Using Mentor Texts to Teach Writing and Enhance Creativity

"Mentor text" is a buzz-word in education circles, but what does it mean? How can teachers use mentor texts effectively in the classroom to teach reading and writing?

Free PD Presentation on Using Mentor Texts

I recently had the opportunity to explore the topic of mentor texts and create a professional development presentation for my Idaho Coaching Network class. The result is "Using Mentor Texts to Enhance Creativity," and it's free to you from Christian Teacher, Public School for educational or PD use.

This presentation focuses on teaching writing using mentor texts such as "Four Eyes" by Nikki Grimes, "April Rain Song" by Langston Hughes, "Hope is the Thing with Feathers" by Emily Dickinson, and "The Rainy Day" by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. The grade-level examples are approximately third-sixth, though the principles for using mentor texts extend lower and higher.

It's twenty-four below here in southern Idaho, and the snow is reaching record depths, but my mind turned toward spring when creating this Google Slides presentation. Hence the rainy-day, umbrellas-and-rubber boots theme. I hope you enjoy!

Know of a great strategy or resource to use with mentor texts? Have a favorite mentor text that you use in your classroom? Share in the comments!

More teacher resources:
Free Ninth Grade Vocabulary Presentation with Lots of Images to Help Kids Learn Words
Visit Brevity on Teachers Pay Teachers
Freebies from Dover Publishing

Research-Based Gems

Here are some of the nuggets of evidence-based thinking I've salted away from various teacher trainings recently. Each one can be linked to a Scriptural principle. Each one could be its own blog post, and maybe someday it will be.

*Cultivate a growth mindset, not a fixed mindset
*Cultivate perseverance (or, to use a buzzword, grit)
*Listen to understand
*Foster connections--to the text, to self, to prior knowledge, to the world
*Take time for scaffolding
*View failure as a stepping stone
*Teach precision, especially of terminology and academic vocabulary
*Embrace productive struggle

This list is saved on my phone, so when a PD trainer shares a new gem based on brain research, I can instantly update my toolbox. Hope there's something here for you!