Meet the Patterns of Power Authors
Jeff Anderson and the team of Patterns of Power co-authors have a combined total of 100+ years of teaching and coaching experience.
Jeff Anderson
For over thirty years, Jeff Anderson has inspired writers and teachers with the power and joy of writing and grammar. He has written ten professional books, including Mechanically Inclined, Everyday Editing, 10 Things Every Writer Needs to Know, Revision Decisions (with co-author Deborah Dean) as well as the Patterns of Power series that began in collaboration with Whitney La Rocca at a staff development event.
Jeff also writes middle-grade novels including Sterling’s Zack Delacruz series: Me and My Big Mouth, Just My Luck, and Upstaged. Learn more about Jeff at his website, writeguy.net.
Co-Authors, Elementary Grades
Whitney La Rocca
Whitney La Rocca is co-author with Jeff Anderson of the Patterns of Power Teacher Resource Book for grades 1–5, Patterns of Power en español for grades 1–5, and Patterns of Power Plus classroom resource kits for grades 1–5. Whitney is also lead author of Patterns of Wonder for grades PreK–1. She has more than 20 years of experience in education—as a teacher, a literacy coach, and a consultant, working with children and teachers across grade levels, schools, and districts.
With a deep knowledge of content, standards, and best practices, Whitney enjoys delivering professional development and coaching teachers to support children as they develop their identities in the world of literacy. She continues to learn from children each day.
Caroline Sweet
Caroline Sweet is co-author of Patterns of Power en español for grades 1–5 with Jeff Anderson and Whiney La Rocca. She is currently a Bilingual Literacy Coach at LCpl Nicholas S. Perez Elementary School in Austin, Texas.
A bilingual educator for 14 years, Caroline was named 2011 Teacher of the Year in Austin Independent School District.
Caroline first met Jeff when she was a student in his fourth-grade classroom in 1991.
Co-Authors, Secondary Grades
Travis Leech
Travis Leech, co-author of Patterns of Power Teacher Resource Books for grades 6–8 and grades 9–12, grew up loving to read and fill spiral notebooks with stories of fantasy and adventure. He never enjoyed grammar instruction in school and was never top of his class at diagramming sentences or finding the ten mistakes in paragraphs riddled with errors.
Later, as a middle school English language arts teacher, Travis found Jeff Anderson’s books on inquiry-based grammar instruction. He incorporated the ideas into his work as a middle school teacher, gifted and talented specialist, and now instructional coach in San Antonio, Texas.
Melinda Clark
Melinda Clark, co-author of Patterns of Power for grades 6–8, is currently the academic program coordinator at John Jay High School in San Antonio, Texas. She has more than thirty years of experience in education, including teaching middle school and high school English language arts, instructional coaching, independent consulting, and presenting at district, regional, and state levels.
Holly Durham
Holly Durham is a professional learning coordinator in Houston, Texas, and a co-author of Patterns of Power for grades 9–12. She has nearly 30 years of experience in education, including teaching middle and high school English, instructional coaching, and director-level roles in the humanities and district strategic planning. She has presented literacy practices and technology integration at district, regional, state, and national levels.
Start the Grammar and Conventions Conversations Today!
The Patterns of Power invitational process provides opportunities for all students to discuss, learn, and apply the moves that good writers make. Students gain confidence and understanding to apply the process adeptly and consistently—across the year and across the grades.
Speak with a sales consultant or explore the online store to see ways to bring Patterns of Power to your classroom.
