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Josh is a great guy. He relates chemistry to interesting stuff, and loves to do demos. Very easy to talk to and is willing to go out of his way to help his students. By far the best chemistry teacher I have ever had.

very great teacher. I learned a lot. his tests are on the difficult side but he teaches you so well that you'll do great anyway. you should take chem from this teacher if you have the chance he is great fun.

Josh was a wonderful lecturer, however the computer program was a bit difficult to understand at times. A very fun class and a good looking fellow.

He was an awesome teacher really funny and always pumped if you plan to take 1A take it with Josh he is awesome.

So far, very awesome class.

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His tests are hard but his class is fun. He explains everything if you ask him for help. Great Class, Great teacher.

Thank God for this professor! Teaches only what is relevant to know on the exams. Warns when things are especially significant to know (test material). Interesting explosions:-) He is very approachable, patient in teaching, clear with lectures. Got an A.

Josh is a wonderful, fun teacher and a friendly guy. Material wasn't too hard, presented clearly. Be prepared for very hands on quizes and exams, but i think i learned more than from easy multiple choice tests. He is a Pyro...FUN! Stick around in lab to ask questions (he always helps) and watch "experiments". I highly recommend him!

Great instructor and lecturer. Very clear, funny, and organized. He is very clear on what will be on a test. Very few surprises.

awesome teacher! he knows what he is talking about and throws out irrelevant material. tells you what to study and gives practice test from previous years. has many assignments that help you get a better grade (you arent just graded on tests) highly recommended!

josh is an amazing teacher, his tests relate directly to class, no tricks or surprises. be sure to attend lecture and lab, they are very helpful, and he will answer any questions clearly. grades are based on lab, homework, quizes and tests, so you have a lot of chances to do well. TAKE JOSH!

Josh is a really great chemistry teacher. He is adept at balancing a challenging class but also a fun one (demos are really cool!)He's very approachable and always happy to answer questions in office hours or after class. Highly recommended.

excellent lecturer. Totally different person one on one. I'd recommend him. In person he's helpful, yet cold and distant. In class he's super helpful, just don't be surprised by the other Josh.

awsome teacher. actually makes chemistry interesting, which is a feat itself. definitely take him if you can

Good lecturer and awesome in class demos. But bring your goggles! He likes fire. Be careful on homeworks and quizzes if you take this class, you can lose a lot of points if you make small errors. Overall good teacher.

Josh is an awesome teacher!!!

Josh is a great instructor. Tries to be helpful when you need it & does not play favorites. Be prepared for FIRE when you are in this class! He does like his demonstrations and they tend to be dramatic (but fun!)

Great instructor. Awesome presentations!!!!!

Josh is a good teacher, with really interesting demos. Someone else said that he is kinda distant in one-on-one conversations, that is kinda true, he can be a little distant. Nevertheless, he will always answer your questions. His demos are really cool. His tests can be kinda of annoying because he weighs the multiple choice heavily. Overall, good.

Keeps you interested with great demos, there was hardly a class where something was not set on fire. =)

This is a great chem class. It is very detailed and sometimes difficult. Homework is challenging and due every week. Quizes are hard, based on the week's homework. Test problems are easier than homework, and he really prepares you for it. Go to the study sessions! He has great lectures with demos...a must see.

josh makes chem fun. take his class.

Wonderful experience! I took 30b over the summer with him. Josh is clear and precise with the material. Easy to follow lectures and laid back personality create a heightened environment for learning. Plus he's good looking so it never gets old showing up for class everyday!

Blaustein is definitely one of my favorite teachers of all time. He is extremely organized and the lectures are always entertaining due to his awesome demos and obsession with blowing things up.I would highly recommend you take Chemistry from him any chance you get.

take his class if chem is not your best subject. he makes everything clear and he's very organized. if you are a chem major like me, i assure you that you will learn everything you need to know. Homework is mandatory and graded but you'll soon learn that homework in college is a vital tool in understanding the material. josh is awesome!

Josh's ability to not use the textbook is really what helped me to excel in his class. He creates his own homework, his own labs, his own tests and quizzes. He's very organized, and because of the above, is able to answer your questions 100%. Very good professor, wish he taught 1B

The only downside to Josh is he often seems annoyed if approached during office hours. Other than that, he is a good teacher; explains things well, gives lots of partial credit, does fun demos. The class is hard, but the work he gives makes you learn it. Lots of points available, so lots of chances for increasing your grade.

