Avocado Lab Math & Science

Dear Parents,

Recent developments over the past few days suggest that academic DSA may either be removed or significantly curtailed. Several parents have written to ask what this could mean for programmes such as Math Olympiad and Science Olympiad.

We have shared some reflections on this topic here:
https://avocadolab.sg/a-few-reflections-on-academic-dsa-and-the-future-of-learning/

We hope many of you will find the article thought-provoking and helpful as you consider what these changes might mean for your children.

🚀 𝐒𝐏𝐒𝐎 & 𝐃𝐒𝐀 𝟐𝟒-𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐌𝐚𝐫 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐏𝟓𝐬 & 𝐏𝟔𝐬

Dear Parents,

We are bringing back our Signature SPSO/DSA Intensive series for its 5th run.

𝘞𝘩𝘰 𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳: 🎯 P5s targeting a strong performance for SPSO or P6s seeking a DSA CO in STEM domains. Young scientists passionate about science are also welcome 🔬

𝘛𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘚𝘵𝘺𝘭𝘦: 🧠 It is a high intensity academic series. Unlike our usual Science Olympiad classes with lots of hands-on and groupwork, this workshop focuses on concepts, applications, scientific judgement and logical reasoning. It is especially valuable for students targeting schools like NUS High, where interviews test clarity of thought, intellectual agility, and how students respond to unfamiliar problems rather than simply what they already know.

𝘛𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘙𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘥: 🔥 In 2025, from our P6 cohort of 35 long-term students (with us for more than half a year), over 20 received at least one DSA offer, predominantly in STEM domains. We also secured 8 NUS High COs, with 6 of them coming from alumni of this workshop. The workshop probably helped. 🥰

𝘚𝘦𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘵 𝘚𝘢𝘶𝘤𝘦: 📘 Our 200-Page Full-Colour Guidebook is custom-built. Packed with concepts, competition insights, and carefully designed practice.
This is much unlike many other centers who simply recycle their school science notes and compile them together.

𝘊𝘰𝘢𝘤𝘩: 👩‍🏫 This workshop is led by our very own Coach Crystal, who spends an almost unreasonable amount of time analysing SO trends, O/A Level syllabi, and even selected uni-level material.

She also serves as a question setter for certain SOs, giving her rare insight into how strong questions are designed and what truly sets top students apart. 🏆

𝘋𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴 📅
25 Mar (Wed) 7:30–9:30pm
1 Apr (Wed) 7:30–9:30pm
3 Apr (Good Friday) 9:00am–1:00pm
8 Apr (Wed) 7:30–9:30pm
15 Apr (Wed) 7:30–9:30pm
22 Apr (Wed) 7:30–9:30pm
29 Apr (Wed) 7:30–9:30pm
1 May (Labour Day) 9:00am–1:00pm
6 May (Wed) 7:30–9:30pm
13 May (Wed) 7:30–9:30pm

Total: 24 hours ⏳

Cost: $2,400
Existing Avocado Lab students: $2000

𝐏𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐖𝐀/𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝟖𝟕𝟔𝟒-𝟖𝟕𝟐𝟎📲

🌌 What’s Up There Tonight?
✨ For kids who think the night sky has a story to tell

🚀In April 2026, Singapore will establish its first national space agency. Space, satellites and astronomy are becoming part of our local scientific landscape.

In this 4-part workshop, students learn to understand the night sky through observation and reasoning, using tools and techniques that let them make sense of what they see for themselves.

Students will learn to:

🔭 Build and use their own planisphere to answer “What is up tonight?”
📓 Keep an observation log
🌃 Learn to locate celestial objects despite Singapore’s light pollution
🌙 Create a Moon phase booklet so they can predict how the Moon will look on any night
🛰 Make sense of orbital motion and even estimate the speed of a comet from observations
🪐 Learn how scientists read the history of the Moon and Mars from craters and landforms
🧭 Map constellations, orient themselves, and find North without any app
📝 Put everything together into a final Mission Report of the night sky

On one of the sessions, weather permitting, students will spend extended time outdoors under the real sky, observing visible stars and planets and having a chance to look through a telescope while applying what they have learnt.

This is not about seeing many spectacular objects. It is about learning how to observe patiently, recognise what can truly be seen in Singapore’s conditions, and understand why.

By the end, students will be able to walk outside on any night, look up, and confidently explain what they are seeing and how it moves across the sky.

