University of Toronto

Shortlisted Candidates
James Cheung, MA Candidate, Department of Economics
Ajit Govind, PhD Candidate, Department of Geography
Andreea Moraru, MSc Candidate, Institute of Medical Science
Gavin Tse, MSc Candidate, Department of Cell and Systems Biology
Andrew Yang, PhD Candidate, Department of English

Sarah Copland, PhD Candidate, Department of English

“I teach because I am passionate about my field and because I know that students come to university to cultivate their own passions and to be inspired in new ways by effective teachers… I have learned a great deal from my students.  They have inspired me with innovative readings of literary works and with their relentless quests to engage with major existential questions through the study of literature.”

What her students have to say…

“Sarah is, hands down, the best TA I have ever had in an English course… she has fuelled my interest in the topic at hand,  and has improved the quality of my participation in tutorial.  What more can I say?  She’s practically perfect.”

“When I first met Sarah she shook my hand and was able to identify me by name at the end of the second tutorial;  I was impressed.  It is rare for a TA to make the effort to care about who their students are and I was immediately struck by the feeling that I was in the presence of someone for whom my success in the class genuinely mattered.”

Silvia Martínez Gorricho, PhD Candidate, Department of Economics

“My approach to teaching is based on the belief that my purpose at the university is to serve the students.  Serving students goes beyond making them understand economics.  It also means sparking their desire to learn, teaching them how to learn, how to think, challenging them to excel rather than simply survive, and acting as an advisor and mentor to students.”

What her students have to say

“Silvia goes the extra mile.  She doesn’t just do what is expected. She does more than is expected and in an exemplary fashion.  I’ve never had another TA that is like her.”

“She is dedicated, hardworking, and very helpful.  She has sound knowledge about the subject matter and has always been there to help out her students.  She has helped us when we asked her and also at times when we were having trouble but did not directly seek her assistance.  I think that is a remarkable quality to have.”

Lindy Ledohowski, PhD Candidate, Department of English

“I have a passion for teaching and learning.  As a life-long learner, I strive to inculcate habits of mind in my students allowing them to engage in the ongoing process of both self- and textual-analysis.  My research informs my teaching, and I constantly reflect on the relationship between pedagogical theory and practice.”

What her students have to say…

“Her knowledge of the course material is amazing.  What makes Lindy exceptional is that her excitement and passion is clearly displayed in her gestures, intonation, and facial expressions, thereby making the entire class interested in the subject matter as well.”

“Lindy approaches every class with a smile and an engaging attitude… She reads the passages with such enthusiasm it really engages the learner… She is always willing and able to answer questions, is willing to accept different viewpoints and use her own opinions to bring new ideas to light.”

Chris Nielsen, PhD Candidate, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

“My goals in every course I have taught is to make the students leave every lecture/tutorial feeling as though they have learned something concrete that is firmly situated on a structure of well-established facts and principles.  I also aim to provide a sense of how the lesson fits in with the continuum of knowledge that the students are gathering in life.  Another goal is to make sure they understand the value of asking ‘obvious’ questions.  They should never assume anything.  By questioning everything and asking the basic, fundamental questions, students can connect the current lesson to the big picture that is engineering education in 2007.”

What his students have to say…

“He’s very energetic and enthusiastic in class. He explains things in a way that makes them look trivial.  When presented with homework question, he usually asks people for their opinion on how to solve the question and he never discourages or rejects any answers.”

“My TA Chris is awesome.  I wish he could TA in all my courses.  I also visited him at his office a couple of times.  Although I did not visit at his defined “office hour”, he was graceful enough to answer all my questions and he did so immaculately.  Luv this guy!!!!!!!!!”