Announcing Education's 2026 Teaching Awards Recipients
The Faculty of Education is proud to announce the 2026 recipients of its annual Teaching Awards, to recognize excellence and commitment within Education’s academic staff:
The Award for Distinguished Teaching recipient is Dr. Emmanuel Tabi, who was presented a certificate at this morning’s Spring Convocation Ceremony. The Heather Reisman and Gerald Schwartz Award for Excellence in Teaching is being given to Dr. Emma Harden-Wolfson.
Dr. Tabi and Dr. Harden-Wolfson follow in the footsteps of last year’s award winners, Dr. Mitchell Miller (Award for Distinguished Teaching) and Dr. Pengfei Zhao (Reisman/Schwartz Award). Read more about this year’s awardees below and view a list of previous recipients of teaching and supervision awards on our website.
Dr. Emmanuel Tabi, Assistant Professor in the Department of Integrated Studies in Education, is an exceptional educator whose teaching is defined by intellectual rigor, compassion, and a deep commitment to equity and social justice. Grounded in Black Feminist Thought, his pedagogy creates inclusive learning environments where dialogue, lived experience, and self-reflection are central. Through innovative approaches such as student co-lecturing, community-engaged learning, arts performance, and reflective storytelling, he empowers students to become active participants in their learning while fostering confidence, empathy, and critical awareness. Students consistently describe his classrooms as spaces of trust, respect, and intellectual vitality.
Dr. Tabi’s impact extends well beyond the classroom. A dedicated supervisor and mentor, he supports emerging scholars with generosity and care, guiding them toward academic success and meaningful professional pathways. His mentorship is transformative and enduring, reflecting his profound influence on students’ personal and professional growth. Whether engaging complex issues of social advocacy or cultivating community in the classroom, Dr. Tabi exemplifies teaching with purpose, humanity, and excellence.
Dr. Emma Harden-Wolfson, Assistant Professor with the Department of Integrated Studies (DISE), has been named the recipient of the 2026 Heather Reisman and Gerald Schwartz Award for Excellence in Teaching! This award is in recognition of her outstanding commitment to student learning, inclusive pedagogy, and innovative course design. Dr. Harden-Wolfson has been lauded for fostering engaging, globally-minded learning environments that blend theory with practice, inspire critical thinking, cultivate collaborative engagement, and promote meaningful dialogue. Students consistently describe her as exceptionally knowledgeable, caring, approachable, and deeply invested in their success. Beyond traditional assessment methods, Dr. Harden-Wolfson challenges her students to include creative works as part of their learning and to make their assignment formats and content relevant to their professional contexts. “Her mentorship extended well beyond the classroom through conversations, encouragement, and intellectual guidance that shaped my academic confidence and direction,” noted one of her former students who spoke of Dr. Harden-Wolfson’s exceptional contributions as an educator, mentor, and leader in teaching excellence.
