Dr. Baljit Singh: U of S Master Teacher
Dr. Baljit Singh
Dr. Baljit Singh is the Spring 2008 recipient of the University of Saskatchewan’s Master Teacher Award — the fourth professor in the Western College of Veterinary Medicine’s history to receive this prestigious honour.
Singh, a professor in WCVM’s Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences, received the award during the U of S Spring Convocation ceremony on May 28. Established in 1984, the Master Teacher Award recognizes faculty members who make outstanding contributions to the university’s learning and working environments. The award honours faculty members who excel in their profession, and emphasizes the importance of good teaching at the U of S.
“This is a tremendous honour for Dr. Singh and for the College,” said WCVM Dean Dr. Charles Rhodes. “Dr. Singh takes his teaching and the discipline of teaching very seriously. He puts tremendous effort into all his teaching, and into improving his teaching. It’s great to see his effort and commitment rewarded.”
Dr. Cecil Doige was the first WCVM professor to receive the U of S award in 1985. Drs. Otto Radostits and Gary Wobeser were also honoured for their teaching abilities in 1986 and 1992 respectively.
In addition to being recognized internationally for his excellence in research and graduate student training, Singh has achieved high acclaim related to teaching, clearly exemplifying the teacher-scholar model promoted by the U of S. Many faculty require decades to develop and demonstrate his level of leadership and excellence in teaching.
Singh lectures in the subject area of anatomy which may lack the glamour and excitement of other clinically-oriented courses, but his lectures have been described as dynamic, full of enthusiasm, well organized, innovative and challenging. One colleague states, “He emphasizes understanding of concepts more than rote memorization and develops students’ life long learning skills.”
Outside the classroom, Singh provided mentorship to many students through his involvement in the Faculty-in-Residence program, a widely-recognized student support program. As a colleague noted, “He sees the students’ experience on a holistic level with academics being important, but only a segment of the whole.”
His personable style, with an infectious enthusiastic demeanor, greatly encourages student participation and the impact of Singh’s teaching will influence the pathways of both students and colleagues for many years. He leads by example, not only academically but also in every aspect of daily life.
