What is the difference between the SN, TS and CST math sequences?

SN is the most demanding sequence and is required for the Sciences de la nature program at CEGEP and for most university programs in science, engineering and health. CST is designed for students who are not heading into those fields and focuses on statistics, finance and applied geometry. TS sits in between and leads to technical CEGEP programs. Students choose their sequence at the end of Secondary 3.

When is the Quebec Ministry math exam written?

In Secondary 4, not Secondary 5 as many families assume. The epreuve unique in mathematics is written every June of Secondary 4, in all three sequences, and it counts for half of the final grade. In Secondary 5 mathematics is graded by the school, usually through a common year-end exam. The only Secondary 5 Ministry exams are in French and English.

Do you tutor in English for students in the French-language school system?

Yes. Many families in Montreal speak English at home while their children attend school in French. I explain in English when that helps the student, and I keep the technical vocabulary in French so it matches the textbook, the teacher and the exam paper. Parents get their updates in English.

Do you also cover physics and chemistry at the secondary level?

Yes. I teach the science stream of the Quebec curriculum: Science et technologie in Secondary 3, then Sciences naturelles in Secondary 4 and 5. Forces and motion, light, chemical reactions and aqueous solutions are all covered, alongside the mathematics.

Montreal, Quebec secondary curriculum

Secondary School Tutor in Montreal

Q: What secondary school levels do you tutor in Montreal?

I tutor students from Secondary 1 through Secondary 5 in mathematics, physics and chemistry. I cover all three math sequences of the Quebec curriculum: SN (Sciences naturelles), TS (Technico-sciences) and CST (Culture, societe et technique). Sessions can be regular homework support or focused preparation for the Ministry exam.

Math, physics and chemistry tutor for Quebec secondary school students in Montreal, with more than 10 years of experience. I work with students from Secondary 1 to Secondary 5, in the SN, TS and CST math sequences. Regular homework support, catching up on gaps, or focused preparation for the Ministry exam. I tutor in English or in French, whichever helps the student most.

Secondary 1 to 5 Homework help SN sequence TS & CST sequences Ministry exam Math, Physics, Chemistry ★ 5.0 · 11 Google reviews

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If you speak English and your child studies in French

This is a common situation in Montreal, and it creates a specific problem: you want to help with the math homework, but the vocabulary on the page is not the vocabulary you learned. A fonction en escalier is a step function, a droite des moindres carres is a least squares line, and a preuve in a Quebec exam has a required written form with no real equivalent in the English system.

I work in both languages during the session. The explanation happens in whichever language the student thinks fastest in, but every technical term stays in French, because that is the term printed on the exam paper. You get the progress report in English, with the French terms named, so you can read the report card and speak to the school without translating twice.

The three math sequences: SN, TS and CST

From Secondary 4 onward, Quebec students choose a math sequence. That single choice decides which CEGEP and university programs stay open to them. I cover all three.

Sciences naturelles (SN)

The most demanding sequence. It is required for the Sciences de la nature and Sciences informatiques et mathematiques programs at CEGEP, and therefore for most university programs in science, engineering, medicine and architecture. It covers polynomial, quadratic, exponential, logarithmic and sinusoidal functions, analytic geometry (conics, lines, circles) and advanced probability.

Technico-sciences (TS)

The middle sequence, oriented toward technical and technological applications. It opens the door to several CEGEP technical programs in industrial trades, civil engineering and electrical technology. The syllabus is built around concrete problem solving: solid geometry, functions and optimisation in real contexts.

Culture, societe et technique (CST)

The sequence for students who are not heading into the science stream at CEGEP. It covers statistics, financial mathematics, applied geometry and everyday probability, and it gives access to the pre-university programs in social science, arts and letters. Two dedicated pages: CST 4 and CST 5.

If your child is hesitating between sequences at the end of Secondary 3, I can help you weigh their strengths against the CEGEP programs they are aiming for. It is worth doing carefully: moving from CST back into SN later means catching up a full year of algebra.

What we work on at each level

Secondary 1 and 2

Arithmetic and algebraic foundations: fractions, integers, algebraic expressions, first degree equations, and an introduction to plane geometry (angles, triangles, quadrilaterals, perimeter and area). This is where the gaps form that turn into real trouble in Secondary 4 and 5. Catching them early is far cheaper than catching them late.

Secondary 3

Relations and functions, factoring polynomials, the Pythagorean theorem, similar triangles, statistics and correlation. In science, the Science et technologie course introduces the basics of physics and chemistry. This is also the year before the sequence choice, so finding the weak spots before June of Secondary 3 is a strategic move, not just an academic one.

Secondary 4, SN sequence

Factoring and rational expressions, second degree equations and inequalities, systems of equations, similarity and congruence of triangles, metric relations and trigonometry, two variable statistics. In science: forces and motion, chemical reactions, properties of matter. The jump in abstraction is steep, and the year ends with the Ministry exam that counts for half the final grade.