Josh is a great teacher! I was terrified to take O-chem after hearing horror stories and not doing well in Chem 30A. Josh makes the class interesting, is well organized and covers everything that will be on his tests. Highly recommend his class!

loved him. his notes are easy to follow, and time FLIES. i am not good at chemistry and he made it easy. the jmol and s models (labs) really do help. attendence is manditory though because he covers so much in that short amount of time. he provides answers to the labs too. he grades fairly. the hw/practice tests are online. hw optional. TAKE HIM

Josh is great! Really hard class but he makes it interesting and fun. Don't worry too much about the standardized final exam- it's waaayy easier than any of his tests! I got a 96% on it, and never got above an 85% on his. Also don't slack off in lab or the homework- the little points add up quickly! Getting an A is totally doable- I did it!!

I took Josh's Chem 30B class over the summer-which I would only recommend if it's your only option. Cramming 16 weeks worth of chemistry into 6 weeks was mentally exhausting. That being said, Josh did a great job of explaining the subject matter as clearly as he could given the time constraints. Make sure you do the homework and practice exams!!!

Great professor! Had Josh for lab during the summer and have him to thank for my grade. He explained concepts very clearly and was willing to work with us for as long as it took to understand the material. Really nice guy who made chemistry bearable and fun sometimes (he loves to do experiments!)

Josh is an amazing teacher. He's laid back and has a natural sense of humor. His notes are very clear and easy to follow (he doesn't use slide shows). The tests aren't too difficult as long as you study, the homework isn't mandatory, and you don't need the book. The labs are all on the computer for 30b, and the time flies by.

Josh was a great teacher, very clear during his lectures and what he expected from you on each test. He was also really helpful if something wasn't clear to you.

Josh is one of the best teachers I've ever had. He writes awesome practice questions and tests that make you really have to think and understand the material fully. I recommend him to anyone taking Chem 1A. Be prepared to study but you'll learn a lot!

Josh is an awesome teacher, best teacher I had while at cabrillo. With that being said his class is not easy.Be prepared to study a lot and put in a lot of time into homework. Josh is very clear, he doesnt use the textbook at all. He writes his own material. I recomend him to anyone who is taking 1A.His tests are 100% from lecture material.

Josh is the man! i loved this class so much! Josh is hilarious and an amazing teacher. He is very willing to offer help. He tries to do some sort of experiment or demo every lecture and they're always very entertaining. I highly recommend his class. He is one my all-time favorite teachers!

Great class, Fun Demos, Funny teacher!

Great professor. makes chemistry so much easier. Would take him over Albi. The book is not really needed. The Hw and his notes are all that is needed for his test. The final is a multiple choice exam that he gets from the American chemical society which is easier than his test.

Very professional, can be hilarious and is engaging. Josh will answer any question. This class is hardcomplex: not completely nuts if you're used to science courses, but plenty of work. Grades everything you do, but is always fair and develops a system to make peoples' mistakes worth the same: (no matter who, same docking of points).

Josh is an amazing chemistry teacher and I wish I could take his class for Chem1B. The material itself isn't easy to swallow, but he conveys the ideas clearly and with an entertaining edge. He's very much available outside of class through office hours and STEM center. Most challenging part was the standardized and cummulative final exam.

Josh is a very humble person. As a professor he is very approachable,respectful and willing to help. He is very passionate about what he teaches and always strives to explain why things are the way they are in order to benefit the students. He is one of those people who are hard to come thru.

Loved Josh's class, one of my favorites! Class is very fun, complete with demo's and a wonderfully dry sense of humor. Homework was manageable, and if ever there was a question on anything, he was very quick to answer in office hours or via email. Tests were difficult and really helped to prep for Chem 1B! Great groundwork laid in this class!

Josh is the best! He's always there to help when you are stuck on a concept, he makes himself available more than any teacher I know. This class is tough the concepts build on eachother so don't fall behind. Thurouhly enjoyable, with fascinating demonstrations to convey concepts. Your mind will be blown! It also doesn't hurt that Josh is funny!

Honestly it's a pretty tough class, but he's there to help you. He gives practice exams with all the answers work out and lets students know what is going to be on the exams. Just make sure you study!

