Vice-Chancellor’s Distinguished Award – MOST PROMISING YOUNG TEACHER OF THE YEAR
Faculty of Health Sciences – Department of Chiropractic
“COVID has taught me many lessons. One of them is never taking having my students in front of me for granted. It is a privilege for me to have you back in class.” The appreciation and respect for students expressed in this comment by Dr Fatima Ismail perfectly encapsulates the essence of her teaching philosophy. As a senior lecturer in Chiropractic, she is an exemplary and empathetic role model for her students, who has a deep-seated commitment to understanding their lives and experiences and the rich cultural diversity they embody. To this end, she uses indigenous knowledge in her classroom, shares experiences with students and encourages them to exchange ideas in their own language. This respectful approach, combined with an emphasis on the importance of acquiring foundational disciplinary knowledge, is linked to its practical application. Dr Ismail’s students are always actively participating in processes of conceptual understanding and linking these to a range of concrete situations, which require reflection, critical thinking and problem-solving as they learn about diagnostic processes.
Dr Ismail’s students quickly acknowledge her commitment, passion, and pragmatic approach to teaching. One student notes, “Dr Ismail is the most incredible lecturer. She is so passionate about her subject and teaching us”. Another student adds, “Dr Ismail always treats everyone in the class with respect and will explain a concept a thousand times if she has to”. Another, commenting on the importance of engagement, says, “Teaching was made to be interactive and thought-provoking…It makes a huge difference when we do our small class activities that help us understand our theory”. These comments provide us with a clear indication that Dr Ismail’s teaching philosophy is not just expressed as abstract principles – it is being successfully translated into exciting, innovative, and responsive classroom practice, directly impacting the students’ learning experiences.
Your students’ evaluations, Dr Ismail, are a wonderful testimony to your philosophy in action as you teach your students “to be” chiropractors. Congratulations on this award – you are an extremely valuable member of the UJ community, and we are so proud of the work that you do – thank you for the contribution you make to the lives of your students. They are very privileged to have you as their teacher.
