Last week I participated in a Twitter chat hosted by @TalksWTeachers and this blog’s creators: @AllisonMarchett and @RebekahODell1. It was a fast-paced flurry of awesome ideas and thought-provoking questions, but one question in particular kept me thinking the next day. Allison posed the following question: What do you struggle to teach and how might mentor […]
This was us one year ago, celebrating Writing With Mentor‘s publication in the world. It’s been a wonderful year as we watched this book work its way into your hands, spoke to teachers across the country, and led workshops on how mentor texts can change your students’ writing. And it’s been an exhilarating fall as […]
Mentor Texts: Snowy Lambeau – a poem by Gord Downie Writing Techniques: Writing Poetry Reflecting on Craft Background: The preamble is a bit of a tale this week. If you’re a Canadian reader, then you understand what Gord Downie and The Tragically Hip mean. If not, Downie is the singer of The Hip, a band […]
Lessons to help students explore their unique and original voices in writing.
Mentor Texts: Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs Snaps by Rebecca Kraatz (Clifford, Gordon, Leonard) Writing Techniques: Creative Writing Graphic Storytelling Writing Memoir Background: As a kid, summer was often unlimited time to read. I still use as much of my summer in that fashion. Aside from being an awesome way to […]
Mentor Texts: Excerpt from Labors of the Heart by Claire Davis Writing Techniques: Word Choice Background: In Nova Scotia, where we usually spend July, there is an amazing chain of thrift stores. They usually have an interesting selection of books, which corresponds nicely with my having more time to read. This year, I really lucked […]
Mentor Text: Jesse Newton’s Facebook post about his Roomba and dog poop Writing Techniques: Anecdotal writing Descriptive writing Humour Background: I’m originally from Nova Scotia, on the east coast of Canada. That means that there are a few things hardwired into my soul. One of these things is an appreciation for a good story. I […]
My last post mentioned Pippin, and now I’m quoting Rodgers & Hammerstein; I had musical theater on my mind this summer because I knew my break would end with a “bucket list” vacation to Broadway, the four-plays-in-four-days kind of trip my Tony Awards-watching teenage self had always dreamed about. The trip was an absolute treat, […]
A challenging, fun, and engaging activity using Hamilton as a mentor text for character and theme analysis.
Mentor Texts: An Open Letter to Taylor Swift From a Disillusioned Fan by Ashley Devine An Open Letter to a Canadian Boy by Sher Maryn LeBay An Open Letter to Hillary Clinton’s Haters by David Hershkovits An Open Letter from Chris Sale’s Jersey to Chris Sale by Joe Schiller Open Letter website Writing Techniques: The […]
moving writers 