The courses are taught by dedicated and creative provincially certified teachers from leading schools across Canada. They are selected for their enthusiasm and experience in the field. In-class teaching strategies are designed to effectively utilize the time available and the unique settings of our courses. Out of class, teachers work with students individually and in groups and will regularly join them for excursions. The quality of our faculty and their availability to our students accounts for much of the academic success of our students.

JOHN GELLARD loves pushing students to the edge in creative writing project and exploring the depths of T.S. Eliot, Dylan Thomas and Shakespeare. He has an MA in Philosophy from the University of Western Ontario and has taught creative writing, English, and Drama at Kitsilano Secondary School in Vancouver for an entire generation. John was named Canada's top teacher by Maclean's magazine in August 2005.

NATHAN TIDRIGE is the "king" when it comes to experiential education. In fact it's almost impossible to catch sight of him in a classroom. Instead, Nathan immerses his students in the very places and cultures they are studying while pushing them to grow beyond their boundaries and to explore and reflect on their learning experiences. Nathan is the 2007-2008 recipient of the Premier's Award for Teaching Excellence. This summer, he is publishing his first book, Beyond Mainland, a study of the changing Canadian identity and its impact on local history.

PAUL FINKELSTEIN is the director of our Culinary Arts program in Italy. Paul's academic education took place in Canada at Queen’s University, where he completed both an undergraduate and teaching degree. Paul’s culinary education, however, took place around the world, an approach he demonstrates his belief in by leading students on international adventures to learn the ins and outs of food in the 21st century. Paul graduated from the renowned Stratford Chef School with the top practical cookery award and went on to chef at a private villa in Tuscany. He later returned to Canada and currently teaches at Northwestern Secondary School in Stratford where he was awarded the 2007- 2008 Premier's Award for Teaching Excellence.

DR. WAYNE SPROULE is currently a professor in the Faculty of Education at York University.  Previously Wayne served as a History, Social Sciences and Humanities teacher and was Head of Department in the Toronto District School Board. Wayne is the author of several textbooks and curricula currently in use in secondary schools in Ontario.  For the past four years, Wayne has enjoyed teaching Blyth students in various locations around the world.

FRANCA IANNI is the 2004 winner of the Governor-General's Award for Excellence in Teaching Canadian History. She is the author of History curriculum that is currently in use in Ontario schools and a firm believer that there is no better place to pursue historical study than where the events actually took place. To this end, Franca continually wows Blyth students with her passion and excitement as she leads them through the histories of the two world wars. Franca recently completed an extensive course on Holocaust Education in Jerusalem and with her participation in an archaeological dig in Israel in 2006; Franca demonstrates just how hands-on history can be.

FRANCES BLEVISS loves studying English with teenagers; she believes they teach her more than she can ever teach them. Her goal is to empower students with the confidence and skills necessary to articulate their opinions both orally and in writing. Frances obtained an Honours B.A., B.Ed., and M.A. from the University of Toronto. She is the former head of English at Northern Secondary School and head of the Gifted Program at Woburn C.I.

SOPHIE WILLIAMS graduated from Bournemouth University in the UK with a 1st class honours degree in Television Production. Her two short graduation documentaries received critical acclaim on the film festival circuit and were broadcast by the BBC. She has worked as a freelancer for a variety of British production companies, programmed the documentary strand for the Birds Eye View film festival, and produced a snowboarding series for the Extreme Sports Channel. Her passion for travel and surf has taken her around the globe, surfing in Morocco, Nicaragua, Bali and most recently Hawaii.

JAASON GEERTS is the recipient of multiple awards from the University of Toronto where he is currently completing his PhD in Leadership, Education, and Theology. In 2007, Jaason was voted the "Greatest Local Hero" in a Toronto-wide, year-and-a-half-long newspaper contest for his role as the Director of a network of Youth Leadership groups involved in community service throughout Toronto.

TIM DUNCAN worked in the film industry for eight years, first as an assistant producer for Alliance Films and more recently as president of and producer for his own production company. He left all the glitz and glamour behind, however, when he realized that teaching young adults was really what mattered to him. For Blyth, Tim wears many hats. From teaching leadership in Costa Rica and classical civilization in Italy, to developing and leading community service programs in Cuba, Tim does it all. With a strong background in International Development and Leadership, Tim consistently wins over the hearts and minds of students as he teaches them to gain confidence within themselves and to use that newfound confidence to push their limits and expand their horizons.