Bell Book and Camera Productions

Bruce Janu has been teaching for over 20 years in the northwest suburbs of Chicago. He has taught social science and literature.

Originally a theater major, Bruce has used those theatrical skills and applied them to the classroom where he often dresses in costumes, sings songs and acts out scenes from plays.

Distinguished Graduate Alumnus, Eastern Illinois University, 2010 Outstanding Contributions to Education, John Hersey High School, 2005

PUBLICATIONS Crayons and Paper: Lesson Plans (2008) Facing Sudan: Lesson Plans (2007) Bring Out Your Dead! Recreating the Black Death in the Classroom (2000) Mouldering in the Grave: A Dramatic Approach to Teaching About John Brown (2000) The Constitution: A Cooperative Learning Approach (2000) Read All About It 2: Early American History Through Newspapers (2000) Read All About It! English History Through Newspapers of the 17th and 18th Centuries (1999) CURRICULUM MATERIALS PUBLISHED IN ILLINOIS HISTORY TEACHER “The Iron Horse Comes to Illinois” (2008) “Hull House and the Immigrants” (2003) “The Mexicans in Chicago” (1999) “Mary Livermore and the Illinois Women's Suffrage Movement” (1996) PRESENTATIONS “Forums: Alignment and Integration with Content, Critical Thinking and Skills” Chicago Public Schools (December 2011; January 2012) Lecture and Film Screening, “Crayons and Paper: War Through the Eyes of Children” Eastern Illinois University, (November 2009) Keynote, Great Lakes Regional Council for the Social Studies (April 2009) “From Teacher to Filmmaker” “Sudan and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights” Roosevelt University (December 2008) African Studies Association, Teachers’ Workshop (November 2008) Opening address, 28th Annual History Teachers Conference (October 2008) Genocide and Human Rights Summer Institute, Northern Illinois University (June 2006) National Council for the Social Studies annual convention (November 2000) “Bring Out Your Dead! Using Drama and Song in the History Classroom”

In addition to teaching, Bruce Janu is also a filmmaker. In 2007, his first feature length documentary was released entitled, Facing Sudan. The film documented the situation in Sudan fromt he perspective of those whose passions have led them to try and make the world a better place. The film won two "Best Documentary Awards" on the festival circuit. In 2008, he produced a follow-up film entitled, Crayons and Paper. This film looks at the life and career of Dr. Jerry Ehrlich, a pediatrician working in some of the most dangerous war-torn areas. In addition, Janu has produced several corporate training videos and also a few music videos---not to mention the many short films he has created for his classroom.