Amy Bratsos Creations

I taught 22 years in the primary grades in Glen Ellyn, Illinois (mostly first grade). Early in my career I got my MEd with a reading specialist K-12 certification. I always taught self-contained heterogeneous classes, but really used my reading training with all of my wonderful emergent readers! For a number of years I have tutored children K-12 in all subject areas, but literacy remains my true passion. For the past few years I have been tutoring a young lady from Poland and have developed my own curriculum based on her literacy needs. I have learned so much about the English lanbguage that I intuitively knew, but hadn't thought about...I have developed comprehension discussion questions and vocabulary work for a number of popular novels based on her interests, including "The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo" trilogy. I currently am busy as an adjunct faculty member at National Louis University. I teach in the literacy dept. (usually K-4 Literacy Methods) and supervise student teachers in K-8 classrooms throughout the Chicago suburbs. I never grow tired of visiting classrooms!

I am big on strategy devewlopment in all subject areas... I think it's important to use authentic assessment to pinpoint what students know and how they process information, and then carefuolly scaffold their learning , build on their successes, and help them become independent thinkers using learning "tools" effectively.

Yet to be added

I have a BA in Elementary Education with a double major of Elementary Education and Music from Millikin University in Decatur, IL and a Master's in Education from National Louis. University I have K-8 elementary certification and reading specialist certification K-12. I also have approximately 30 hours of graduate work taken after working on my master's degree in all kinds of subject areas including Writer's Workshop,Math their Way, Cooperative Learning, and Math/Science Integration.

I have three (almost!) grown children-one son still in college. I love animals-I have 2 parakeets and (an adopted) red-earred slider turtle. I just recently lost my 16 yearold very special schnauzer, Fritzie, but have been comforted by my "granddog" Tucker! I enjoy crafts, particularly kniting and crocheting, and always have a number of projects going simultaneously. I am trul yenjoying adapting and creating new materials for teachers as I get to know the TpT community.