Tyndale University is pleased to announce the establishment of the new School of Education this year, marking a significant step forward in our commitment to teachers and the teaching profession.
The School of Education offers programming for people preparing to become teachers and for practicing teachers who continue to learn. This includes the Bachelor of Education programs, Additional Qualification (AQ) courses, Christian school certificate courses, and mentorship for Tyndale undergraduate students in the early entry option.
“The move from a department to a School of Education is a statement about what we believe teacher education deserves. For candidates, it means joining a community whose structure is built around their formation as teachers. Education at Tyndale now has its own identity, its own faculty and committee governance, and a dean whose sole focus is the flourishing of this work,” shares Dr. Heather Birch, the newly appointed Dean of Tyndale’s School of Education.
Dr. Birch accepted the role as the inaugural Dean of the School of Education earlier this year. Her prior experience overseeing the growth of the Bachelor of Education programs makes her the ideal person to lead the new school in its work with both future and practicing teachers.
Dr. Paul Franks, Vice President Academic, Dean of the School of Arts & Sciences, is “excited to see the launch of the School of Education, along with the School of Arts & Sciences, because it provides the structure necessary for Tyndale University to continue to expand offerings and enhance our ability to accomplish the university’s mission.” He believes that “Dr. Birch is well-suited to lead the School of Education and keep the tradition of providing top-tier education to teacher candidates.”
Under Dr. Birch’s leadership, faculty and students are positioned to receive a strong academic foundation and opportunities to connect that knowledge to the realities of the classroom.
Our learners need to grow in the areas of mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. We want Tyndale School of Education candidates to be prepared to know and to meet the needs of those in their classrooms, not just as an academic exercise, but as whole-person development.
— Dr. Heather Birch
A defining feature of Tyndale’s approach is a focus on the whole person. The school’s teacher candidates work with faculty advisors who know them and understand their practicum contexts throughout the program. This creates continuity and allows candidates to be supported not simply as students completing a degree, but as emerging professionals developing their own approach to teaching. Tyndale’s approach brings together “mind, character, and spirit,” with well-being woven throughout the experience rather than treated as an afterthought.
The School of Education’s graduates leave with the knowledge and practical skills to teach effectively, but also with strategies for navigating difficult periods, maintaining hope, and sustaining a long career.
Faith is another important part of this teacher education model. “We talk about teaching as a calling, and we take seriously the formation of the whole teacher: mind, heart, and character. In every course, candidates consider how their faith and beliefs influence who they are as educators, and what effect that will have on their learners,” says Dr. Birch.
The classroom is changing quickly as technology continues to transform how students learn, how teachers work, and how educational institutions make decisions that impact learning. Dr. Birch identifies “digital technology proliferation, including generative AI,” as one of the major areas candidates need to understand, including what GenAI tools are for, what they do to learning, and how to use them in ways that serve students.
But technology is only a part of the challenge. “Our learners need to grow in the areas of mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. We want Tyndale School of Education candidates to be prepared to know and to meet the needs of those in their classrooms, not just as an academic exercise, but as whole-person development,” she emphasizes.
The School of Education’s goal for teacher education is preparing them to make a lasting difference in the lives of their students. For Dr. Birch, this means that Tyndale candidates will teach in “classrooms across Ontario and around the world where children are seen, known, believed in, and taught with skill and care.”