Josh

Experience

BA, MA at UCL and currently Phd candidate at KCL.

I began teaching ten years ago. Two years at an international school in Spain and one at a Kensington college. I have tutored for the past seven years through Keystone.

Specifically through Keystone I have taught:

- Oxbridge Economics Preparation, EEA (Economics and for PPE)

- 13+ and 16+ scholarship entrance exams.

- Economics IB

- Economics A level. (Edexcel, OCR, AQA, Eduqas)

- Economics GCSE (Edexcel, CIE)

- Economics Cambridge Pre-U

- History A level (Edexcel, AQA)

- History GCSE (CIE, Edexcel)

Biography

Over the past six years I have been studying for a Phd. At the same time I started a family and now have three children, aged one, four and five. The Phd, my family and tutoring to support those take up all my time at present.

Raised in North London, I went to board at Christ's Hospital School aged eleven. From there I went to UCL where I completed my BA and MA in history. My BA specialised in the history of the Americas, with a focus on economic and intellectual history. My MA was more eclectic, taking courses in sociology and at the UCL School of Public Policy courses in political philosophy. Alongside this I continued my interest in the history of economic thought at the History department and utilised the University of London's college system to sit in on lecture courses at LSE for economics.

I also took a year out between my BA and MA to take evening classes at Washington University in St Louis, while interning at the St Louis Post Dispatch newspaper. My internship covered the three months before and after the 2004 presidential election. The journalist I interned with also taught the evening class on ''covering politics in an election year'' at Wash U. As part of my internship I wrote under my own by-line, the highlight of which was being able to participate in an interview of the then US Ambassador to the United Nations.

Having completed my MA I moved to Spain and taught for two years there at an international school. I taught economics and history at both IB and GCSE/A level, with the school offering both paths. I later taught both subjects at A level at a London College for a year. After leaving school in Spain I spent eighteen months travelling in the Americas with my partner. I wrote my Phd proposal while travelling, returning to the Olin Library at Wash U for a month to finish the research for it. In 2012 we returned to London so I could start my Phd at KCL. That same year I began working with Keystone.

My Phd draws on various interests I had pursued at UCL originally. Focussed the political economy if U.S. foreign policy in the 1990's, it draws on case study examples from the Caribbean Basin. I have been awarded research grants that allowed me to spend three months in total over two trips at the George H.W. Bush Library in College Station, Texas. I also spent two weeks in Washington researching at the IMF and World Bank supported by King's, as well as two weeks in Little Rock, Arkansas, at the Clinton Centre. This past year I spent a further month at the Clinton Library researching.

Personal Approach

Over the past seven years working with Keystone I have become focussed on teaching economics, school entrance at 13+ and 16+ and university preparatory courses for Oxbridge for Economics and PPE. I do still teach history, but due to greater demand I now specialise in economics particularly.

Economics at A level and IB typically comes under one of three possible routes: students who want ongoing weekly lesson through term time; students who want focussed specific help to maximise marks in the run up to exams; and students who undertake summer courses to prepare for the coming school year. To some extent the route the student has chosen dictates the style and emphasis of teaching. However, the fundamentals to final exam success are always stressed: precise knowledge of terminology and theory, understanding of current economic events, and the ability to structure and write good quality analytics essays. For school scholarship and entrance exams the focus is overwhelmingly on being able to show through the written work the core skills that are needed for history and economics.

The EEA course is slightly different, designed to mimic more a university style structure. As part of my Phd I have worked as a teaching assistant on undergraduate courses and I use that experience here to try and provide a similar course. Each student is designed a unique course with a reading to prepare a presentation on each week. These courses should both cover the intellectual history to modern economics, for example, liberalism, Marxism and socialism etc. Each reading is from a prominent figure in the field, Hayek, Keynes, Polanyi, Piketty and so on. These readings and presentations provide material for personal statements and exam essays, while also practicing the speaking skills that will be needed at interview.

What I do when I am not tutoring

I have a daughter born October 2013 and a son born in May 2015. Between teaching, study and family there isn't much time left over. What there is in the evenings usually goes to the sofa with either something to read or a game of football to watch.

Testimonials

"Josh has been an absolute pleasure to work with. He has covered an enormous amount of work in a relatively short time and given our son some wonderful study skills in History. His enthusiasm for lessons has been enjoyed immensely. It is his ability to bring the subject to life for a young boy and inspire him that is most appreciated." (Parent of 13+ CE student)

I got the A* in Econ, and 5 A*s overall. I am very happy that you helped me pull this off given how little time we had! Thank you very everything! I will be in touch soon about what course to take or book to read! For now thank you for everything!

I’m sending this email to tell you that I met the offer from LSE! For Edexcel economics I got an A! I want to express my appreciation to you and thank you so much for everything!

Thank you so much for helping me out this year with my economics. I have be accepted into my 1st choice uni, and I couldn’t have done it without your help. I was only 4 marks off an A in econ!

"He has been absolutely brilliant. He is always very patient and kind. He has provided excellent lessons and the children have learned a lot. My son got an A* and an A in his History papers, without a doubt he would not have achieved this without Josh’s help." (Mother of 16+ candidate)

Josh tutored me when I was at MYP (my grade went all the way from a 4 to 7 after several lessons - Thank you very much! I am now in IBDP Year 2 and taking Economics HL. - Online student

"Josh is excellent. He is obviously a fabulous tutor. He is kind, patient and has high expectations of the children. They respond well to his calm, straight forward approach. They never complain about their tutoring times and we are delighted that they are making great progress!" (Mother of Year 10 online students)

"Well Josh was a big hit! My daughter really enjoyed her lesson this morning and said it was one of the best she has ever had!" Mother of previous student.

"I would like to express my gratitude to you for enabling me to being accepted to all 4 of the schools I have applied to. It really wouldn’t have been possible without your support and excellent teaching!" Successful 16+ Applicant to Rugby (Economics)

“Josh has been a huge help throughout my IGCSE Economics course, as shown by my A*. His knowledgeable of the subject and ability to explain theory clearly is one of the main reasons I have decided to continue to subject at A level.” IGCSE Student

''Just wanted to say how much we have appreciated your help to Pete and many a time when Pete was getting himself worried and convincing himself he was not up to it you were so patient helpful focused on the task with a wonderful knack of restoring his confidence. Thank you'' Pete's Mum.