent in Physics she did not do well in her exams.After joining Mr Dave Sim's class in end of April 2010, She is gaining interest n confidence in learning Physics.She started to feel Physics is as intresting to learn as Chemistry which is one of her stronger subjects. Mr Sim's STYLE AND WAY OF TEACHING makes Physics a subject which is SO MUCH EASIER AND FASTER TO UNDERSTAND and hence can derive the answers by the FASTEST AND EASIEST WAY.Each time after his lesson,my girl is able to handlle better her school tutorials and also those self-practice questions. My girl always says " IF I HAVE MR SIM AS MY PHYSICS TUTOR FROM JC1, I WILL HAVE NO PROBLEM IN GETTING A.HE IS DAMN GOOD" In conclusion, I will STRONGLY recommend him to anyone who needs Physics tuition.
Mrs Tanaka, Mum of Yuki (VJC), (2010)
Mr. Sim is an excellent teacher in every aspect of teaching especially once I have tried to listen and pay attention during lesson. He is the one that made me understood what I couldn't for the past two years, PHYSICS.
If you ask any of the students from 6V I'm very sure they would say that they couldn't understand a thing when they see the tutorial but when Mr. Sim discussed it during physics period, it is all easily understood, even the challenging questions are easily understood when he is explaining it.
strive on to be the best teacher sir! thank you for the precious time=)
Mr Sim’s Physics notes are not too wordy, and more comprehensive compared to lecture notes. He is a very patient teacher, and does not mind re-explaining the concepts to those who have doubts. He puts in extra time and effort to make sure his students understand a particular concept or topic. Good luck on setting up your own Physics Learning Center sir!!!
Mr sim is able to explain the different concepts in a succinct manner such that students are able to grasp it very easily and he enables the students to apply the different concepts for different questions. He is also able to use analogies to explain difficult concepts. His notes are concise and comprehensive at the same time. Most importantly, he teach us very well, with great enthusiasm and passion!
He exudes charisma and is able to engage the students in all of the class discussions. Physics was made graspable with his unique yet effective methods of illuminating concepts with either mind maps or interactive media applications. He is indeed an amazing teacher who inspires and motivates students to achieve the best that they can.
The best aspect about Mr Dave Sim, is that he is a caring and concerned tutor. Always looking for ways to improve his teaching, he has inspired me to learn physics at a higher level in university. Always helping us out when we need, and joking with us often, learning under him was a pleasure. Besides physics, he taught us magic. I was touched by his love for magic, physics and teachin. thank you sir. i really looked up to you as a role model. wish you all the best in your dream job, but the future rj students are just unlucky if u decided to quit rj.
Mr Sim, you seriously make the syllabus content more understandable and clear!
Mr. Sim, your passion and dedication to see students improve is what separates you from other teachers. The notes that characterize your lessons are very concise and updated; they are extremely useful when doing revision. They reflect that passion you have :) Thank you Mr Sim
I think Mr Sim's notes are extremely concise and to the point. They highlight the most important parts of each chapter, and sieve out the redundant information. His notes also provides many examples which allows me to get familiar with using whatever knowledge i have learned straight away, so that i will remember it better. His lessons are always interesting, and he knows how to joke from time to time. His teaching method is very heavily oriented towards making you score well for physics, and though he does not usually talk much about the story of the theory, he produces results. Also, his lessons are well prepared and his use of animations and applets to help me learn are very appropriate. All in all, he is the one of the best, if not THE best physics teachers i have ever known.
Although I was initially skeptical whether a new teacher would be beneficial for me, Mr Sim has transformed my outlook for physics and have made once intimidating questions look surprisingly easily. His clear explanation of the concepts allowed me grasp the fundamentals of the subject, and apply them to many problems, even the challenging ones.
Mr Sim has provided me with the platform to succeed in this field of sciences, and have inspired me to pursue physics at a higher level.
Both you and the notes are clear and concise. and the analogies u used seem to fit well lol!
