Nijani Nagaarudkumaran, School of Optometry - Vision Sciences
Nijani Nagaarudkumaran has been a teaching assistant in Optometry and Vision Science for more than four years, teaching laboratory courses in microscopy, ocular anatomy and neuroanatomy. Beyond her extensive TA experience in leading undergraduate students, Nagaarudkumaran has also mentored new graduate student teaching assistants through their first teaching experiences, sharing resources and providing ongoing support.
Her approach has been shaped both by experience and by deliberate investment in her own development as an educator. Completing the University of Waterloo's Fundamentals of University Teaching program helped her identify effective teaching strategies, including open-ended questioning to draw out student thinking and drawing diagrams to support visualization before checking comprehension. Her doctoral research reinforced the same instinct. "Throughout my research career, I have had to communicate my research to audiences from varying backgrounds," Nagaarudkumaran says. "I believe this has shaped the way I teach. Students appreciate it when you can simplify concepts to help them understand."
Her genuine support of her students came through clearly in what students wrote about her. "Whenever I had a question she could not immediately answer, she always took the initiative to research it and fostered a collaborative learning environment where we expanded our knowledge together," wrote one nominating student. For those who went through her labs during some of the most demanding years of their academic lives, the effect went beyond the material. "I can wholeheartedly say that Nijani was one of the main reasons I felt excited to show up to school and lab," wrote another.
"My main goal has always been to ensure that students have a positive learning experience and are in an environment where they feel comfortable to ask questions," Nagaarudkumaran says. "I am extremely happy to have contributed to their education in Optometry school."