Mentor Author, Mentor Texts: Short Texts, Craft Notes, and Practical Classroom Uses

by Ralph Fletcher

Ralph Fletcher has long mentored writing teachers-now he presents the ultimate mentor-text resource for teaching students to write. In Mentor Author, Mentor Texts, Ralph shares 24 short, high-interest texts and accompanying Writer's Notes with your students. Arranged from least difficult to most challenging, they are ready for writers at every level. Online, Ralph also provides whiteboard-ready versions of the texts as well as recordings where he reads of 17 of his pieces. Mentor Author, Mentor Texts Let your teaching mentor become your students' writing mentor... ...with engaging mentor texts written and read by Ralph Fletcher...
"I wrote all 24 pieces in this book. You'll find an assortment of stories, memoir, poems, essays, and excerpts from novels. The various texts are ordered from easiest (least challenging) to hardest (most challenging). I tried to select short, high-interest pieces. Each one stands on its own with a beginning, middle, and ending. I tried to choose pieces that would bring a sense of closure by the end." ...writer's notes that give students an inside peek into craft...
"My Writer's Notes introduce the text, explain my thinking behind various decisions, and point out a few things I want kids to notice. With certain pieces, especially the last three, I highlight revisions I made along the way. I tried hard not to take the mystery out of good writing. Instead these notes are my way of opening the door and leading the student into the text." ...and practical, classroom-tested suggestions like this from your colleagues
"One of my students, Suzy, knows that she struggles to provide enough detail in her non-fiction pieces. For her piece about soccer, she told me that she knew she needed to include more details because she didn't want the reader to be confused. We had already read Ralph's "Squirming Wizards of Recycling," so we looked at the Writer's Notes. Ralph said he had brainstormed questions that readers may have had as they read about worm composting, and he then tried to include the answers to those questions in the piece. Suzy decided that she would write down questions that she thought her reader might still have about soccer and then make sure those questions were answered in her writing. Since both Suzy and I have already developed a relationship with Ralph through his texts, it felt like we were inviting an old friend to join our conference."
Kate Norem Morris , Teacher, The Bush School, Seattle, Washington

Genres: Professional Development, Teaching, Nonfiction, Education, School, Writing, Adult

120 pages, Paperback

First published August 5, 2011

About the author

Ralph Fletcher is a friend of young writers and readers as well as writing teachers. He has written or co-authored many books for writing teachers includng Writing Workshop: The Essential Guide, Teaching the Qualities of Writing, Lessons for the Writer's Notebook, Boy Writers: Reclaiming Their Voices, and Pyrotechnics on the Page: Playful Craft That Sparks Writing. Ralph has worked with teachers around the U.S. and abroad, helping them find wiser ways of teaching writing.

Ralph's many books for students include picture books (Twilight Comes Twice, Hello Harvest Moon, and The Sandman), novels (Fig Pudding, Flying Solo, and Spider Boy), poetry (A Writing Kind of Day and Moving Day), and a memoir, Marshfield Dreams: When I Was a Kid. His novel Uncle Daddy was awarded the Christopher medal in 2002. He has also written a popular series of books for young writers including Poetry Matters, Live Writing, and A Writer's Notebook. Ralph lives with his family in New Hampshire. He is a strong environmentalist who believes we all must work together to live in a more sustainable way. His other passions include travel, good food, dark chocolate, growing orchids, and sports.

Reviews

[Keli R · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super resourceful. I love that Fletcher included his writer’s notes but also that he adds a section to show teachers how they might incorporate mentor texts in their teaching. Do yourself a favor and read “Spider Romance.” It’s such a conversation piece.

[Missmath144 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent choices of short mentor texts, maybe by Ralph himself. They were great examples of writing techniques to copy. Also, since the author is about my age, his writings spoke to me as typical of growing up when we did.

[katsok · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simply brilliant. Suggestions from Fletcher how to use a mentor text and, more importantly, how not to use a mentor text. A great resource to have in the Writing Workshop classroom.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great resource of very short mentor texts--something that every good writing teacher is always searching to find. I'm looking forward to using it in my classroom.