He explains everything clearly and slowly for all of us to understand and he will not hesitate to answer all of our queries, even if it isnt in the syllabus. HES THE BEST PHYSICS TEACHER! =D The notes are short and sweet. and the summaries are definitely helpful too. thanks:)
I started A'level Physics with some love for the subject, but it soon disappeared as I found the syllabus very hard to comprehend. Often, I was clueless about problem-solving techniques, and this showed in my dismal marks. However, with Mr Sim's help, I have made steady improvment in Physics, and now have started to enjoy it. It is very rare to find a dedicated teacher who is not only knowledgable, but who can also put across ideas effectively. Mr Sim has, with his succinct notes and engaging teaching style, the wonderful ability to share his passion for and knowledge of Physics with his students. I am very glad and count myself lucky to have had Mr Sim as my teacher in JC2! Thank you Mr Sim!
Mr Sim is definitely an above average teacher with clear understanding of physics as well as a strong grasp of the requirements of the 'A' level syllabus. He is able to 'entertain' the class with his magic tricks from time to time. I think the most important aspect is his willingness to learn to adapt and adjust according to the needs of each class so that they can maximize their learning experience.
Annoymous, RJC
Mr Sim's notes are succint and to the point. They are very logical and allow you to not just memorise the equations, but help you to understand the reasoning and derivations of all physics formulas. He teaches through understanding and logical deduction, not by spoon feeding of forcing equations down your throat.
Annoymous, RJC
Mr Sim has a very unique way of teaching, thoroughly going through the topic again and drillling his students with questions. Not only do you provide us with your notes, but also provide us with simple explanation and technique for problm solving that make every question seem so easy. Nevertheless, you are one of the most dedicated teacher i have seen in my jc life. Thanks Mr Sim for all the help:)
Annoymous, RJC
Your way of explaining the concepts are very clear and interesting. For example, the 'home' and 'hanging around' analogy you gave for holes and electrons is super interesting and easy to remember. For the notes, they are highly self-explanatory. It is important (at least for me) to understand the rationale behind each observation which the school notes fail to do so sometime (or maybe the school notes is too wordy to understand=D).
I trust you have the ability to be a wonderful physics tutor both in school and outside school. And I am so glad to see the opening of you physics learning center soon. I am willing to help out in your center if you need me in any way as it is also my dream to teach and apply physics in the future.
Mr Sim is a great teacher who was able to help me regain my confidence in physics after 5 years of mediocre results and poor conceptual understanding.
Annoymous
Hi Mr Sim, I'm from the class of 2011. Though I haven't taken my A Levels and gotten the A like many of your past students, and barely even had 3 months of Physics lessons in RI(JC), thanks for making the Kinematics module so fun & easy to understand. Your lectures were really the most enjoyable ones so far. =) I love your "stories" & the sms-quiz, and I think your explanations and slides are extremely clear and concise. If not for you leaving RI, I think we'd all be more than happy to have you as our Physics lecturer for the rest of the year!
Annoymous, RI (JC), (2009-2010)
Very organised-each topic is carefully segregated into the different concepts and you explain it very throughly with the many types of qns that can possibly come up in an exam. I like the tecnhiques you taught us such as the step-by-step procedure. It's very helpful in solving qns.
Physics finally makes sense (:
The notes are comprehensive, and summarised, with all the basics you need to know, and questions that serve to strengthen knowledge of basic concepts. Also questions are organised in such a way that students that we are able to see a pattern to tackle the different kinds of questions, and the concepts that are commonly tested.
The best part about the teaching is that complicated physics jargon isn't used to explain already complicated physics concepts. Mr Sim uses simple terms to explain the seemingly complicated concepts and even answers complicated questions simply so that we understand.
In short, he creates the 'Ohhhhhh..' effect, where through his explanation, something we thought was very difficult suddenly becomes so much clearer, making us go 'Ohhhhh..'
Dear sir,
I am sorry i just found that there is such a forum here to say something to you and your teaching as well. Frankly speaking, it's my great fortune to have u as my physics tutor in rjc. I heard many other friends' comments about their tutors. U make me feel that u are the best.
Responsiblility, sense of humor, and concise, simple way of teaching, i have to say i have never met any teacher who can make me feel that. You can always teach us with the views of students, but not teachers. Many teachers cannot reach that because they never understand where the students' difficulties are. Of course, besides teaching us physics concepts, u teach us many other things as well, such as socialising, values and attitude...Best of luck to u and ur funny but useful website. Thank you for your teaching.
