Ms. Matsuoka holds a Master of Education degree in Inspired Teaching and Learning Sub-Plan with an emphasis in Inspired Teaching Practices from San Jose State University. Prior to completing her Master of Education, she earned her Bachelor of Arts from San Jose State University and completed her Associates in Liberal Studies degree from the College of San Mateo.​​​​‌‍​‍​‍‌‍‌​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‍​‍​‍​‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‌‍​‌‍‌‌​​‍‍‌‍​‌‍‌‍‌​‍​‍​‍​​‍​‍‌‍‍​‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‍​‍​‍​‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‍​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‍‍​‍​‍‌‍​‍‌‍​‌‌​‌‍‍‌‌​​‍‍‌‍​‌‌‍‌​‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‍​‍‍‌‍‌​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‌‍​‌‍‌‌​​‍‍‌‍​‌‍‌‍‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌​‌‍‍‌‌‌​‌‍‌​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌​​‌‍‌‌‌​​‍‌‍‌​​‌‌‌‍‍‍‌‍‍‌​‍‌‌​​​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‍‌​‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‌​‍‌‍‍‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌​​‍‌​‍‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‍​‌​‌‌​‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‌​‍‌‍‍‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌‍​‌‍‌‍‌‍‌​​‌‌​​‍‌‌​‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌​‌‍‍‌‌‌​​‍​‌‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍​‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‍​​‌‌‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍​‍​‍‌‌

As a Learning Expert Teacher, Ms. Matsuoka partners with the Subject Expert Teacher to find the best ways to deliver lesson plans, engage students, and create an environment where students understand and retain information learned in class. She utilizes her expertise in different pedagogical methods to provide individual or small group instruction to meet the different needs of students, while also establishing and maintaining standards of student behavior that is needed to achieve an optimal learning atmosphere in the classroom.

Ms. Matusoka believes that it is important to build effective relationships with other staff members to obtain advice and overall support. She focuses on keeping up with current research and findings, networking with other educators through support groups, and attends professional development sessions to better her teaching style and ways to grow as an educator. Ms. Matsuoka’s values align with BASIS Independent Silicon Valley Lower and she contributes greatly to our community. Ms. Matsuoka has worked for employers and parents that entrusted her with their most valued assets, their children, and she’s empowered to guide them to learn and explore their environments. She is successful at what she does because of how well she can make a connection with students and their families. She prides herself in being able to clearly communicate with parents to better understand how to support their child. She shows compassion and empathy towards students and builds on their learning capabilities and personal needs.

Ms. Matsuoka strives to mentor students and provide an exceptionally high level of support toward reaching their goals. She values differentiated instruction because it makes the learning experience more effective and is necessary to make students feel more successful, and allows for personalized instruction. One of Ms. Matsuoka’s favorite moments in the classroom with BASIS Independent students was when she held a lesson with her Grade 2 class where they practiced empathy and communication with their classmates and teachers. In this lesson, students learned that empathy and communication are linked to an increase in school success and a decrease in problematic behavior. Students were able to come up with some rules that helped create respect for one another and they wrote their suggestions down and created common rules to follow throughout the school year.

When she is not in the classroom, she likes to spend quality time with her two sons and enjoys traveling, watching movies, and reading.