Josh's class almost made me change my major to chemistry. Thrilling demos, interesting material presented by a man who obviously loves his work. No curve balls on exams, practice test prepare you very well. Do be prepared to spend some time with the homework though.

So I actually wasn't much of a fan of his when I was in the course - he relies on you to understand the material conceptually rather than memorizing from the book, but this has actually helped me a lot in Chem 1B, so for that I would recommend him. Course is not difficult, but remember to read labs ahead of time.

Josh may seem unapproachable at first, but he is the funniest teacher in the block. His lectures never bored me because he ends up blowing something up every week. His tests are about half multiple choice and half free response. If you want to succeed, go to his office hours with a list of questions and he will gladly help you with the material!

Really breaks down chem so that it is easy to understand. Great teacher would definitely take again!

Josh is a great teacher. He thinks through his lectures, looks for the best ways to present the materials to a variety of students, and is willing to help with questions. Fun Demos. Great sense of humor too. I would take him again in a second. Be ready to work though, his tests are hard, but fair. Know the homework in and out.

I am more than half way through semester, I wanted to help others decide which professor to take. I would recommend him over other professors from what I've heard. Makes us memorize things, but that's expected. I would take him again. The past exams are very helpful to prepare you for tests, and you don't need the book. Just review notes and tests.

Josh is absolutely hilarious. I enjoy his lectures and he tends to blow something up each week. Hes a pretty nice guy and helps if you ask questions. The class is difficult or at least it feels that way, but I currently have a 98% so its doable with hard work. No need to buy a book. I tend to do the homework and go to SI when Im confused.

accurate reviews. understand hw problem/ how to solve independently. Go to SI hours for help!, more exposure the better. Memorization involved. take this class if competing RMP teachers have lower scores!! Weekly quizzes based on hw, pre lab& post lab quizzes. Get Book if u wanna study in depth, but i did not use it. u can get check it out at stem

We are very lucky to have such a brilliant chemistry professor here at Cabrillo, and so if you are given the opportunity, take his class! I really enjoyed this class. I didn't go to SI, but I did go to his review sessions, which were helpful. If you want to do well, do the past exams and review your notes and that's all you'll need. Finished w/ 98%

Straight forward, clear lectures. No required homework or text, but plenty of study material provided. He has practice questions for quiz study guides, and past tests for midterm study guides. Always makes time to answer questions before quizzes/exams. Lots of info in each lecture, so don't miss class! Tough material, but a great teacher.

He is very comical and always knows how to explain things.

Took my second class with Josh this summer. Way harder material/time frame, but still an amazing teacher. Keeps it interesting (ie lights things on fire) and takes time to help students really understand the concepts. Clear lectures, great communication, and an honest teacher. He is on your side and it shows. Take his class if you have the chance!

Josh is very strict on turning in work on time, and definitely has a character. But he is funny, fair, and good at explaining things. Offers extra credit on tests too. Best prof in Cabrillo chem department. And yeah, he often lights things on fire, you don't want to miss it.

Super funny, great lecturer, always holds study sessions before exams; overall amazing professor that I can't recommend enough.

Josh is a great teacher. He's funny, clear, and likes to light stuff on fire as much as his students like to watch him do it. There's a lot of homework, quizzes every week, and exams aren't easy, but he's a fair grader, holds study sessions before exams, and has extra credit on the test. I would recommend him to anyone!

I took both years of IB chem in high school and still found this course mildly difficult or at least enough where you still have to pay attention in class so I still had to work for my A. If you have little experience in chemistry, the course goes a little fast, so beware. His grading is fair and there is a lab just about every week. Solid teacher.

Extremely strict about homework and will accept no late work (late after the first 5 minutes of class). Gave us extra credit for COVID but typically doesn't offer any. Knows Chemistry forwards and backwards - you will walk away from his class with a solid foundation having learned a LOT.

His lectures are very clear and he always drops hints to future test and quiz questions during his lectures. His exam review sessions are really helpful and he posts practice exams before every exam. While work-heavy, this class is very rewarding.

Out of what Ive heard about the other chemistry teachers and taking the class I would recommend him. He does a really good job of simplifying very complex ideas and problems. Emphasize doing well and understanding the homework as they will show up on the quizzes and exams. keep up with the class and you will do well

Took the class over the summer so it was a condensed course. As long as you watch the lectures which aren't that long, you will do well. Makes the content easy to understand and isn't boring. Weekly quizzes and a few exams that aren't bad at all as long as you know the content and I never had to do my own learning outside the content provided.

