Ep 111 — Making Room for Picture Books with Sarah Cordova

Your literacy block is full, your to-do list is longer, and somehow the day still ends with the feeling that the most important work got squeezed out. We’re joined by nationally recognized literacy specialist and author, Sarah Cordova to talk about a smarter, simpler path: using picture books as high-leverage mentor texts that support reading, writing, grammar, and culturally responsive teaching without adding “one more thing.”Sarah shares how her pandemic-era Mentor Text Mondays connected teachers with authors and illustrators and sparked a bigger mission: save teacher time while giving students mirrors and windows that build identity, belonging, and empathy. We get specific about how she chooses books that fit a meaningful topic and also function as true mentor texts for craft, structure, language, and punctuation. She breaks down a key distinction many of us feel but rarely name: some books are perfect for read aloud, but not right for students to emulate in their writing.We also tackle the pressure many schools feel around the science of reading and the unintended consequence of pushing writing to the margins. Sarah offers practical ways to “steal minutes back” during transitions, plus mini lesson tweaks that immediately tighten instruction: lead with explicit teaching, avoid early guessing-game questions, and make sure students leave the lesson with a clear plan for independent work.If you want literacy instruction that is effective, efficient, and engaging, hit play. Subscribe, share this with a colleague, and leave a review so more educators can keep it simple and stay intentional.Sarah Cordova is a nationally recognized literacy consultant who supports elementary and middle school educators in implementing engaging, standards-aligned reading and writing practices. She holds a Master’s degree in Education from New York University and previously taught in the Smithtown School District. Sarah has presented at local, state, and national conferences, developed curriculum for Schoolwide, Inc., and served as an adjunct professor at Dowling College. A passionate advocate for inclusive literature, she promotes authentic representation in classrooms. She is the author of The Power of Picture Books in Student Identity: Writing Lessons That Empower, helping educators use books to foster identity, belonging, and strong writing.Find Sarah at: www.literacy-matters.net@LMReadWriteThis epsiode is sponsored by Literacy Matters. Send us Fan MailSupport the show Find our book The Minimalist Teacher  and Your School Leadership Edit: A Minimalist Approach to Rethinking Your School's Ecosystem at the links!Follow on Instagram @PlanZEducation and @minimalist_ed_podcast.The Minimalist Educator Podcast is a Plan Z Education Services adventure.