About SBU

Fisher, Anne-Claire

Name:
Anne-Claire Fischer
Anne-Claire Fisher, Ed.D.

Academic School:
School of Education

Academic Department:
Differentiated Instruction

Titles/Responsibilities:
Associate Professor

Contact Information:
Office Phone: (716) 375-4033
E-Mail: acfisher@sbu.edu 
Website: http://sched.sbu.edu/faculty/afisher/ 

Office Location/Hours:
Plassmann Hall, B44

Courses Taught:

Academic Degrees:
  • Ed.D, Special Education Administration and Leadership, University of Arizona, 2009
  • M.A., Severe and Profound and Multiple Disabilities, University of Arizona, 1998
  • M.A., Francophone Literature, University of Arizona, 1986
  • B.A., English, Université des Sciences Humaines, Strasbourg, France, 1981

 

Accomplishments:
  • Brawdy, P; & Fisher, AC. “Putting critical pedagogy into practice: The challenges and opportunities of a racially-diverse student teaching placement,” submitted to the American Education Research Association (AERA), Vancouver, BC. 4/12.
  • Brawdy, P; Fisher, AC.; Hlavaty, K.; Kush, S; Schaaf A.; & Vester, K; (2011). “Borderland Praxis and teacher education.” National Association for Multicultural Education (NAME), Chicago, IL.)
  • Fisher, AC.; McIntyre, D.; Palmquist, A.; & Schmick, K. (2011) “University-agency collaboration: Creating the space for parents to educate teachers.” Council for Exceptional Children (CEC), Rochester, NY.
  • Brawdy, P.; & Fisher, AC. (2011). “The Experiential Impact of History: Grounding our Pedagogy in the Landscape of Carlisle.” American Education Research Association (AERA), New Orleans, LA.
  • Brawdy, P.; Fisher, AC.; Thompson, C.; Schroeder, A.; Peterson, L.; & DiBattista, M. (2010) “Considering Culturally-Responsive Praxis in Student Teaching: The Development of a Pilot Capstone Course”. National Association for Multicultural Education (NAME) conference, Las Vegas, Nevada.
  •  Fisher, AC., Brawdy, P. & Thompson, C. (2011), Considering Culturally-Responsive Praxis in Student Teaching: The Development of a Pilot Capstone Course. National Association for Multicultural Education (NAME). Las Vegas, NV, November 5, 2010
  • Fisher, AC. & Plummer, C. (2009), Conflict Between Parent And Professional As The Path To Building Inclusive Schools. TASH. Pittsburgh, PA.
  • Lawrence-Brown et al., (2009), Critical Perspectives in Inclusive Teacher Preparation: Part II. TASH. Pittsburg, PA
  • Fisher, A.C. (2008). Understand Conflict Between Professionals and Parents in Special Education. New York State School Counselor Association. 5(1), 18-32
  • Fisher, A.C. (2007). Creating a Discourse of Difference.Education, Citizenship, and Social Justice, (2007) 2, 159-192.

Teaching Philosophy:

I model what I teach. I believe that building a close community of learners is the necessary setting for high student achievement.

 

Key to hooking students into learning is the ability to genuinely engage them personally, getting to know their interests and motivations. The path to this end as the teacher is to balance a demand for rigor and in-depth content knowledge, with an opportunity for mastery and the ability to practice until the knowledge is attained.

 

I practice personal transparency along with humor. I believe we all bring something to the table and I will learn from my students along the way.

 

Technology is infused in my teaching and embedded into all of my classes. It helps simplify, clarify, reiterate expectations (syllabi, assignment guidelines, class power points), expand on the topic (additional websites and resources, current research), assess (online quizzes), and provides students with immediate feedback on their efforts.

 

My passion for education and what I teach helps me to engage others into listening a while longer. I encourage discussion and questions and do not shy from discussing current educational issues. The ideal of the practitioner/scholar is one that I aspire to emulate. Simultaneously I believe we must equip our students with the ability to make sound decisions and think critically, as the population they serve is changing rapidly.

 

To this end we must help them reach beyond practice and skill building to grasp the importance of theoretical work found in current research dealing with complex issues (Dewey, 1904). Additionally preparing them for the research to practice gap and dysfunction currently found in the field will help retain them in the field.

 

Schools embody society’s multiple facets and our educational system is experiencing much turbulence. In this age of increased accountability it is important to preserve the ideal of social justice, understanding that schools and the teachers can become the conduit for transformation (Aronowitz & Giroux, 1987).

 

Ethics and heart are vital components of the teacher toolkit, and a cooperative, fully inclusive, and democratic classroom is at the core of the change. Since the students we serve in public schools will only increase in diversity (ability, color, culture, language, resources) it is important to help future teachers recognize their own culture and biases, as well as fuel their desire to better meet the needs of students of difference.

 

I am always interested in challenging students to question and research areas they might be interested in, encouraging their affiliation to professional organizations. I have been instrumental in starting a new chapter of the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) on campus, and have co-presented with students at state and national conferences at least three times (CEC -11, NAME-10/11).

 

I feel a sense of urgency in my role as a teacher-educator. We desperately need more talented teachers able to respond and challenge the needs of the students they serve as during these tumultuous times.

 

Contrary to popular belief, teaching is not for the faint of heart.
 

Current Research Interests/Projects:
  • Critical, multicultural, and transformative pedagogy and its effect on pre-service teachers
  • Disproportionality in special education
  • Working with parents of children with exceptionalities

Other Interests/Community Involvement:

In 2011, Dr. Fisher was presented an award from the Mental Health Association of Cattaraugus County for work done during the course of classes focused on cross-systems collaboration and working with parents of children with exceptionalities. St. Bonaventure students in the graduate Differentiated Instruction program interned with parents with the mission of identifying specific problems they might have with schools and then helping to resolve them. 

 

Other:
 

  • Co-chair of the Yankelovich endowed fellowship program: a committee whose purpose is to develop current and future leaders dedicated to the transformation of society based on the Franciscan ideals of peace, justice, reconciliation and service
  • Faculty senate curriculum committee
  • Adhoc professional development committee focused on bringing about greater teaching and mentoring expertise to faculty at large
  • Community Based Learning Grant (CBL) to enhance a graduate class (DIFF 550) focused on working with families of children with exceptionalities by collaborating with a local agency that provides supports to families of children with exceptionalities (S2010)
  • Community Based Learning Grant (CBL) focused on an undergraduate capstone class to assist us to revisit the Carlisle Indian Boarding School in spring 2011 in collaboration with the Salamanca School District students and faculty (S2010)
  • Lenna Visiting Professor Scholarship, which helped me bring Norman Kunc, renowned disability rights activist and inclusion proponent, to St. Bonaventure campus for two weeks in October 2010

Additional Biographical Information:
Dr. Fisher is an Americanized hybrid of Franco-British descent, now living in Olean, NY. Her travels have taken her across the world and she has a brother in Tasmania, Australia, and parents in France. Her two sons travel on …  

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