Book Reviews / Common Core State Standards
by MiddleWeb · Published 07/28/2016 · Last modified 11/21/2019
Hacking the Common Core by Michael Fisher is the book on the CCSS that many teachers have been waiting for, says reviewer Rita Platt. The short but powerful text, in ten easy-to-read chapters, is a practical guide to making the standards work for your students.
Mike Fisher, a middle grades teacher turned literacy and tech integration consultant, suggests ways parents can involve their kids in reading and writing throughout the summer months, on their own and with family members. At his house, it’s Harry Potter time!
Remember AAA’s Triptiks – the travel resource kits put together for members? If so, you have some inkling of consultant Mike Fisher’s idea to rev up mid-grades curriculum across content areas by having students create their own project-specific learning journeys.
ELA consultant Mike Fisher urges educators to not be distracted by the so-called “close reading” anchor standard in the Common Core. “Close reading is not a thing. It is not a skill. It is not a big idea.” The true objective, he says, is reading comprehension.
Too much close reading is boring, say Mike Fisher & Danielle Hardt, as students comb through fiction, constantly analyzing lots of text. Ask them to read and write digital microstories. They’ll build evaluation & synthesis skills and have some fun.
Kids on the Cusp / Teacher Evaluation
by Mary Tarashuk · Published 04/01/2014 · Last modified 11/22/2019
How to cope with teacher evaluation rubrics that don’t work in the real world? Shift your thinking and find one that does. That’s what Mary Tarashuk is doing by adapting a student rubric created by Michael Fisher & Nancy Cook to reflect on her own practice.
Education consultant Mike Fisher invites readers to be active participants in a Curriculum Brainstorm, using popular music and a song’s associated music video as a way to engage close reading of text, comparative analysis & use of digital tools.
Whether it’s Grandma’s biscotti recipe or a lesson plan, adding new ingredients (like digital tools) shouldn’t distract from the end result you seek, says teacher and technology consultant Mike Fisher. “The modern mindset is really about willingness, not digital knowledge. It’s about trying new things and exploring new tools and avenues for instruction WITH the students rather than FOR the students.”
A new web tool, designed just for education, can help promote student creativity and innovative thinking, says ed consultant & former MS teacher Mike Fisher.
Learning consultant Mike Fisher shares more ideas for integrating technology and the Common Core. This time: Digital resources that can deepen math learning by capturing “a moment-in-time assessment of student ownership,” provided teachers are savvy about the ways students use the tools.
