The greatest educators inspire and enable students to persevere through difficulties and to strive for the best. Christine Nguyen—a PhD candidate in the Nambara lab—has received the university-wide TA Training Program (TATP) Teaching Excellence Award for her ability to do just that.
The TATP Awards recognize TAs from across the University of Toronto who create an accessible and equitable classroom environment, engage students, and organize their sessions well. “She reduced barriers to learning and supported the inclusion and engagement of all students in our tutorial,” wrote one student of Nguyen’s teaching.
The award criteria also highlight the importance of effectively communicating content and expectations to students, providing thoughtful feedback for improvement, and seeking opportunities to grow as an educator while implementing innovative teaching techniques. This was exemplified by comments from students that “Christine would go above and beyond to provide us with relevant and clear examples for our assignments, especially for assignments based on newer and complicated concepts”
Nguyen began her journey as a TA in 2021 and has taught BIO130, BIO230, and CSB349. She was recently a Head Teaching Assistant for BIO130 and is a two-time winner of the CSB Teaching Award.
Congratulations Christine on this fantastic achievement!