The Laurier Teaching Podcast

Early Career Excellence recipient Nathan Vo from Laurier's Health Studies program reflects on how curiosity and discovery have shaped his teaching philosophy and journey and how he passes that long to his students Through a student-centred approach grounded in active and experiential learning, Nathan challenges students to move beyond asking "what?" and "why?" to exploring "what if?" as they develop new ideas, ...

Early Career Excellence award recipient Christian Danve Castroverde from Laurier's Biology department shares how he designs large courses around big picture questions that frame learning, spark curiosity, and reveal science as an evolving, debatable process rather than a body of rote facts to be memorized. Rooted in universal design principles to increase access for all students, Danve structures lectures for engagement using narra...

A practicing lawyer and dedicated educator, Jeff Boich from Laurier's Political Science department and recipient of the 2025 part-time Sustained Excellence in Teaching award, discusses how he brings the realities of legal practice into the classroom. Rather than relying primarily on textbooks, he teaches through real cases, current headlines, and experiential learning activities that help students practice legal principles in real ...

Lucy Luccisano from Laurier's Sociology department and recipient of the 2025 Excellence in Internationalization Award, reflects on a teaching and mentorship philosophy rooted in love, empathy, and deep care for students. She shares how international and intercultural learning experiences—especially short-term and group exchanges—can be powerfully transformative while remaining accessible to more stu...

Maryam Khan from Laurier's Faculty of Social Work, and recipient of the 2025 Faculty Mentoring Award, brings authenticity, care, community, and courage into every aspect of their teaching and mentorship. Maryam builds classroom and mentoring relationships rooted in trust and accountability where students take ownership of their learning and engage in critical conversations. Maryam shares advice for creating pee...

Christos Shiamptanis, from Laurier's Economics department in the Lazaridis School of Business and Economics, and recipient of the 2025 Innovation in Teaching Award, shares how he transforms economics education through experiential learning, storytelling, and inclusive classroom design. From rethinking assessment rubrics to creating opportunities for quieter students to shine, his approach is about building conf...

Steve Risavy, from the Lazaridis School for Business and Economics and recipient of the 2025 Sustained Excellence in Teaching Award, shares his approach to teaching and learning, centred on authenticity and the importance of having fun in the classroom. Steve creates a classroom environment where students can take risks, feel safe asking questions, and see their feedback put into action. Leaning into the energy...

2024 Hoffman-Little Award winner Elizabeth Mitchell from Laurier's Faculty of Music shares her journey into music therapy and the connective power of music in helping people express emotions, memories, and experiences.

She discusses the importance of improvisation, versatility, and self-awareness, skills that allow practitioners to meet clients where they are and engage them in dynamic ways...

Marybeth White from Laurier's Religion and Culture Department and recipient of the 2024 Sustained Excellence Teaching Award, shares insights on fostering a student-centered learning environment grounded in compassion, flexibility and inclusive design.

Marybeth discusses the changes she's seen in students throughout her career, including what students are better at now than when she started ...

Join 2024 Faculty Mentoring Award recipient Michael Woodford from Laurier's Faculty of Social Work as he shares how some of the mentors along his personal and professional journey impacted him, the importance of sharing power in mentoring relationships, and the value of creating spaces where students can thrive as their authentic selves. Whether navigating difficult conversations, developing adaptable work plan...

Avis Beek from Laurier's Faculty of Education and the recipient of the 2024 Early Career Excellence Award shares her hands-on, kinesthetic approach to STEM education. Through creative activities that include slime-making, terrarium building, and even live animals(!), Avis sparks curiosity and fosters collaborative and inclusive learning environments. Informed by her international teaching experiences, she integ...

Jeremy Hunsinger from Laurier's Communication Studies department and recipient of the 2024 Innovation in Teaching Award, shares his approach to creating a student-centered, studio-like classroom environment. Jeremy discusses how he integrates active learning from the very first class by having students co-create the course syllabus. His approach to grading, which focuses on specification grading and intrinsic m...

Elaine Cheng from Laurier's Archaeology and Heritage Studies program and 2024 Early Career Excellence winner shares how she guides students through classroom and field experiences that blend real-world challenges with a mix of career-integrated and experiential learning. Elaine emphasizes the importance of both hands-on fieldwork and in-class activities to help students develop critical skills in teamwork, adap...

Simona Pruteanu from Laurier's Languages and Literatures department and recipient of the 2024 Excellence in Internationalization Award, shares her passion for creating a multicultural and inclusive curriculum that incorporates guest speakers, creative assessments like storytelling and comic book creation, and career-integrated learning opportunities. She discusses how teaching entirely in French helps students build linguistic conf...

Max Gwynn from Laurier's Psychology Department and recipient of the 2024 Sustained Excellence in Teaching Award reflects on his mentors and the teachers who have shaped him as an educator, and discusses the importance of stories, humour, and personal anecdotes on engaging students. He shares how his focus on increasing students' self-efficacy allows them to overcome their math anxieties and carry their newfound...

Sara Klinck from Laurier's Music Therapy program and recipient of the 2023 Sustained Excellence Award in the Part-time Category shares her journey from a clinical music therapist to an inspiring educator, emphasizing the importance of self-discovery, humility, and lifelong learning in her pedagogical approach. Sara's commitment to fostering a supportive and inclusive learning environment shines through as she p...

Professor Scott Nicholson from Laurier's Game Design and Development program shares his passion for creating unique and inspiring learning experiences through games. Not only does Scott teach about games, he also weaves meaningful gamification principles throughout his teaching, igniting students' interest in both the subject matter, and their own learning. Scott discusses his student-centred approach to mot...

Danielle Law from Laurier's Psychology and Youth and Children's Studies programs and recipient of the 2023 Faculty Mentoring Award, shares her mentorship philosophy rooted in trust, support, and mutual respect. She explains how her emphasis on "red means love" in her grading shifts the way students receive academic feedback, fostering a positive, student-centered and growth-oriented environment.

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