PrepNow Tutor - Josh K.
Josh is an experienced middle school science teacher who specializes in science and math. A former Applied Behavior Analysis Counselor, he excels at working with diverse learners, particularly in basic math and algebra. Managing student behavior in the classroom while still providing individualized learning and mental health check-ins has given him the tools to make intimidating topics fun, especially for reluctant learners or those with behavioral struggles. He has been working with students in some capacity since 2016.
Josh earned a BS in biopsychology from Tufts University, graduating summa cum laude. As an undergraduate, he served as an after-school program lead instructor for the YMCA of Cambridge; and, after graduation, he worked at a special education school near Philadelphia, providing one-on-one educational and behavioral support to K-12 students with behavioral challenges. In 2025, he pivoted to teaching 5th and 6th-grade science and elementary and middle school music at Girard College, a private boarding school. He is currently an 8th-grade science teacher at Maritime Academy Charter School in Philadelphia.
Josh fell in love with tutoring when he joined the Unified Sports Mentorship program and the Refugee Outreach Tutoring club in high school. “One of my proudest moments from that time was the culmination of the Unified Sports Mentorship program, in which a team of students from the special education department competed at the Vermont Special Olympics. We had a spectacular performance and brought home the Gold Medal in Bocce Ball!”
Josh’s approach is student-centered, holistic, and dynamic. His philosophy supports “the mental health of the student while promoting engaged learning, incorporating a diverse set of teaching techniques that give the student a chance to succeed regardless of their preferred learning style.” He incorporates Socratic elements to ensure the student is following along. “My student-focused teaching style encourages discussion and self-explanation, allowing the student to solidify a deep understanding of a subject as they recount and retell the information in their own teaching manner,” he explains. He makes a point to weave students’ interests into each lesson, which bolsters comprehension and long-term learning.
In addition to graduating with highest honors from Tufts, Josh’s academic prowess earned him several accolades in high school: the Governor Phil Hoff Vermont Honor Scholarship (2020), 21st Century Leadership Award (2020), and the Green Mountain Boys State Vermont Statewide Leadership Award (2019).
As the Tufts University Campus Center Manager, he received the Employee of the Year Award for the entire Office of Student Life. He was also honored to collaborate on and present a published psychological study on memory, music, and Parkinson's Disease at several neuropsychology conferences in Massachusetts.
Outside the classroom, he played basketball, baseball, and soccer and was involved in the Refugee Outreach Club, Environmental Club, National Honor Society, LEO Club (community service), and Astronomy Club.
These days, he enjoys music, sports, hiking any natural trails he can find, traveling, and art. “In addition to listening to music around the clock, I play guitar, a little piano, and write/record original songs,” he adds. He also enjoys winding down with painting, photography, poetry writing, and other creative activities.
Fun fact: “I spent two months before college on a 10-person, off-the-grid backpacking trip through the deserts and canyons of Utah. The course culminated with a 3-day solo section where we had to put our self-survival skills in action with limited food, water, resources, or support, wrapping up with a one-day marathon-length canyon hike before returning to society.”
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