Heather Sisson
Heather Sisson has been learning alongside elementary students and teaching colleagues for over 20 years in California and Washington, and is currently a building based instructional coach for North Thurston Public Schools in Lacey, Washington.
All Content
Meeting Debrief: Coaching Literacy Coaches
Heather Sisson and Amanda Adrian debrief after leading a professional development session for literacy coaches on the Pause Paraphrase Probe strategy.
Talk to the Text Discussion Closure
Amanda Adrian and Heather Sisson lead a literacy coaching group discussion of an article using the “Talk to the Text” protocol. This is an excellent activity for fostering contributions from introverts. The video is Part 2 in a two-part series.
Talk to the Text Discussion Activity
Amanda Adrian and Heather Sisson lead a literacy coaching group discussion of an article using the “Talk to the Text” protocol. This is an excellent activity for fostering contributions from introverts. The video is Part 1 in a two-part series.
Pause Paraphrase Probe: Developing Coaching Skills
Amanda Adrian and Heather Sisson lead their coaching colleagues in an activity to practice paraphrasing skills in this excerpt from a coaching support group.
Student-Centered Coaching: Collaborating with Teachers
Heather Sisson considers when she has experienced success and when she has failed in attempting to collaborate with teachers.
Changing Focus with New Teachers
Heather Sisson takes you through a professional development session in which she lets new teachers take the lead in guiding the conversation after she has carefully laid the groundwork.
Developing a Collaborative Vision for Leading Literacy Coaches
Heather Sisson finds that summer is the best time for developing a shared vision of guiding literacy coaches with a colleague.
Benefits and Barriers: Helping Teachers Change
Heather Sisson designs a simple template to use in teacher study groups to help colleagues explore barriers to change, and come up with plans for overcoming them.
Quick! Hide the Chocolate: Challenging Coaching Relationships
Heather Sisson works through the challenges of helping a teacher who spends most of her time complaining about colleagues.
Letting Children Lead While Conferring
Heather Sisson works in a third-grade classroom as a coach and practices the delicate art of conferring with young writers.
Picture It: Just in Time Writing Resources
Heather Sisson mixes high-tech computer alerts with low-tech book baskets to help teachers gather the mentor texts they need to prepare for assessments in this “Picture It” feature.
The Power of the Spoken Word
Heather Sisson helps a fourth-grade teacher apply speaking and listening standards from the Common Core in his classroom, and collect data to analyze students' oral skills at the same time.
Days of Magic and Wonder: Generating Research Topics with First Graders
In a new series, Heather Sisson shares the process of collaborating with a teacher to redefine the research process with first graders based on the Common Core.
Ask Me – I’m Not the Expert
Heather Sisson explores the complicated links between relationships and expertise for literacy coaches and teachers.
Collaborating with My Principal on Student-Centered Coaching
Heather Sisson is inspired to try something new with her staff, but first she needs to think through the proposal with her principal.
Heather Sisson’s Coaching Space
This "Picture It!" features a look at a simple system to help coaches keep track of materials they loan to teachers.
Energy, Stamina, and Training Wheels for Coaching Teachers
Gradual release, not-so-gradual release or catch and release? Heather Sisson ponders the challenges of providing the appropriate support in a coaching cycle.
Ask Me – I’m Not the Expert
Heather Sisson explores the complicated links between relationships and expertise for literacy coaches and teachers.
