Group Math Coaching — Northbound
Polaris
A serious peer group for students ready to think out loud, defend their reasoning, and be pushed by students just as driven as they are.
The result is a student who works through hard problems more independently — and a parent who stops getting pulled into homework time.
Who Polaris Is For
For the student who is ready to be pushed: not just by a coach, but by peers who think just as hard.
This is for the student who often understands once they see the path, but hesitates when the problem changes. They may already be doing well in school and have a foundation solid enough to engage serious work with peers, but still need to develop the habit of reasoning out loud, defending an approach that might be wrong, and staying with difficulty in front of others.
They do not need remediation. They need a peer group that pushes them in ways a coach alone cannot. Hearing how another student of similar ability approached the same problem changes how they think about it.
Motivated middle schoolers with a solid enough foundation to engage hard problems alongside peers: students who can explain their thinking, tolerate not knowing right away, and grow from hearing how another student approached the same obstacle.
Their child is bright, but freezes on new problems, rushes into procedures, or loses confidence when the answer is not obvious.
Students who mainly need homework help, heavy remediation, or frequent one-on-one reteaching before they can engage difficult work consistently.
College at 14. Engineering at 15.
Founder, Northbound
Meet Your Coach
Joshua Smith
Joshua began college at 14 and was in full-time engineering by 15. While coaching, he kept seeing very smart capable students unable to solve unfamiliar problems. Most instruction focuses on the steps to solve a specific problem, not the reasoning to solve any problem. He developed his own framework to solve problems in advanced math and engineering and teaches this to students: FGS (Find, Given, Solve) define what you’re trying to find, name what you’ve been given, then map the path between them. Every student learns to reach for that structure first, because it works when the problem changes shape and rote memorization fails.
Outside of coaching, Joshua is an undergraduate studying Mechanical Engineering and Mathematics who is obsessed with aerospace and fast cars. He travels as much as he can, seeks out new food, and explores cities with the same curiosity he brings to a hard problem. His next trip is to Taiwan. Students tend to find him easy to talk to, and the work tends to feel less like tutoring than like thinking alongside someone who genuinely finds this stuff interesting.
What a Session Looks Like
What 60 minutes looks like.
Each session is built to make student thinking visible. Students are not passively watching a tutor solve problems. They are writing, explaining, comparing approaches, and practicing what to do when a problem resists them.
5 min · Everyone begins
Independent Start
One problem is dropped into the session. Students respond at the same time, which lowers hesitation and lets every student begin thinking before anyone has to perform alone.
15 min · The process in action
Framework Modeling
The coach works through the opening problem step by step, naming what we are finding, what we are given, and what approaches are available. Students see the process in action before they use it themselves.
20 min · Students teach
Peer Problem-Solving
Students work through related problems together, compare approaches, and explain their reasoning to the group. The focus is on how they think, not only whether they finish.
10 min · Staying with difficulty
Above-Level Challenge
One problem sits above the expected level. Students are not expected to solve it perfectly; they practice staying calm, curious, and methodical in the face of difficulty.
10 min · Ownership
Reflection + Next Step
Students close by naming what clicked, what still feels unclear, or where they got stuck. This builds ownership and helps them leave with a clearer sense of how to improve.
Students begin independently
The session starts with every student thinking before anyone is rescued. That matters.
The approach is practiced, not just explained
Students use a structured way of approaching unfamiliar problems, one they practice until it becomes their own, not just something they have watched a coach demonstrate.
The group sharpens the thinking
Students hear other approaches, explain their own, and get better at handling difficulty in public.
What's Included
What families receive inside Polaris.
Twelve weeks. Six students. A carefully matched cohort, weekly structure, and parent visibility built into the program from the start.
Cohort length
12 weeks
Cohort size
6 students
Session rhythm
Weekly
Skills Audit & Cohort Placement
Every student begins with the Northbound Skills Audit before enrollment. It reveals current mathematical thinking, readiness, and determines cohort fit. Students are matched by ability, motivation, and preparedness — not grade level alone.
12 Weekly Group Sessions
Each live 60-minute session is built around independent starts, guided problem-solving, peer discussion, and above-level challenge. Students write, explain, and compare approaches — not passively watch.
Weekly Problem Drop
One optional problem between sessions each week to keep mathematical thinking active without turning the program into daily homework.
Parent Updates
Concise recaps throughout the cohort so parents know what the group worked on, what kind of thinking showed up, and what the next challenge is.
Founding Cohort
Six seats. Built with the families in it.
Polaris is enrolling its founding cohort. Founding families get the closest version of this program that will ever exist, direct access to the coach, and pricing that will not be offered again.
Pricing and enrollment details are shared on your Skills Audit review call, along with everything included and the guarantee that backs it.
Our Guarantee
The right fit matters. We protect it.
If after the first two sessions Polaris isn’t the right environment for your child, we’ll refund your first payment in full.
Cohorts are built carefully. If something feels off early, we would rather address it than have a student in the wrong room.
Short Proof
The method was producing results before Polaris had a name.
These results came from 1-on-1 work. The problem-solving approach at the center of Polaris is the same one that produced them.
Challenge & Readiness
“I enjoyed his push to challenge me which helped me enhance my study habits and overall get me more ready for middle school. I learned about reciprocals ahead of time to help me when I needed it at school.”
Parent
“He made learning math fun. Super patient. Super professional.”
Get Started
How to start Polaris.
Cohorts are intentionally small. The first step is simply understanding whether Polaris is the right fit for your child.
Tell us about your student
Complete a brief intake form and pick a review call time so Northbound can understand your child's current level, goals, and whether Polaris seems like the right kind of support.
Complete the Skills Audit
Your child works through a short diagnostic designed to reveal current thinking, not just right and wrong answers. Joshua reviews the results and discusses fit.
Join your cohort
If Polaris is the right match, you receive your cohort placement, start date, and onboarding details before the first session begins.
Questions
Common questions.
The questions parents ask before taking the Skills Audit.
Still have a question? Email us at hello@northboundtutoring.com.