👨‍🏫 About the coach

Dr Dave Lommen holds a Ph.D. in Astronomy and has taught Physics for 15 years at Raffles Institution and Hwa Chong Institution. He is the former President of Astronomy.SG and still happily spends his free time staring at the sky.

👥 Best for upper primary to lower secondary. Keen younger or older students welcome.

🗓 Schedule (Thursdays · 6.00pm–8.00pm)

12 Feb · 19 Feb · 26 Feb · 5 Mar
⭐ Either 26 Feb or 5 Mar will extend to 9.00pm for the night observation session.

💰 Introductory fee: $650 for all 4 sessions

📲 Message 8764 8720 to register

This time, a deeper look at Crystal’s journey as a PhD candidate, and how Theodore’s love for learning has grown alongside her own.

What stood out in this profile is something we’ve been saying all along. Theodore’s path was never about shortcuts or early certificate chasing. His curiosity has always been genuine, and he has been allowed to follow it wherever it leads, even sitting in NTU lectures with undergraduates.

Crystal’s own story explains a lot. While doing rigorous research at NTU’s Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, she also teaches at Avocado Lab and designs some of our wildest science lessons. Anyone who has attended her classes knows the amount of planning, thinking, and experimenting that goes into them.

Which probably explains why her classroom at Avocado often looks like a laboratory accident. It is messy, chaotic, and filled with all sorts of gadgets, materials, half-built contraptions, and curious ideas in progress. Very much by design.

At home, learning looks much the same. Their space is part playground, part classroom, where play, exploration, curiosity, and deep inquiry all coexist. Getting stuck is normal. Mess is expected. Wonder is encouraged.

Crystal’s journey, and Theodore’s unfolding story, are a good reminder that meaningful learning is not a sprint. It is a long, joyful, and often messy adventure.

The Multi faceted Journey of PhD Candidate Crystal Tang and Her Now Famous Son Scam Alert: Fake email on ‘Tuition Fee Outstanding Payment’ is circulating at other institutions. Unsure? Call ScamShield 1799 anytime or check scamshield.gov.sg to stay safe.

Here’s yet another article 🙂 and a little more context.

We’ve been asked many times whether Theodore was crammed, especially in a landscape dominated by large, foreign, publicly listed education companies that promote drill-heavy models.

The answer is no.

Avocado Lab is a small, local centre. We are not built for scale or speed. We believe children can grow intellectually without excessive drilling or artificial scaffolding.

Theodore’s journey reflects this. He wasn’t trained to game exams or chase certificates. He spent years enjoying learning, thinking deeply, getting stuck, and slowly building real understanding. And yes, he is just as messy as other kids his age when they go wild on the unlimited snacks at Avocado Lab.

While we don’t spend heavily on advertising or flashy giveaways, we do give away plenty of other things: books we love, random fun gifts, time, attention, encouragement, and a lot of heart. We would rather invest there than anywhere else.

This is a quieter path. A harder one. But it’s the one we believe in.

Once again, congratulations Theodore 🇸🇬

S'pore boy, 7, is youngest candidate to sit for O-level equivalent math exam, gets highest A* grade Congrats!

A proud moment for Singapore.

Theodore, son of our coaches Crystal and Kwan, has achieved an A* for Cambridge IGCSE Mathematics (Extended) at a record-breaking age. This comes after his earlier milestone in IGCSE Chemistry, where he also set a youngest-ever A record.

What matters to us is not just the result, but the process behind it.

At Avocado Lab, Theodore has grown in an environment where learning is meant to be enjoyed, not rushed. He comes to class curious, engaged, and willing to wrestle with hard ideas. This journey reflects what we believe in deeply: no cramming, no exam factories, no shortcuts.
Instead, years of careful thinking, deep problem solving, wide reading, and learning to sit with difficulty.

In a world where loud marketing often overshadows real substance, we are proud to stand for a quieter, harder path. One that builds thinkers first, and trusts that results will follow.

If this philosophy resonates with you and your child, feel free to reach out to us for a conversation.

Congratulations, Theodore 🇸🇬
And congratulations to Singapore.

7岁化学小天才再创纪录 国际O水准数学考A*

We’re forming a small team of 𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐠 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐫𝐬. 🥚
Avocado Lab is recruiting 12 students from P4 to P5 for a special enrichment journey that blends:

• Big ideas from science, history and culture
• Thinking games and team challenges
• Speaking, reasoning and expressing ideas clearly
• Friendly debates and collaborative problem solving
• Learning to think fast, think deep, and think together
• Developing confidence, perspective, and a global outlook

Students will work in teams, tackle unfamiliar problems, exchange ideas, and learn how to express themselves thoughtfully and persuasively.

