Want to save public schools? Build, fund, and open more librairies

When I was a homeless child. My mother would go to work, and I would go to school. Momma insisted that after school I would go to the library. It was safe, it was dry, it was warm, and the librarians were welcoming. Momma, would come pick me up after work. The bus had a stop outside the library. They all knew my situation, one of them went to high school with my mother.

Momma's Librarian friend always watched over me, fed me the most amazing books, and like clockwork she gave me cookies and hot chocolate. She never judged us, there go I, for the grace of god..... On our nightly walk to that wood bench at the train station that was our home on many a night...Momma would say what did you read today. I would tell her about the cookies, she would say that was kind of Marie, but what did you read today...Well I had Dickens, Poe, Langston, Hugo, Cervantes, the Hardy Boys, Sherlock Holmes, the Invisible Man, Frankenstein...these were my constant companions. These were my life preservers. Without them, and the kindness of those librarians...Honestly, I do not know where I would have ended up. Some might say these were my darkest times, but I am not so sure any more...they just might have been those bright moments that saved Dr. Jesse P. Turner...

Some people think you make readers by building their skills. Skills are necessary components of becoming a reader.
But, I say readers are made by how we invite them into reading. Cookies, hot chocolate, carefully chosen books to inspire, and that welcoming smile, now, these are the things that make readers who love books.

Librarians taught me that books are our constant welcoming companions. Lately, it appears new schools are being built without libraries in poor communities. At the very moment, when public library budgets and hours are being cut. I have urban teachers who are now saying Dr. Turner, there is no librarian in our library. If this is education reform. I want no part of it. These Education Reformers could learn a great deal from listening and talking to our librarians.
I know things, because I read,
Dr. Jesse P. Turner
CCSU Literacy Center Director

If you like to listen to the song that inspire my walk over the mountain today...its the Indigo Girls "Closer to Fine" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUgwM1Ky228

The world is what teachers read in their classrooms

James Baldwin said: " Literature is indispensable to the world. The world changes according to the way people see it, and if you alter, even by a millimeter, the way a person looks at reality, then you can change it.”
If you find yourself perplexed by racism in America? You need look no further than which books are being read in our homes and schools.

You can learn a great from what books are in a classroom, which books are being read,
Which books teachers are choosing to read with their students,
You can learn a great deal about a school, by listening to their morning announcements. Schools have a 180 opportunities every school year to either affirm and celebrate diversity, or not.
You can learn a great deal by looking and listening to what happens every school day.

I would argue that one teacher embracing diverse books,
One school embracing diverse books,
One class embracing our beautiful symphony of American diversity does change the world,
One teacher embracing diverse books in their classroom, does indeed change the world,
Diverse books in our classroom, will indeed alter the way the children view the world.

Teachers don't have to wait for a mandate,
Teachers can start changing the world one classroom at a time.
Teachers can change the world?
Teachers can fight bigotry?
Teachers can be the bringers of truth and humanity,
But, only when the diverse books in our curriculum, in our school libraries, and in our classrooms are being read and celebrated.

Diverse books can indeed alter how future generations see the world,
The reading choices one teacher makes can indeed change the world,
Truth be told, the reading choices one teachers makes also can indeed endorse a status quo that changes nothing.
Children are what they read.
Literature is indeed indispensable, literature does alter the way we see the world, each other, and ourselves,
What teachers read in their classroom, "can" change the way future generation see the world.

Teachers read the books that alter the world,
Dr. Jesse P. Turner
CCSU Literacy Center Director

If you like to listen to the tune that inspired my walk this morning its.. For What It's Worth- Buffalo Springfield cover by the Del McCury Band and Friends https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIdfulZ1c5c

TEDxCCSU 2019 Defending The Arts, Music, Imagination and Play in our Public Schools

It's Happening, it's coming, it's a night for spreading good ideas, and hearing and seeing amazing people tell their stories in 15 minute slots...
Only a hundred can come, but over 30,000 have viewed our TEDxCCSU Talkers online.
Get ready for TEDxCCSU 2019 Defending The Arts, Music, Play, and Imagination in our public schools.

Registration will go up on Saturday...But Some Teasers
2019 TEDxCCSU Talkers 

An amazing Bronx Principle Luis E Torres whose school PS 55 is renowned for Champion Steppers, for putting on unbelievable Broadway Musical like productions. A community school, not a Charter School, not a Magnet School, a regular public school where art, music, imagination, and play strive. Where Academic Excellence is connected to the arts. A school where children come first, and the arts strive. Why? Because the arts save Principal Torres's life.

Marcel Bonnici is an accomplished YouTuber, Guinness World Record Holder and CCSU student from Rhode Island. He joined YouTube as AstonishingStudios to showcase his LEGO vending machines. Boasting 600,000 subscribers, Marcel works with brands like Taco Bell and General Mills, and was recently accepted into Northwestern's Master in Robotics program. Marcel, the kid who at 11 wanted to be great at something, but didn't know what...until he looked down at his handful of Legos. You are not going to want to miss this one people.

Barry Lane that amazing troubadour of joy, hope, and song is coming back. He tells me a school without music is a prison not a school. Barry wants us to know music heals, music inspires, music matters. Most of all Barry Lane wants us to know music belongs in our public schools. 

We have two other great talkers, but hey I don't want to give it all away. Come Saturday I'll share all.
Also, we have two new exciting TEDxCCSU Team members coming on board. But, you'll have to wait until Saturday to find out about them. Both were former TEDxCCSU talkers themselves.

President John Adams said: "I must study politics and war that my sons may have liberty to study mathematics and philosophy. My sons ought to study mathematics and philosophy, geography, natural history, naval architecture, navigation, commerce, and agriculture, in order to give their children a right to study painting, poetry, music, architecture, statuary, tapestry, and porcelain."

We say it is time that painting, poetry, music, the arts, play and imagination become the core of every child's education in America. It's the music, the art, the play that give a child's imagination flight. This TEDxCCSU is dedicated to those who understand the Arts matters.
If you're HIP, you'll be in the house!
Have we got a show for you...Get Ready for TEDxCCSU 2019, 
Jesse The Walking Man Turner

An image and the word from one of our First CCSU TEDxCCSU talkers Dr. Mark Naison

Finally if you are interested in the song that inspired my morning walk today it's Nat King Cole's Mona Lisa https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EG-A_qTAKEI&list=PL6efrJmIOVCTEqHOot6GOG0_OGIRcbCue&index=4