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Imagine my delight in reviewing the fantastic feedback you as sessional faculty have received from students present and past. I have had more

‘goosebumpy’ moments over the past few weeks read-ing these comments than any Olympic ceremony or Academy acceptance speech could ever produce!

Your generous responses have confirmed for me, and I hope they will now confirm for you, what I’ve always suspected: we are very good at our jobs. But I’ve learned more than that; I’ve learned that ses-sional instructors go well beyond the call of duty de-spite the limitations they face. I’m going to let the students tell you what I mean…

We help students learn…Both of your courses were two of my favourites and I really feel that I learned a lot from them.

Instructor: Serguei Krouglov, Physics

This was one of the only classes that truly made me feel more prepared than when I started.

Instructor: Dick Holland, OISE

We make the material come alive…Thank you for the great images, presentations, and reading; they made the material we study so real and effective.

Instructor: Maha Salman, Architecture

It was an honour for us to be in your class and actu-ally understand the concepts rather than memorize pure factual information.

Instructor: Joan Forder, Biology

We give helpful feedback, and lots of it…I think you have designed a fantastic course (even

Imagine a world of respect for sessionalsBy LesLie Jermyn with contriButions from s. KrougLov, D. hoLLanD, m. saLman, J. forDer, a. Khan, m. tuDor, w. wahL, K. hunt, D. nimmo anD J. aLLen

though I stumbled a bit on the midterm). Thanks for all the encouraging and useful feedback.

Instructor: Ayesha Khan, Psychology

Thank you for all the time you spent talking with me directly and fielding my numerous emails. I appreci-ate all your efforts and personal attention. So many times I have the experience of professors who just cannot be bothered to make the time, or make such a minimal effort with such rigid guidelines for discussion that I feel they are inaccessible. You are the exact opposite. You are not just clocking time towards re-search, you are a teacher, and that made a difference in my experience!

Instructor: William Wahl, Religion

We care…and it showsFrom a student’s perspective it’s refreshing when the professor seems to care about what he/she is talking about and teaches the material with passion. I thank you for taking the time to make this course an enjoy-able experience.

Instructor: Ayesha Khan, Psychology

You have an ability to ignite passion in education like no other. I can’t possibly put into words how your en-ergy, enthusiasm and caring have influenced me.

Instructor: Michael Tudor, OISE

Thanks for helping me believe in myself. Instructor: Joan Forder, Biology

We inspire…I want to thank you for this amazing experience. I’ve genuinely liked your class, the things you had to teach us, and the ways you chose to teach us. I’m going off to do my masters this fall and I hope, someday, I’ll be able to inspire students the way you’ve inspired me.

Instructor: Krista Hunt, Women & Gender Studies

You made OISE so special. I have looked forward to school because of you – the way you inspire, the way you teach with an open mind and an open heart, the way you captivate all of us every single week.

I

Instructor: Michael Tudor,OISE

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We change them in the present…I don’t know how to thank you for your help and your interest. You just made me so much more confident as an individual and as I told you then about how I thought I was dumb, professor you helped me prove that I can do it.

Instructor: Joan Forder, Biology

I would like to thank you again for this year’s class. It truly inspired me a lot and I believe it changed some-thing in me, changed it for the good though. For that I thank you a lot, I can see life with a new perspective I was lacking.

Instructor: David Nimmo, English

It is amazing to be allowed the freedom to express the things you are learning into whatever form you wish, and then to feel like your learning can actually make some change. I would just like to thank you, Krista. Honestly, this class has changed me.

Instructor: Krista Hunt, Women & Gender Studies

And we’re with them in the future…I’m not sure you will remember me but you taught

me 2001 at Erindale College. I’m now a high school teacher in Mississauga. Recently, two of our grade 12 students were killed in a tragic auto accident. Most of the grade 12 students are very upset at the loss of their friends. I have used what I learned in Death & Dying to help them in this difficult time. Many were comforted. I wanted to send you this quick note to thank you for being an excellent educator. You are by far the best professor I have ever had.

Instructor: Julie Allen, Philosophy

As I enter the classrooms of my future, rest assured you will be perched upon my shoulder.

Instructor: Michael Tudor, OISE

Now, imagine what we could do with secure jobs and real offices!

We soon start bargaining for Unit 3 (UofT non-student sessional instructors). If you are interested in getting involved with this in any way, please contact me, Unit 3 Rep Leslie Jermyn, at u3rep@cupe3902.org.