Hello Mr Sim,
I benefited greatly from your notes of Kinematics and Overview of Jc1 Topics.It is really kind of you to upload notes for free. Your 44 page notes of kinematics have benefited me more than all the internet articles i have read for past 1 and half year.I would like to request for Superposition and Overview of Jc 2 Topics.I would love to write a short testimonial for you.
Lex
Dear Mr Sim,
Thank you so much for all your help and guidance throughout the past 2 years. I really enjoyed your tutorials that were always peppered with humour. You really made learning physics fun and less stressful. I am sincerely grateful to have you as my CT. Thank you once again, and all the best :)
Hi Mr Sim,
Here is Yaohua, Hope you still remember me. I am from 6O. Thank you for your effort in writing all the testimonial for me. I have decided to go to University of Waterloo, Canada to study acturial science. This is the school that I want to go most because I can study acturial science as a degree.
I will also continue to love physics. :)Hope you will have a batch less naughty but much smarter than us.
Hello Mr Sim!
Thank you for your guidance for the past 2 years. You have been a fabulous teacher! :) Couldn't have gotten my A without you. All the best with the Physics Cafe!
MR SIM!
Just wanted to say thank you-thank you - thank you so much for the help and guidance that you have given me! without it, i don't think it would have been possible for me to get an 'A' for A levels. You make the lessons more enjoyable and physics more interesting :) haha. sorry for all the trouble I gave you, including not doing some of the tutorials, talking in class etc. to express my gratitude, i shall spread a word around regarding thephysicscafe.com. Hope you continue teaching with a passion!
Mr Sim’s physics notes are excellent as he is able to present the main concepts in a topic in a clear, concise and compartmentalised way that does not breed confusion like the way some of the lecture notes do. This is especially important in the subject of Physics at the ‘A’ levels as a logical, systematic train of thought is fundamental to understanding multi-faceted physics concepts. His Logical Problem Solving system of thought is extremely effective in solving complex physics questions by providing a step-by-step guideline that is applicable to almost any physics question. Mr Sim’s unique and hilarious style of teaching is very effectual in getting the points and concepts across to his students. His ability of using familiar examples from everyday life to explain obscure physics concepts (like semiconductors and quantum physics) are especially effectively and memorable.
I think Mr Sim’s someone you’d have to get to know on a much more personal level to understand, because I think there’s much more to him than he shows to his class most of the times. He’s occasionally self-deprecating, which makes for a wonderful teacher to have, and his teaching methods are very effective. His notes are concise and to the point, which really helps in digesting and identifying the essentials of each topic. Personally I’d say he’s the best physics tutor in RJC (but yeah my grades don’t really reflect it (yet)).
I progressed from struggling with Physics last year (and hating the subject) to understanding Physics and being able to apply the concepts and steps that Mr Sim taught me so. I was lucky to have Mr Sim as my Physics tutor. Currently doing the IB diploma & got a grade 7 (highest grade in IB) in Physics in my recent prelims! Now Physics is my most favourite subject. Mr Sim made it possible by explaining to me in a step-by-step process and exactly how to apply what I learn to questions. Mr Sim is one of the best Physics teachers in the world! He does not dismiss your questions no matter how insignificant - and makes sure you understand all the concepts. He is one of a kind - dedicated to teaching & committed to making sure you do well. Thanks!!!!
Mr Sim never fails to capture the attention of the class with his innovative and interesting methods of teaching, keeping the class spontaneous by facilitating discussions with fresh ideas. With such a large number of students in his class, getting to know the majority would be no mean feat but he goes the extra mile to understand everyone, going even further by designing notes that are comprehensive, catering for the needs of his students. For all his hardwork, he has earned my utmost respect as a caring teacher for the past 2 years.
Mr Sim is a dedicated educator and a passionate physics teacher. He is extremely willing to help his students as evident from the setting up of his website. He does well in providing comprehensive explanations of physics concepts, allowing his students to grasp these concepts easily. He also tries to make most of his lessons interesting..
Mr. Sim is an earnest teacher who sincerely wants to help his students achieve better grades and understand physics better. He is able to clearly articulate and explain physics concepts that are often complicated and abstract. This had made learning physics in his class enjoyable, and made the study of physics less daunting. Also, his notes are systematic and well-planned, and deliver the few important concepts that one needs to know for a particular topic in a clear and concise format.
