Arizona Christian University

Dr. Linnea J. Lyding comes to Arizona Christian University as an assistant professor in the College of Education. Her teaching background includes 18 years of elementary school instruction in the Phoenix area. She has taught children from diverse backgrounds in both the public and private sector. She also worked as a teacher of teachers in the elementary school setting, in seminar presentations, and in teaching adjunct classes for Arizona Christian University (ACU), Northern Arizona University (NAU), and Arizona State University (ASU).

She completed her doctorate in leadership and innovation in education at ASU in the spring of 2012. This program allowed her to identify concerns at her school, and then conduct action research to address the concerns. For her dissertation and final action research, she worked with teachers in her school to incorporate movement and gestures -- embodied cognition -- in their instruction to increase student engagement, enjoyment, and learning.

Her earlier degrees are both from NAU, where she earned a Master’s in elementary education with a specialization in reading, and a B.S. degree with a dual major in special education and early childhood education with an emphasis in learning disabilities.

Her desire to teach at the collegiate level stems from her passion to see all children succeed in school. She loves to work with children, watch them overcome obstacles, and learn to love school. However, after teaching a seminar to teachers, Lyding had a participant come up and tell her she learned more about teaching reading in the two-hour seminar than she had learned in four years of college. That is when Dr. Lyding realized she could help more children by working with aspiring teachers.

Dr. Lyding is looking forward to working with her colleagues to train up teachers who are experts in their field and who love the Lord.

“This combination will provide [ACU students] with a platform to impact others for Christ,” Dr. Lyding said. “As Christians, we need to be a light for Christ. Well-educated, Biblically sound teachers can have an effective, positive influence on their peers, as well as on their students. What better way to impact the world than by being an excellent teacher!”

Dr. Lyding has been married for 29 years to her best friend and strongest advocate, Chris Lyding. They have three daughters who all graduated from Christian universities and are now living in Arizona. She is also the chairman of the board for RISE Inc., an organization that supports individuals with disabilities. In her free time, she enjoys hanging out with her family, working out, reading, and “doing crafty things.”

Ed.D., Leadership and Innovation in Education, 2012, Arizona State University; M.Ed., Elementary Education, 2000, Northern Arizona University; B.S., Special Education and Early Childhood Education, 1981, Northern Arizona University.