Geography professor honoured for outstanding teaching

For Professor Kathi Wilson, good teaching goes far beyond the classroom. It encompasses not only coursework, but also community involvement and extracurricular volunteerism. It combines academic programming, local partnerships and a healthy dose of fun.
And now her outstanding teaching has been recognized by the Canadian Association of Geographers, which presented Wilson with the 2011 Award for Excellence in Teaching Geography.

I am so very grateful to have my efforts in teaching recognized not only by my department but by my peers across the country, says Wilson. I am very fortunate to work in a department that places a high priority on education and student experience.

The award recognizes exemplary teaching in courses with small and large enrolments, at different levels of instruction, over several years of teaching in the nominating institution. Wilson, who is currently chair of the Department of Geography, specializes in both undergraduate and graduate teaching, and consistently receives extremely high evaluation marks from her students.

At the same time, she combines teaching with local impact. Instead of a final paper, her students work with community partners on research projects, giving her class important insight into governance issues and helping the partners with policy and program development.

Wilson believes that mentorship from other great teachers has played a huge role in the type of professor that she has become. After taking up her position at U of T Mississauga, she developed an important teaching relationship with her then-chair, Professor Ferko Csillag, to whom she credits her teaching successes and dedication to students.

I could not have earned this honour without the support of the staff, faculty and students in my department, says Wilson. I must also acknowledge Cleo Boyd for her mentorship since I first began teaching at U of T Mississauga in 2003. Her commitment to our students is inspirational.

Wilson's award was presented at the recent CAG annual meeting in Calgary.