I feel that the physics notes you gave to us is superb, so much so that many from other classes have asked for it too. The summarised physics notes are concise and to-the-point, cutting short all the ‘long stories’ in the lecture notes. It is easily comprehensible and very systematic, making it very clear for the reader to know exactly what is going on. (On a side note, I feel that you should publish a A-level physics book compiling all your notes as I believe they will be in hot demand and will likely provide relief and soothe the anxiety of many other potential physics students in the years to come.) All in all, I feel that you are one of the best physics teachers I have encountered so far, as you genuinely cared for us and have tried to stimulate our interest in the subject. Without you, I guess my physics concepts will still be muzzled up. You helped to clarify and clear all the misconceptions that I previously had. I would like to sincerely thank you for being such a dedicated teacher. Thank you Mr Sim!
Mr Sim is able to present important, and sometimes very complicated, physics concepts to students in a very comprehensible way. His notes summarizing the key understandings of each chapter are especially useful, as they are concise and accurate. In addition, he delivers his lessons with much clarity, and even injects elements of humour and allows us students to digest information taught easily.
Mr Sim is a very dedicated physics teacher with an unique approach to teaching Physics, geared towards ensuring that his students understand difficult Physics concepts and score well for Physics. Right from the first lesson, he has given us the broad strategy for tackling exams questions as well as tips to learn Physics well. In the summarised physics notes that he types for his students, he is able to encapsulate the essence of each topic amidst succinct yet comprehensive explanation of concepts. In addition, whenever appropriate, he provides derivations to make his students’ learning more complete. That said, it should be noted that he does not ‘spoon-feed’ his students, because he constantly reminds them to write their own notes based on their understanding of each topic. Furthermore, in his classroom and lecture teaching, he goes the extra mile to find or create suitable applets and animations to aid students’ understanding in physics concepts, which goes to show his commitment to teaching. All in all, Mr Sim has been an excellent physics teacher with the ability to inspire and motivate.
Mr Sim’s popular physics notes are concise and comprehensive. He never fails to break down a chapter into different key concepts and ideas, making it easier for us to understand. Even a particularly difficult chapter will seem manageable and much less intimidating. He would even classify questions into different types where you would use the same type of calculations for. This simplifies things and makes it easier to tackle questions in an exam. I particularly like his idea of using a “SOP” to solve physics questions.
Mr Sim is respectable, responsible and enthusiastic physics teacher. He teaches us with extreme patience and this can be reflected when he explains to us the physics concept again and again until all of us understand. While repeating the concept, he never makes me bored as he explains it in different ways and sometimes teaches us through games. He really enjoys teaching, not only regards it as a job. He tries his best to prepare us for all the exams and tests and but never fails to encourage us even when we do not do well. No matter what kind of students we, most of us are moved and motivated by his passion for physics and teaching.
In facilitating our understanding, he prepares overviews which summarize all the key physics concepts for us. This is actually very useful for us in preparing for the exams. It is concise and whole-rounded. By learning by the key concepts, it is easier for us to remember all the important things.
Hi Sir,
It has been such a great joy having you as a physics tutor. I can frankly say, I have never had as much fun in class as I had during physics. All your jokes (whether they were funny or not :P) just made the class atmosphere so much more relaxed and every lesson was such a joy to be a part of. Your whole teaching style and ability to interact with and reach out to us students is just phenomenal, and you have taught us how fun and extremely enjoyable studying may be. Your templates and approaches have also made studying physics so much easier for us, and you have taught us how it is not too difficult to understand this subject after all. The great amount of time you have put into creating notes for us students and helping us in every way possible has been so heart warming to see, and I am sure everyone will agree with me in thanking you for all your effort and be eternally grateful to you.
There are only a few teachers who create such an impact with their extreme passion to teach and their great concern for their students' well being. You are definitely one of them. Your tolerance in aiding those who were not able to catch the concepts so fast, and your ability to make the class more enjoyable yet maintain the learning environment is something I will never forget, and will most certainly try to learn.
And once again, thank you very much for being such a passionate, student-concerned, thoughtful, and just absolutely great teacher. =) enjoy your holss!
Hi Sir,
Really hope that you've had a fun holiday in December (without 6E). All the best for 2007 and hope you have fun with kids in your new civics class^_^Just a few days ago I heard from Cambridge that they gave me a conditional offer(3 As, no S paper) to study at Magdalene College . I know better than anybody else that without the life-saving As in Physics I could never have made it. Thank you for all the interesting lessons that salvaged my remaining interest in Physics^_^ Last thing - if you ever come to China, muz come and find us! Linlin and me will be so happy to see you in Suzhou!
