“My course is also about listening. We do that in a way that reflects in us and what we do the work of Jesus Christ when he was on earth, and that is one of serving others. If there is a motto or bottom line of everything I try to do in the course, it was to exemplify and model that particular way of relating to one another.”
—Dr. Reinier Ray Klapwyk, Professor, MA Leadership program
Dr. Reinier Ray Klapwyk is a favourite among many students and graduates of TWU, because he teaches from a place of empathy. Last fall, following almost 20 years of teaching at TWU, Dr. Klapwyk expressed his desire to take leave of his teaching obligations, ahead of his 80th birthday celebration in summer of 2021.
At TWU, we celebrate and honour Dr. Klapwyk. Dr. Adrienne Castellon, Associate Dean of MA Leadership and MA Educational Leadership remarks:
"Dr. Klapwyk put so much into his courses and students. He adapted his course and continually improved it so it was always 'cutting edge'. Students and faculty alike benefitted from his thoughtful scholarly contributions, practical wisdom shared through stories and his witty sense of humour."
Teaching from a rich experience in Christian education
Dr. Klapwyk’s career in education spans over 50 years – a wealth of experience that was greatly beneficial to the students he taught at TWU.
“I was able to relate to the students very well,” he said. “Most of the experiences that they had issues with were precisely or similar to the ones that I had as a principal way back.”
Dr. Klapwyk’s leadership journey began in 1960 when he taught grade seven at King George Public School in Guelph, Ontario. In 1965, he became the principal of Calvin Christian School in Hamilton, and later went on to serve in a number of leadership and administration roles within the field of education in Ontario, Alberta, and in Washington, USA. In 1994, Dr. Klapwyk completed his PhD in Educational Leadership at Washington State University, which opened the doors for him to enter university teaching.
With his strong experience of teaching in Christian schools, Dr. Klapwyk hoped to work within Christian higher education. At this time, Trinity Western University was recruiting professors for their Master of Arts in Leadership program, and Dr. Harro Van Brummelen, former Dean and Professor Emeritus of TWU’s School of Education and long-time friend of Dr. Klapwyk, connected with Dr. Klapwyk about the opportunity.
In 2002, Dr. Klapwyk began teaching courses within TWU’s MA Leadership program, drawing from the rich knowledge and insight gained from years of experience working as a school administrator and in teaching students. As a professor, Dr. Klapwyk has become known for providing generous amounts of feedback on assignments. His students often express gratitude for Dr. Klapwyk’s care and attention.
MA Education Leadership graduate (2020) and current B.C. teacher, Charlene Smoke, remembers Dr. Klapwyk's classes:
"As an Indigenous student, I found Dr. Klapwyk to be very open-minded and principled when discussing Indigenous perspectives. He was reflective, willing to dig deeper, and found meaningful ways to Indigenize the curriculum. It was a privilege to learn from and along with him."
MA Education Leadership graduate (2019) Ursula Neuscheler remarks:
"Devoted, passionate and servant leader are words that best describe Dr. Klapwyk who generously took the time to expound deeply on the writings of James K. A. Smith, Henry Nouwen, David T. Koyzis and others. He will always be remembered for his lengthy, but very personal evaluations. I wish Dr. Klapwyk all the best in his retirement."
In turn, Dr. Klapwyk is grateful for his time at TWU, expressing, “This is a good year for me to thank the University and thank God for what I’ve been able to do.”
He adds, “I’m very grateful for the support during the second half of my career as a school administrator and while I worked on my PhD at Washington State University, of my wife Phyllis, who grew up in Iowa. We married in 1984 and we have enjoyed life as a blended family with children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren living in both Canada and the U.S.”
Getting to know the students
Dr. Klapwyk considers it his role as a professor to view the world from his students’ perspective.
“It’s my job to become subject to the kind of life issues that are involved in order to understand them better,” he said. “If I don’t know my students very well, I don’t think I’m capable of helping them meet their needs.”
It is a process that he engages in thoughtfully. Emails, forums and writing all contribute to getting to know one another better, he said, “which is one of the keys to why I like to teach.”
His method of engaging students is to involve them in small group settings. By having students relate directly to one another, it creates a close-knit setting for students to answer one another’s questions, he explained. Individuals from diverse backgrounds and cultures learn to welcome one another, and a positive group dynamic is fostered.
Teaching servant leadership
“My course is also about listening,” he said. He explained that the basic premise of his course is teaching servant leadership, “We do that in a way that reflects in us and what we do the work of Jesus Christ when he was on earth, and that is one of serving others.”
Indeed, servant leadership permeates Dr. Klapwyk’s philosophy of education. “If there is a motto or bottom line of everything I try to do in the course, it was to exemplify and model that particular way of relating to one another.”
As a demonstration of servant leadership, Dr. Klapwyk continues to stay in touch with and mentor many graduates, and he keeps records of their correspondences. “Of course, I have their notes and what they wrote,” he said. He is always happy to follow up with former students, “I really like staying in touch with students who let me know how they’re doing.”
Dr. Klapwyk shared that some of his past students have started their own companies, become consultants, or are teaching in or leading schools. He has a file on his computer dedicated to graduates. “I don’t know how many names I’ve got on there, but anyone who contacts me after they’ve graduated, I will follow up with them,” he said.
Crossing cultures to influence lives
Over the years, what has been a source of great excitement for Dr. Klapwyk was the opportunity to bridge cultures in the classroom. In fact, he is particularly attuned to the needs of students who have immigrated to Canada, “I have really enjoyed getting to know people who are from elsewhere because that has been my past as well,” he said.
Dr. Klapwyk immigrated from Rotterdam, Holland when he was six years old. “I remember how tough that was – those first six years – for my family,” he said. “So I can relate pretty warmly to people who are in the stage of saying, ‘Is this my country or not?’ And that goes on for years for some people.”
In addition to being supportive of new Canadians, Dr. Klapwyk likes to support lifelong learners. “University doesn’t stop for them after they graduate,” he said, thinking of his students.
About Trinity Western University
Founded in 1962, Trinity Western University is Canada’s premier Christian liberal arts university dedicated to equipping students to establish meaningful connections between career, life, and the needs of the world. It is a fully accredited research institution offering liberal arts and sciences, as well as professional schools in business, nursing, education, human kinetics, graduate studies, and arts, media, and culture. It has four campuses and locations: Langley, Richmond-Lansdowne, Richmond-Minoru, and Ottawa. TWU emphasizes academic excellence, research, and student engagement in a vital faith community committed to forming leaders to have a transformational impact on culture. Learn more at www.twu.ca or follow us on Twitter @TrinityWestern, on Facebook and LinkedIn.
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