I LOVE MR. SCHU!!!! To say Mr. Schu is passionate about reading, children, and libraries is an understatement. He embodies everything I want to be and since I can't be him I want to be his best friend. Truly, if I could have spent then entire CECA/CASL conference listening to him...from right smack in the middle of the front row.
Mr. Schu (really John Schumacher) started his career as an elementary school teacher before becoming a school librarian (only he can tell the animated story of this journey). He is currently is a lecturer at Rutgers University and the Ambassador of School Libraries for Scholastic. He uses his blog Watch. Connect. Read and his Twitter feed to pursue his life's goal, to put the right book in every child's hand.
His enthusiasm for connecting kids to books is contagious. He inspires kids to read because he genuinely LOVES kids books!
He reminded me of why I became a school librarian. Every week when I was a child my sister, my mother and I would walk a mile to the Mystic & Noank Library (mom did not get her license until I was in 3rd grade). We were allowed to check out as many books as we could carry home. I remember snuggling under blankets in the winter as my mom read The Little House on the Prairie books aloud to us. I remember how much I lovedThe Day Fletcher Hatched, one of the books I wanted reread to me over and over again. I remember countless hours reading as a child....laying on my bed and outside in our backyard. Those memories are filled with the love, light, hope, and laughter that Mr. Schu talks of sharing with students through books. They are the same kind of memories I hope my own son will have and I absolutely wish this for my students as well. (Side note: my sister is a librarian too...my mom and dad did a great job instilling the love of reading and learning in us.)
It is not about reading level, test scores, and phonics...it is about creating a love of books...they way they smell (Mr. Schu rates book by smell - truth!), they way they feel in our hands, and more importantly, they way they make the readers feel.
Mr. Schu connects with kids through books with questions like "What book is your best friend?" "What book did you ask to be read over and over again when you were in Kindergarten?" "What book helped you understand yourself?" "What is your heart print book?" I LOVE THOSE QUESTIONS!
My goal is to translate the energy and enthusiasm for reading that grew even bigger today into my work with teenagers. Just last week I gave a book to a senior and she hugged me she was so excited. That is the kind of excitement and joy about reading I want for all my students.
My favorite Mr. Schu quotes:
Mr. Schu (really John Schumacher) started his career as an elementary school teacher before becoming a school librarian (only he can tell the animated story of this journey). He is currently is a lecturer at Rutgers University and the Ambassador of School Libraries for Scholastic. He uses his blog Watch. Connect. Read and his Twitter feed to pursue his life's goal, to put the right book in every child's hand.
His enthusiasm for connecting kids to books is contagious. He inspires kids to read because he genuinely LOVES kids books!
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| My sister librarian, Anne Marie Doyle, Mr. Schu, and me. |
He reminded me of why I became a school librarian. Every week when I was a child my sister, my mother and I would walk a mile to the Mystic & Noank Library (mom did not get her license until I was in 3rd grade). We were allowed to check out as many books as we could carry home. I remember snuggling under blankets in the winter as my mom read The Little House on the Prairie books aloud to us. I remember how much I lovedThe Day Fletcher Hatched, one of the books I wanted reread to me over and over again. I remember countless hours reading as a child....laying on my bed and outside in our backyard. Those memories are filled with the love, light, hope, and laughter that Mr. Schu talks of sharing with students through books. They are the same kind of memories I hope my own son will have and I absolutely wish this for my students as well. (Side note: my sister is a librarian too...my mom and dad did a great job instilling the love of reading and learning in us.)
It is not about reading level, test scores, and phonics...it is about creating a love of books...they way they smell (Mr. Schu rates book by smell - truth!), they way they feel in our hands, and more importantly, they way they make the readers feel.
Mr. Schu connects with kids through books with questions like "What book is your best friend?" "What book did you ask to be read over and over again when you were in Kindergarten?" "What book helped you understand yourself?" "What is your heart print book?" I LOVE THOSE QUESTIONS!
My goal is to translate the energy and enthusiasm for reading that grew even bigger today into my work with teenagers. Just last week I gave a book to a senior and she hugged me she was so excited. That is the kind of excitement and joy about reading I want for all my students.
My favorite Mr. Schu quotes:
"Every child deserves to go to a school with a
full time school librarian and and library with a budget."
"Every child deserves to go to a school every day where they feel warm, safe and loved...And every adult deserves to teach in a building like this."
"Spread more books and joy."
"What will I tattoo on my students hearts this year?"
"What does your library or classroom tattoo on hearts?"
"What do you want your students to remember about your school library in 10 years?"
"Putting books in the hands of kids is an art."
"Standing up for reading lives of child is an art!"
"Sharing your heart through story is an art!"
"Share books filled with love, light, hope, and laughter!"
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Find links to books recommended by Mr. Schu HERE.
Find links to books recommended by Mr. Schu HERE.
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| Image from Mr. Schu's digital handout. |
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