Joe strives to use his foundational skills in the arts, and his goofy personality, to enhance the way that he teaches critical thinking and core content. His recent work has been with fifth graders, as he has taught fifth grade for more than five years, but the needs of his students have pushed him to work at a variety of academic levels as he strives to serve each student. A strong relationship is the backbone of a successful educational experience, and Joe makes it his goal to connect with every student.

Joe has extensive experience working with students in elementary school in every subject area. He has tutored upper grades (7th-college) on writing, reading, and Spanish, as well as some executive functioning and math work. Joe values communication and will put in extra work to ensure that his students are receiving personalized and high-quality academic support.

Before becoming a formal classroom teacher, Joe worked as a theater and music teacher for a number of years. He directed youth theater productions, specializing in musical theater for kids aged 8-18. Joe graduated from the New England Conservatory of Music with a Bachelor of Music in Composition and received his Master of Education from the University of San Francisco. He was a resident of the San Francisco Teacher Residency in the 2015-2016 school year. Joe has his BCLAD and speaks Spanish fluently. He often tutors Spanish at the high school level.

Joe has had some ‘pretty amazing experiences’ (his words) that most teachers dream of having. In math, he has worked with Ms. Marilyn Burns on a personal level many times. Ms. Burns is THE math teacher to know, having written the majority of the curriculum used K-8 in the United States. Joe has also traveled to Japan twice to learn Lesson Study, a Japanese form of professional development and lesson inquiry that has pushed Joe to think more critically about the sequencing and delivery of math instruction. Throughout these experiences, Joe has collaborated with Dr. Akihiko Takahashi and the staff of Mills College, experts in the field of mathematics education.

In his free time, Joe loves to walk his dog, Bruno, play video games, cook, listen to and play music, and paint. He uses his interests to find connections with kids and their interests. These connections are the foundation upon which he builds meaningful relationships with kids. Joe is an avid reader and writer too and excels when he can push a young writer to explore their voice, or when matching a burgeoning reader with their next amazing read.

“Joe is fantastic and I cannot say enough positive things. He connected quickly with my daughter, building rapport. He was able to understand her learning style to help her understand and apply the content, increasing her confidence and performance in the subject. Thank you, Joe!” - Parent

“Joe is an engaging, knowledgeable, professional, great tutor. We are so grateful for his help with our son. He is able to connect with him and engage him -- and we see tangible learning from his tutoring.” - Parent

"Joe is a great teacher. He takes the time to explain and clarify assignments. I highly recommend Joe!" -Parent

"Mr. Joe is an awesome teacher. He treats us well and will give you prizes whenever you do something amazing. He is a very smart person and will teach you the necessary skills and if you don't understand he will try to help you in any way." - Student