Valerie Butrón

Affiliation

Will County ROE Education Innovation Service Center

Biography

Authentic stories, honest representation, and inclusion of multiethnic children and their families in bilingual children's literature matters. As a bilingual author for Tumbao Bilingual Books, I build bridges between people, places and things. Professionally I've built bridges as a bilingual classroom teacher, Spanish teacher, family and community engagement manager, district instructional coach, school improvement specialist, district EL program coordinator, high school dean, and social-emotional learning coach. I currently create and lead professional development trainings on a wide range of topics as an education consultant. I enjoy teaching adult education in Spanish Language Arts and ESL as an adjunct instructor for Prairie State College and recently joined University of St. Francis as an adjunct ESL professor teaching endorsement courses. I began my journey as an educator in 2002, working as a tutor for international students enrolled in ESL courses at the University of Illinois at Chicago; helping others construct their own socio-linguistic bridges. Bridge-building work is challenging and deeply personal.