Hi Mr Sim,
Your physics tutorials are very useful, so useful that I don’t bother to pay attention in lectures. Haha. You stress concepts with much clarity in an easily understood way, and some of the tips you gave are very useful in exams. ^^ Many of my friends and I feel you’re the best physics teachers in RJC!
Mr Sim is a dedicated and meticulous teacher who has the welfare of his students at heart. He is a caring and approachable teacher, whose sense of humour has made him more of a friend to his students.
Mr Dave Sim is a very responsible physics tutor. Besides lecture notes, he has also prepared his own notes for all the chapters which are more comprehensive and knowledgeable. His teaching is very interesting and can be easily understood by everyone. His students like to discuss questions with him in class and even during lunch time.
Mr. Sim is always able to explain the concepts thoroughly, patiently and clearly to the benefit of the whole class. His simple and direct procedures towards the concepts enable us to grasp them quickly and remember them. His notes are concise and easy to understand, making them efficient resources especially as there are so many topics to cover.
Mr Sim has been a very dedicated teacher as seen from his patience in class. He is always ready to clear our doubts even if it means explaining again. He is also approachable and humorous in his lessons. His step-by-step approach breaks down complicated physics concepts, making it easier for me to comprehend and digest. The notes and answer keys he provided also aided in my learning greatly as they are concise and clear.
Dear Mr Sim,
Thanks for the email! Just wanted to say thanks to you too for being such a dedicated physics/civics tutor and council teacher :) I believe the whole ccad can attest to your enthusiasm for all ccad-related stuff, and I think many of us in 6H (including myself) would be very very lost as to some of the physics topics are about if it werent for your notes and explanations in class. Yup thanks for not giving up on us (especially last year when we werent really doing our tutorials etc) and for always encouraging us to do our best for stuff :)
Hello Mr Sim,
Long time no see! I went to your website and it looks great! You are a really dedicated teacher! Hope everything is doing great there! I miss RJ so much!
Have fun teaching.
Hello Mr Sim!
I dont know if you still remember me but I am really glad to be taught by you because you make physics "easy". Thanks for being a really dedicated teacher! I got an A in physics for my A levels (it was totally unexpected) . I believe that it is extremely crucial to practise and practise because there are really a lot of standard questions in the exams.
I was scoring consistently grades of below D, and did very badly in physics as i was unable to grasp the concepts of the chapters. However, things began to take a turn for the better when Mr Sim started teaching me. My grades jumped from Es and Ds to As and Bs! which is a drastic improvement for me. My understanding of the topics became very much clearer, and instead of just scoring in physics, I was able to understand physics better and embraced the subject. Mr Sim is a very responsible teacher, and even became a friend to me, even after my A levels.
The LPS is very useful as the lecture notes just has too many things and I get too stressed out about understanding and memorising everything. For the whole Physics 2 year syllabus the whole stack of my notes is <20 pages! It is efficient and very useful, the procedures apply to almost all the questions in the topic. Thank you Mr Sim!
I am Linlin. Hope that you are enjoying your teaching in RJC. I am currently in California Institute of Technology. I think I will either become a EE or MecE. I always enjoyed your teaching a lot. I wish I could be visit RJC again!
Hi Mr Sim!
This is Yunyan!(or Ms Sang???:)After a while it gets weird to call myself Ms Sang in front of you.But it's fond memory^_^) I'm writing to tell you that I have been accepted by Yale University. Thank you again for the one year of teaching, the recommendation letter that you wrote for me and all the help you have offered to me! I'm really grateful and hopefully I can come back to Singapore some time to thank you personally!:)Right now I'm in China enjoying the long holiday!
This is kai chen from 2S03D. After looking at this site, i must say i am really filled with respect for u man. Not many people are so committed, to the extent of ddoing things the way u are doing now just for the benefit of the student body. You were great then, and u are even better now. =) so please continue to do your best k sir!
I am Linlin. Hope that you are enjoying your teaching in RJC. I am currently in California Institute of Technology. I think I will either become a EE or MecE. I always enjoyed your teaching a lot. I wish I could be visit RJC again!