Thorough lectures , plenty of practice material. Do it and youll do great in his class. He makes sure you really understand the material. 100% recommend this instructor.

If you put in the work and milk office hours you can expect to EARN an A. 10/10 recommend.

Josh is well organized, entertaining, and passionate; there are demos in almost every lecture. The one thing I don't like is that the exams sometimes try to trick you rather than test your knowledge of the material. Homework is laid out well to help you prep for exams.

WARNING! If you are taking this class just because you need it as a requirement for your major then you might want to pick another professor or be prepared to study. You will need to put in the work. Study the homework and quizzes and the tests and you should be fine ((: Josh made all classes fun and interesting.

Out of the very few Chem 1A teachers Josh was great. Joshs course lay out is very fair although you will NEED to study. (drops one exam, a couple quizzes, labs, and homework). This class did require a good amount of studying but that is expected considering it is a 5 credit course. If you put in the time you will do great. Great professor.

Good Professor with information-heavy lectures. Exams are difficult and often lengthy. You will not pass if you do not study the material and do the homework. I recommend him as a 1A professor.

Great instructor and gives good lectures and would often do lab demos in lectures to go along with the lecture of the day which was very fun to watch, he does a good job teaching just very homework based and it can be a lot but as long that you do good on the homework assignments you'll do good on quizzes and exams.

I took this fall 2023, I went into this class with 0 chemistry knowledge. While not knowing even the basic chem knowledge, I was able to grasp concepts quite well due to Josh having amazing resources and kept lectures interesting. Gives previous years quizzes and exams on canvas for next quiz + exam. Wrote my letter of rec even, great professor!

I took both Chem-3, and 1A with Josh. He is a really solid teacher that is truly passionate about what he teaches. Both courses were organized well and structured very reasonably. Exam/HW/post lab questions are challenging and designed to make you really think and understand the material. Regular studying each week is the key to success.

I have been super intimidated by science classes before, although the way he taught was clear. I often need things simplified to the furthest extent. I really applied myself because I felt supported. I give him credit for my understanding of class concepts out of all the resources provided as a whole. His humor and interest also makes lessons fun!

He is very engaging during lectures. He performs many demonstrations that relate back to class material. Labs are manageable. He is very willing to help and is hilarious.

I took this during my first semester here. The textbook on the syllabus was never needed. Josh's lectures were clear and taught what you needed for homework and exams. Labs felt straight forward but take CLEAR notes for the lab final. When choosing a lab, keep in mind quizzes and tests are in lab time. Josh's demonstrations helped me get concepts.

Josh's lectures are info-packed but engaging. Exams are tough, so studying the textbook, homework, and old quizzes is a must. I found unstuck ai super helpful for exam prep too.

Fav teacher at Cabrillo so far. You can use your lab notebook for your final so write down everything. chem is just hard but he explains very clearly and gives a lot of demonstrations. office hours are SO helpful. also the study guides he posts do those. only criticism: we dont get gloves for labs??

Josh taught the lab section of Chem30A. All you have to do is ask and he is there to help. If you're struggling and don't ask for help, you won't get much from him.

I agree with the person that said "harsh, but fair" - he's pretty strict on not giving second chances on assignments, but thats reasonable. Study guides are representative of exams. If you're confused on HW, just email him and he'll give good hints. Take advantage of his responsiveness and organic chemistry tutor for things you don't understand

He is nice--don't be afraid to approach him--& early. He can also come across as stubborn & unfeeling. Contending with whiny 18-20 year-olds for 9 months day-in/day-out would probably have me come across a bit jaded at times too. Josh, if you read this, be very clear about what kind of calculator is permissible out the gate! Don't be wishy-washy!

so great! inspired me to continue pursuing chem

I was prepared to dislike this professor. But Josh's lectures were amazing. The amount of homework was reasonable. He's always willing to help if you ask. I emailed him or asked him questions during lab a ton, and each time he was helpful and clear. One criticism is that the final exam study guide was a mess. Also he blows stuff up. A lot. Its fun

Josh is the best! He gives engaging lectures with amazing demos (if you love fire, this is your course!). He gives a lot of homework and post-labs, but I feel like they all fit together pretty well to prepare you for your labs and quizzes. Only gripe is his exams which are quite hard in my opinion and have some material he did not fully cover.