Neil Dyal with his wife Juliana Dyal at a Western Education alumni event.
Neil Dyal on following his passions and finding purpose
For nearly 30 years, Neil Dyal, BEd ’96, found deep fulfillment in his roles as a high school educator and administrator for the Toronto District School Board, but he almost took a different path.
“I actually didn't want to become a teacher. Before my parents came to Canada, my mom was an English teacher and my dad was a math teacher in Guyana,” said Dyal. “I think because my parents had done it was the reason I didn't want to do it.”
While Dyal initially imagined a career following his interests in science or music, he would later realize teaching would allow him to combine both passions while finding meaning in helping students grow.
“Originally, I had two paths I wanted to try, one was music and the other was science. One fateful summer, I was working as a science researcher and my girlfriend, now wife, suggested I volunteer at a summer school program teaching remedial math,” he explained.
“It was rewarding to help these students who were struggling and see many of them pass the course. That aspect of making a difference really spoke to me, so the next opportunity I got, I applied to the Faculty of Education at Western.”
A lifechanging relationship
While Dyal pursued his undergraduate degree closer to home in Toronto, he had always been drawn to Western for the university’s reputation for exceptional student experience and the ability to pursue music during his studies.
“I had heard that at Western you could do your degree while also taking advantage of extracurricular music programming, so for me, that was a big selling feature. I have played the violin since I was 10 years old and wanted the opportunity to practise during my studies,” said Dyal.
“My experience from my first day on campus lived up to what I had heard about Western, the staff and faculty were very warm and caring. My classmates from the program and I were a close-knit group; we worked closely together and supported each other.”
For Dyal, the most memorable part of his experience at Western Education was getting to know the late professor of music education, Patrick Burrows. After Burrows heard Dyal practising violin in a study room, he invited him to participate in several campus music events and small ensembles, as well as the Woodstock Strings, which he conducted. Through playing in Burrows’ ensembles, and taking his intermediate/senior teaching strings course, Dyal developed a close relationship with the professor.
“Patrick Burrows changed my life. I felt so fortunate to learn from him,” he reflected. “When I got my first job offer, he provided an educational reference. I later found out from the principal that he gave me such a resounding reference, she couldn’t do anything but hire me.”
Leading and learning
Throughout his career, Dyal taught science, math and physics and progressed from teaching into administration. He began his leadership journey as a physics department head and held the roles of curriculum leader and vice-principal before becoming a principal for seven years until his retirement. With each new role, music remained a constant.
“With every school I was at, I continued with supporting music programming, whether it was an afterschool program or playing in a school orchestra,” said Dyal.
“I also helped to establish an arts program at one of the schools I worked at. I always got involved in music along the way; I was living out that part of my dreams through education.”
Apart from teaching and supporting programming aligned with his interests, the strong relationships he developed with colleagues, students and parents are what Dyal finds most meaningful about his career. He also fondly recalls many lessons that his students helped him learn along the way. Dyal credits one student with changing how he taught when an experiment to demonstrate Newton’s law of inertia went awry and a raw egg broke.
“This student put up his hand, and he said, ‘You know, Mr. Dyal, in my country, you'd have to save up for a month in order to get an egg.’ After he said that it really struck me and I never did that experiment again with an egg,” he recalled.
“I realized that my students each had such different backgrounds and it was amazing to learn from students about their experiences. That moment, and others, changed my teaching and how I led as a principal.’
An enduring commitment to education
While Dyal retired from full-time work in 2024, his commitment to education and lifelong learning has not waned. He continues to act as a casual administrator for the Toronto District School Board and supports the Principals Association providing mentorship for new principals.
Dyal is also nearing completion of his doctor of education in educational leadership and policy at the University of Toronto where he is researching the impact of critical events on principals.
“I’m really enjoying working on my dissertation. There seems to be a gap in the research, and it’s those events that principals have to deal with as part of their role as school leaders,” said Dyal.
“There are many principals who have, for instance, attended funerals or had to deal with other types of critical events where there's injury or death of a student or staff member. It’s an area that I think needs to be investigated more, and something I am passionate about learning and writing more about.”
A Western family legacy
Looking back on his impressive professional journey in education, Dyal still credits his time at Western as the launching pad for a meaningful and successful career.
“I have to say that my degree from Western opened huge doors for me. It opened a door into a profession that is incredibly rewarding,” he reflected. “It allowed me to discover what I think is my life's purpose and to experience such an enriching career.”
Dyal speaks so fondly of his time at Western that his daughter decided to continue the family tradition by earning her Bachelor of Arts from Western’s Faculty of Information and Media Studies in 2019.
“I asked my daughter why she chose Western, and she said she always remembers me speaking highly of Western and about the bonds I made there,” explained Dyal.
“In the summer months, when she was growing up, I would always find a way to drive us through Western’s beautiful campus. I was so happy that she had the same great experience that I did at Western and made such good friends who are still part of her life.”
