Brenda S. Wootan-Soto

HIGHLY QUALIFIED TEACHER – Science - Biology 7-12

Compassionate, intelligent, and professional teacher who desires to provide students with an excellent education. I have extensive experience with the education of children of all ages. I have taught and planned lessons for high-school, middle-school, and elementary students for fifteen years as a Children’s-Church teacher and as a teacher in other church classes. I intend to provide students with the knowledge and skills they need to not only succeed, but to thrive. This is inspired by a love of biology and high-school aged children. As a mother of three and home school teacher I have learned how to motivate and engage students in learning. I also have extensive knowledge and mastery of interpersonal and communication skills that are needed to provide the best possible learning environment.

Areas of knowledge via teacher preparation training include:

Curriculum Design and Development ~ Classroom Management ~ Student-Centered Learning

Student Motivation ~ Multicultural Awareness ~ Cooperative Learning ~ Student Assessment

Whole Group Learning ~ Differentiated Instruction ~ Integrating Technology

EDUCATION

Bachelors of Arts – Science , Secondary Education – Biology, Western Governors University, December 2013 –

Associates of General Studies, Cochise College, Sierra Vista, AZ. (2010)

Certified/Licensed Advanced Medical Massage Therapy, Desert Institute of Healing Arts, Tucson, AZ. (2001)

CERTIFICATION ASSESSMENTS

Completed Praxis II, 0235, Biology Content Knowledge, Passed 02/08/2013
Praxis I, PPST, Writing, Reading, and Mathematics, Passed 01/24/2013

NES (National Evaluation Series)Assessment of Professional Knowledge - Secondary, Passed 05/22/2013

EXPERIENCE

Biology Teacher, Benson High School, Benson, AZ

(2014-Current)

Secondary freshman biology student teaching.

Complete teaching responsibilities for six periods of secondary biology.

Student instruction, using various teaching methods such as lecture and demonstration, various laboratory experiments, and used audiovisual aids and other materials to supplement presentations.

Licensed Massage Therapist, Self-Employed, Benson, AZ

(2001-2014)

  • Providing pain management and rehabilitation to injured individuals
  • Extensive training and expertise with prenatal therapies, reflexology, hot stone therapy
  • Wellness training, and stress reduction techniques
  • Extensive use of anatomy and physiology training
  • Compassionate, present, and open for communication no matter what the situation is
  • Knowledge of business and business management

Full Charge Accountant, CFO Associate, Voyager RV Resort, Tucson, AZ

(1994-2001)

  • Business skills and accounting practices learned in a BS-Accounting program at Pima College/University of Arizona (degree not completed)
  • Full charge accounting for several individual businesses
  • Full charge accounting from billing to annual reports for Voyager Water Company
  • Accountant for golf course, home sales, restaurant, and store
  • Budgets
  • Weekly and to monthly statements

Supervision

  • Responsible for two other positions in our department; accounts receivable and accounts payable/payroll
  • Complete knowledge of all accounting positions
  • All work completed by these departments was assessed by me
  • Corrections or journal entries
  • Weekly or monthly reports were prepared for the CFO

Demonstration Teaching; August 2013 – November 2013

Secondary freshman biology student teaching areas included:

Complete teaching responsibilities for six periods of secondary biology and two periods of Honors Anatomy and Physiology.

Instructed students, using various teaching methods such as lecture and demonstration, and used audiovisual aids and other materials to supplement presentations.

Prepared course objectives and outline for complete course of study, following curriculum guidelines or requirements of state and school.

Administered assessments to evaluate pupil progress, records results, and issued reports to inform parents of progress.

Participated in parent/teacher conferences, faculty meetings, and professional meetings.

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

Volunteer, Shop-with-a-Cop, Benson, AZ ~ Pairing of a police officer and a less fortunate child who may have a negative image of the police. The pair has breakfast, Christmas shops, and wraps all gifts. Shop-with-a-Cop provides $100 to each child.

Volunteer, Pioneers Club, Benson, AZ ~ Christian based extra-curricular learning activity for children.

Volunteer, First Baptist Church – Children’s Church, Benson, AZ - Christian based learning for children.

Volunteer, Vail Valley Baptist Church – Youth Group Teacher, Vail, AZ – Christian based youth program.

TECHNOLOGICAL SKILLS

Microsoft Office (Excel, PowerPoint, Word, Outlook) / Microsoft Windows, Quick Books