2026 Diane M. Lee Teaching Award
Michael Canale
Assistant Director, Student Disability Services
Michael Canale grounds his teaching philosophy in the concepts of personal growth and the achievement of human potential. He firmly believes that teaching should be a highly interactive experience in which learners fully participate, and that instructors should facilitate while nurturing learners to express themselves. Providing students with opportunities to actively lead the class, both in learning and in facilitating discussion, is just one way Michael achieves this outcome. Student-directed learning benefits both students and teachers, and Michael values mapping content to clear learning outcomes, using innovative pedagogical approaches, and being clear with students about what is expected of them. Creating a classroom environment that is inclusive and helps students understand their own culture, as well as others’, is central to Michael’s approach in every class he teaches.
Perhaps Michael says it best: “In my teaching, I focus on engaging students in various learning opportunities, meaning that learning environments need to adapt to the demands of today’s students by being relevant, flexible, and accessible to everyone.”