Teams that demonstrate strong learning and teamwork may earn the opportunity to participate in an overseas learning experience.

The programme is designed to be fun, supportive, and slightly challenging.
𝐈𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐞𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭.

Classes will be conducted by Garry, founder of Avocado Lab.
Please message or call 8764-8720 for a discussion.

We are very thankful for our P6 students this year.

Thank you to every student and parent for trusting us on this journey. We are grateful that we could walk this chapter with you. A special shoutout to our P6 Math Olympiad group. You were the wildest and most energetic bunch Avocado has ever seen and you brought us so much joy.

At Avocado Lab, we have no intake filter. We teach every child that joins us to the best of our ability. We believe in teaching not just subject content, but also good learning habits. The ability to think clearly and calmly, the confidence to creatively problem-solve, and to adapt to a changing world with new learning methods are all skills that are loving nurtured at Avocado Lab which will benefit all aspects of a child's life

Once again, thank you for being part of our Avocado family. We are proud of every one of you.

Detailed PDF at
https://avocadolab.sg/holiday-workshops
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🥑 At Avocado Lab, every holiday is a chance to learn in fresh and surprising ways. Our 2025 Lemonading Holiday Workshops are back, playful, rigorous, and filled with discovery.⁣
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🎒 Workshops this Nov/Dec include:⁣
• Creative Math Explorers (K2–P2) – puzzles, patterns, and games⁣
• Dangerously Curious Science (P1–P3) – messy, hands-on fun for budding scientists⁣
• X-Rays & Anatomy: Secrets of the Skeleton (P3–P6) – discover what lies beneath the surface⁣
• The Science of Ice and Snow (P3–P6) – cool experiments on states of matter and weather⁣
• Christmas STEM Craft (P1–P6) – festive fun with circuits, lights, and creativity⁣
• Happily Ever After Writing Workshop (P1–S2) – imaginative storytelling, Junior and Senior levels & submit your entry for a competition!⁣
• The Psychology of Scams & Illusions (P4 and up) – decoding how our brains can be tricked⁣
• Rubik’s Cube Beginner & Intermediate – learn or master the cube like a pro⁣
• Artificial Intelligence Primer (S1 and up) – an approachable start to algorithms, prompts, and creative AI projects⁣
• P3–P4 Math Olympiad & General Ability – fun and rigorous problem-solving⁣
• P5–P6 NMOS/DSA STEM Primer – For P5 NMOS and P6 DSA⁣
• P6–S2 AMC 8 Prep – In Jan 2026⁣
• Science Olympiad (P4–P6) – Strong track record for SPSO, NUSH and others.⁣
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📘 Get Ready With Me⁣
These workshops directly tackle weak results from this year and give a confident head start for the next.⁣
Math GRWM: P3–S2⁣
Science GRWM: P3–S2⁣
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Detailed PDF at
https://avocadolab.sg/holiday-workshops
⁣
WA 8764 8720 to register or ask for recommendations before the spots disappear!

🎉 Avocado Lab Holiday Programme 2025 is here! 🎉

This year-end, give your child more than just tuition—let them dive into a holiday filled with hi-touch, small-group workshops that spark curiosity and joy. 🥑✨

Across November and December, Avocado Lab is running a wide range of experiences designed to excite every kind of learner. From classes that smooth the leap into the new school year, to Math & Science Olympiad adventures, to writing workshops, puzzle challenges, AI Introduction, Rubik’s cube mastery, and even hands-on STEM exploring topics like X-rays, snow, and Christmas science, our line-up is as fun as it is meaningful. Every workshop is led by our own dedicated Avocado coaches, keeping sessions fun, thought-provoking, and full of discovery.

📍 Avocado Lab @ Guthrie House
📞 WhatsApp 8764 8720 for recommendations

See the full programme at

Holiday Workshops 2025 Nov/Dev Holiday Workshop Older Workshops are archived here

Congrats once again to Coach Crystal, Kwan, and Theodore 🎉 And finally the word Avocado Lab makes its way onto the shirts 😈

At Avocado Lab, Theodore’s playfulness reminds us that learning does not need drilling, cramming, or tiger-style parenting. Children thrive when curiosity, creativity, and joy are at the heart of education.

We value high-touch, personalised learning that nurtures both intellect and character — building thinkers who are resilient, confident, and dangerously curious. 🥑✨

Singapore's very own young Sheldon🤓