Co-Teaching Spotlight: John Kanady & Khaled Ismail in Physiology

In this segment, we highlight co-teaching teams in the CIRTL Postdoc Pathways Program. Each spring, the postdoc cohort co-teaches part of a course with a teaching mentor. In this spotlight, we feature Dr. John Kanady, Senior Lecturer in Physiology, and Dr. Khaled Ismail (2025-2026 fellow), who co-taught PSIO 380: Fundamentals of Human Physiology in Spring 2026.

Tell us a little bit about the course you co-taught.

Khaled: I had the incredible opportunity to co-teach PSIO 380: Fundamentals of Human Physiology with Dr. Kanady (John) through my CIRTL Postdoc Pathways Program. The course explores how the body’s physiological systems function both individually and as an integrated whole. I taught cardiovascular, neuro, and pulmonary physiology,  topics I am deeply passionate about because they bridge foundational science with patient care and real clinical experiences. What made this experience especially meaningful was watching students begin to truly see physiology come alive. There were moments in class when you could almost see the shift happen, when complex mechanisms suddenly became understandable and connected to something real. Seeing that spark of curiosity and confidence in students reminded me why I love teaching.

John: Dr. Ismail (Khaled) and I taught students about how the human body works in our course (PSIO 380: Fundamentals of Human Physiology). Students from many different majors – from Biochemistry, Environmental Sciences, Molecular and Cellular Biology, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Biology, Public Health, and others – take the course. This presents a challenge for teaching because there are a lot of varied backgrounds and prior knowledge differences for students coming into the course. But, it’s also a great opportunity, because we get insight into what matters for students when they take the lens of the discipline they’re studying to how the body works in contexts they care about. This results in wonderful moments where students will ask about something very specific – like the mechanism of a particular medicine they’re learning about. This turns into a moment to talk about medications in a broader context with physiology and demystify those alien-sounding names on pill bottles their relatives might have.

How did you structure your partnership and what roles did each of you play?

Khaled: From the beginning, our partnership felt very comfortable, collaborative, and supportive. Dr. Kanady brought extensive teaching experience, mentorship, and a strong foundation in course design. We met regularly to discuss lectures, learning goals, and ways to make the material more engaging. I was given the opportunity to independently teach block 2 while also receiving guidance and feedback that helped me grow as an educator. It felt less like simply “assisting” in a course and more like being trusted as a teaching partner, which made the experience especially meaningful to me.

John: From the get-go, Khaled and I met to have conversations about our expectations for the experience – what we would provide to each other and how we would best support our students. This was key. Going into the experience like this headed off confusions or questions we might have about how we could best support each other.

I wanted Khaled to feel like he was fully a co-equal instructor in the course. This was structured in the interpersonal dynamics we would model in class with students – such as addressing and interacting with each other with the respect expected of co-equal partners. Khaled wouldn’t look to me for approval of what he did, and I wouldn’t present myself as the final arbiter for his instruction in class. For his block of the course, he made the executive decisions on what content should be taught, how it should be taught, the assessments he wanted to give students, and any activities he envisioned to help students connect with the physiology.

My role was to give feedback and guidance which Khaled was free to consider whether to incorporate or not. I’m a believer in letting a developing educator find the approach that fits them best. It’s not my place to impose a particular style or type of teaching on them. I view my mentees as teaching colleagues. If I’m going to suggest something about teaching, I’m going to support the suggestion with my own experiences along with evidence from the educational research literature to allow them to evaluate it themselves.

Khaled also brought an expert role that was incredibly valuable to our experience together – his clinical lens as a physician. It’s rare to have a physician teach undergraduates, and I was very grateful to learn from Khaled and his clinical training. It was also so awesome for the students! We were able to do activities with reflex testing and ECGs to help the physiology feel more “real” and engaging.

What did you enjoy most about co-teaching together?

Khaled: What I enjoyed most was the balance between mentorship and collaboration. Dr. Kanady created an environment where I felt comfortable trying new teaching approaches and bringing my own personality into the classroom. I also enjoyed interacting with students and finding ways to make difficult physiology concepts feel approachable and clinically relevant. There was something really rewarding about teaching side-by-side with someone who genuinely values education and student engagement. It made the classroom feel energetic, interactive, and supportive.

John: The thing I most appreciate about Khaled is his clear passion for teaching and helping students understand complex concepts. He wears that passion on his sleeve, and the dedication that he put into the teaching experience was something I really admired. Getting to see Khaled channel that into his teaching and interactions with students brought me a lot of joy. Then, after he finished teaching, he was so eager to get feedback and immediately think about the ways he could improve. That enthusiasm and commitment helped lift up my mood throughout the co-teaching experience.

What surprised you?

Khaled: What surprised me most was how transformative the learning process became when students were exposed to physiology through multiple perspectives. I found that students became much more engaged when complex physiological concepts were connected not only to foundational science, but also to clinical reasoning and real patient examples.

As both a scientist and a physician, the experience also reminded me that teaching is one of the most powerful ways to deepen understanding. Students asked thoughtful questions that challenged me to think more critically, explain concepts more clearly, and approach physiology in ways that were accessible and meaningful. Co-teaching strengthened my growth as an educator by pushing me to create a classroom environment where curiosity, discussion, and critical thinking were encouraged. It reinforced for me that great teaching is not simply delivering information but helping students develop the confidence to think like future scientists and healthcare professionals.

John: After Khaled initially reached out asking to meet with me about being his CIRTL mentor, I looked him up to see what he was involved in at the U of A. The first picture I saw of him was one where he looked really intense. He was super focused and sporting a serious, impressive beard. Joking with him, I told him how surprised I was when I met this really warm and gentle person. He asked me why that was, and I pulled up the picture I found through my Google search on my laptop. Sadly, I can’t find it now, otherwise I’d share it! Knowing Khaled as I do now, it shouldn’t have really surprised me, but he is a wonderfully compassionate and empathetic person – qualities that form the foundation of a great educator.

I mentioned this before, but it’s rare to have someone who trained to be a physician interested in teaching undergraduates. Khaled was able to bring the lived experience of a clinician to his teaching. I think our students appreciated that, as it helped ground the physiology they were learning. Something that can be a challenge, though, is the “expert blindness” or “curse of knowledge” that can accompany the kind of deep background that Khaled brings to the table. However, he would build up concepts through the diagrams he would draw on the whiteboard to teach the structure and function of the human body. This approach helps bridge the gaps that might otherwise arise if you didn’t have to literally connect the dots (or lines) to explain a concept.

What advice would you give other co-teaching teams?

Khaled: I would say that communication and trust are the foundation of a successful co-teaching partnership. It helps to clearly discuss expectations early, but it’s equally important to stay flexible and open to each other’s ideas. I also think students benefit most when both instructors bring their authentic teaching styles and experiences into the classroom rather than trying to teach in exactly the same way. Most importantly, enjoy the process. Co-teaching can be an incredible opportunity not only to support students but also to learn from one another and grow as educators together.

John: Effective communication is key - communication as a teaching team as well as communication with the students in your course. It’s the words you use to establish the working dynamic you have with each other in the classroom. It’s the words of respect and celebration you share with each other both in and out of the classroom. Communication also goes beyond words. It’s the non-verbal interactions with each other in the classroom, because your students are paying attention. When you’re in tune with the mindset that you’re both there to support and help each other grow, that sets the tone that forms the foundation of the classroom community that you build around your time together. Set it up well from the start, and you’ll both enjoy the co-teaching experience so much more.