Teens at Muir Wood enjoy game night
Beth Karzes

Beth K.

Multiple-Subject Credentialed Teacher – Northern CA Programs

Beth holds a Multiple Subject CLAD, Cross Cultural Language and Academic Development, CA teaching credential, and two Bachelor of Arts Degrees in Hutchins School of Liberal Studies and Art History. Additionally, she has completed graduate course work in Reading, Writing and Language Arts Curriculum and professional development in CA Computer Science Leadership and Coding, Courageous Conversations, ACEs, Trauma Informed Teaching, Humane Education, School Gardens, Social Justice in Social Studies, STEAM, and Animal Behavior & Training, Veterinary Management in Humane Education and CA Foster Youth Mentoring Programs. Her love of animals, conservation and being in nature, and having fun, combined with her love of teaching led her to work with two prominent internationally recognized and awarded Animal Assisted and Horticultural Therapeutic programs in the United States working with preschool to young adult aged youth, rescued companion animals, a wide range of farm animals, wildlife and wild mustangs, where she created, managed and taught award-winning education, environmental outdoor education and job training mentoring programs for young adults and teens. Beth comes from a family of generations of educators teaching in special education, colleges and universities across the United States. She fully believes, with all her heart, that education in all its forms, can transform a person’s life by giving them the tools to fulfill their dreams. Beth has been an educator for 25 years teaching all grade levels from elementary, high school, pre-college and adult learners. She’s worked in public schools, with charter schools, non public schools and nonprofits serving at-risk students and their families, from preschool to young adults, in therapeutic and education programs offering job training and full wrap-around services. Often working in non-traditional educational settings teaching students experiencing combinations of learning, behavioral, cognitive, neurological differences, medical, emotional, and mental health challenges, along with barriers of language, housing and food insecurity, generational trauma and poverty, addiction, race and gender inequalities, foster care, juvenile justice, incarceration and probation systems. Beth focuses on creating an inviting, compassionate, safe and structured student centered environment for learners to engage and explore curriculum that foster a love of learning, critical thinking skills and a future of possibilities. One of her favorite aspects of  working with students is helping them connect their interests and enthusiasm to lifelong learning beyond the classroom. A huge outdoor and animal lover, you can find her spending her free time with her family, including her rescue dogs,  along the Northern California coast playing at the beach, kayaking rivers throughout the United States or on the many awe inspiring hiking trails throughout the state. Being an art lover and visual learning she frequently attends performing and fine arts events and exhibitions, music concerts, Broadway musicals, the theatre, the San Francisco Ballet, Opera and Symphony at the many venues throughout the Bay Area and West Coast. When at home she loves to read, grow heirloom fragrant roses, sweet peas and colorful dahlias, yummy vegetables, fruit trees and blueberries and enjoys cooking and eating with family and friends and supporting local farmers and farmers markets.