Dedicated page: SN4 math tutor →

Secondary 5, the gateway to CEGEP

Exponential, logarithmic and sinusoidal functions, analytic geometry (conics, lines, circles), vectors, probability and distributions. Unlike Secondary 4, there is no Ministry exam in mathematics at this level: the school sets the evaluation, usually a common year-end exam. That makes the grade more decisive rather than less, because it is the one CEGEPs read when they decide on admission to Sciences de la nature.

SN5 math → Secondary 5 chemistry → Secondary 5 physics →

In French

Free corrected exercises for every secondary chapter

One exercise set per chapter of the Quebec curriculum, built like a real evaluation: 10 questions marked out of 100, a first part on the fundamentals and a second at exam level, with a full worked solution for every question. Each chapter also has a revision sheet naming the exact mistakes that cost marks. Everything is free, with no sign-up, and it is written in French because that is the language of your child's exam paper.

Corrected exercise sets → Revision sheets → English exercises →

The Ministry exam: what parents need to know

The epreuve unique in mathematics, set by Quebec's Ministere de l'Education, is written every June in Secondary 4, by every student in the province, in all three sequences. It is a standardised exam, identical across Quebec, and it counts for half the final grade. In Secondary 5, mathematics is assessed by the school; the only Ministry exams at that level are in French and English.

What makes it distinctive is the contextualised problem: the student is handed a real world situation and has to model it from the information given. It is not a formula drill. They have to choose the approach, justify it, and present a complete written solution. That skill is trained differently from ordinary homework questions, and it is the single biggest reason strong students underperform on this exam.

The grade matters beyond the report card. It weighs on CEGEP admission to programs with limited places, Sciences de la nature above all. A weak result closes doors that are hard to reopen. I work specifically on the question types used in the Ministry exam, using the papers from previous years.

Effective preparation starts 6 to 8 weeks before the exam. We audit the shaky topics, work through complete past papers under exam conditions, and train time management and the written presentation of solutions, which is marked and is where many students quietly lose points.

Preparing the jump from secondary to CEGEP

The move from secondary school to CEGEP is hard in mathematics. The pace is far faster, the material more abstract, and the expected level of independence much higher. Plenty of students who did well in secondary find themselves struggling within the first weeks of Calculus I (NYA).

The main reason is a set of topics barely covered in Quebec secondary school but assumed known on arrival at CEGEP. Limits, trigonometric functions in radians, the properties of logarithms, certain algebraic identities: these are the exact points where students stall in the opening weeks of NYA.

I offer a transition track for Secondary 5 students who want to arrive at CEGEP ready. We consolidate the secondary foundations while introducing the bridging topics that make the first calculus course readable instead of alarming.

See the CEGEP tutoring page →

How the sessions work

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Regular homework support

For students who want steady follow-up, we work directly on the homework and the exercises from class. I do not do the homework for them: I work alongside them so they understand it and can reproduce it alone on the exam, which is the only place it counts.

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Targeted catch-up on gaps

When a student has accumulated gaps, we start by finding out what is genuinely understood and what only looks understood. Then we rebuild from the foundations that actually matter, without spending sessions on what is already solid.

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Intensive exam preparation

In the weeks before a major exam, sessions focus on the most frequent question types, time management and the common mistakes that cost marks. For the Ministry exam, we work on real past papers under real conditions.

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Support between sessions, included

Students can message me between sessions with any question: a problem they are stuck on the night before a test, a concept to check, an answer to confirm. This is included in the rate, at no extra charge.

Frequently asked questions

What secondary school levels do you tutor in Montreal?

Secondary 1 through Secondary 5, in mathematics, physics and chemistry, across the SN, TS and CST sequences. Sessions can be regular homework support or focused preparation for the Ministry exam, depending on what the student needs.

What is the difference between the SN, TS and CST sequences?

SN is required for Sciences de la nature at CEGEP and for most university programs in science, engineering and health. CST is for students not heading into those fields, and covers statistics, finance and applied geometry. TS sits in between and leads to technical CEGEP programs. If your child is undecided, I can help weigh the options against their goals.

When is the Ministry math exam written?

In Secondary 4, not Secondary 5 as many families assume. It is written every June of Secondary 4, in all three sequences, and counts for half the final grade. In Secondary 5, mathematics is assessed by the school, usually with a common year-end exam. The only Secondary 5 Ministry exams are in French and English. I prepare students for both.

Do you tutor in English for students who study in French?

Yes, and it is a common arrangement in Montreal. I explain in whichever language the student thinks fastest in, while keeping every technical term in French so it matches the textbook and the exam paper. Parents get their updates in English.

Do you also cover physics and chemistry?

Yes. Science et technologie in Secondary 3, then Sciences naturelles in Secondary 4 and 5. Forces, motion, light, chemical reactions and aqueous solutions, all within the Quebec science curriculum. Having one tutor for mathematics and the sciences keeps the schedule simple in exam season.