Everyone has their favourite subject that they excel at in school. However, if you were to ask each student the subject they are most interested in, it will likely be rare for you to encounter someone that mentions biology.
In fact, it is common to find many students expressing apathy for the subject. When quizzed further on their thoughts on biology, you would likely find many agreeing the subject is boring and challenging to master.
Of course, such opinions are subjective and differ from student to student. However, they do crop up quite frequently that such thoughts have transformed into misconceptions that many students have about biology even before they open their first textbook on the subject.
If your child has ever expressed such thoughts about biology after attending their biology tuition, then you might want to consider sharing this article with them. Allow us to debunk the three common misconceptions that many students have about learning biology.
Misconception #1: Biology is a challenging subject to study
Many students are apprehensive about studying biology because they mistakenly believe that the subject is challenging compared to other science modules. However, that could not be further from the truth.
In fact, most who undertake various science modules often find biology to be more straightforward than physics or chemistry. This is because biology is less math-heavy and its principles are easily observable even for beginners.
Unlike physics and chemistry, which regularly require students to memorise and use formulas and math to underpin concepts and demonstrate an understanding of the topics, biology focuses more on using the students’ senses to describe what they see.
Misconception #2: Biology is a boring subject
One of the most common feedback we hear from students attending biology tuition is that the subject is dry and boring. Students have moaned about finding themselves bored and struggling to stay awake when they are trying to cram for their upcoming biology exam.
There is no denying biology requires soaking up a vast amount of information. This may explain why students often find the subject boring, as consuming a large amount of information in a short span of time can be mentally exhausting and overwhelming. This is why it is ideal to break up your child’s revision sessions into smaller chunks so that they are not overwhelmed by the material they have to cover for their exam.
Additionally, revision sessions do not have to be dry affairs involving your child having their nose in their biology textbook, as there is a high chance they will get bored within a few minutes. This is why our tutor aims to incorporate application questions pertaining to relevant topics to keep our students engaged and focused during our biology tuition classes.
Misconception #3: Biology is all about memorisation
Yes, studying biology does require a student to do a lot of memorisation. In fact, it is common to find the subject being taught as pure memorisation. However, memorisation is by far the least important part of studying the subject.
Even if your child can regurgitate everything they have memorised in an exam, it does not mean they fully understand the concepts and principles. If they are pressed further to explain their answer or apply the information into practice, they might be left confused as to how to proceed.
While rote learning is a common study method, and there are several instances where students have to remember facts, formulas, and figures, this learning style is only useful when your child understands how to put what they memorised into practice.
Furthermore, it is not recommended to rely solely on memorisation as a study technique from a young age, as your child may develop a dependency and carry this study habit to the later parts of his school life. This may become problematic, as they will be unable to analyse and think on the spot when faced with a subject that they cannot simply rely on regurgitating what they have memorised.
The scientific study of life is a fascinating subject, and your child should not let these common misconceptions of biology prevent them from learning more. By attending our biology tuition classes, they might even find out how exciting biology is and grow to like the subject.
At Pamela’s Place Tuition, we offer O Level and JC biology tuition classes, as well as tuition classes for other subjects like physics and chemistry, to help your child excel in school. If you are interested to find out more, do not hesitate to contact us and arrange for a free trial class for your child today!
