Yes, we can teach standards with mentor texts. Of course, please, align them and use them purposefully and intentionally in your planning. You know, I’m an instructional coach so, I’m like, yes, do that. [continue reading]

However, use of mentor texts like picture books (at any level), poetry, essays, excerpts of essays, multimedia sources, speeches, quotes, etc… can ignite change. It can ignite change not just because you read them to or with your children (AKA your scholars 🖤). It’s deeper than that. [continue reading]

Mentor texts can ignite change by your open-ended questioning, questioning that helps your scholars to dig deeper into their thinking, dig into their connections or lack of connection they have with the text. It allows for thoughtful discussion with the text. Discussion together in your safe classroom community.

Mentor texts give students opportunities to use their voices, offer their opinions and engage in thoughtful and respectful discourse.

Mentor texts can help students to remove themselves from their “bubbles” and read the world 🌎. They help to expose them to lives, cultures that may be different from their own and yet the same—and respect it, honor it.

It can teach students the power of reading and how reading and writing can help to change the world. It gives them—your scholars—power.

Power to think.
Power to use their voice.
Power to ignite change.

And you can intertwine the “standards”. 🤪

Students first though. 🥰

-LTB 🖤