Embedding equity and empathy into the fabric of classrooms, school districts and, even more broadly, the education system is essential to closing the achievements gaps between students, says Avis Glaze.
Invited to speak at the World Education Summit, the highly-respected, innovative, international education leader – who also proudly identifies herself as a Ladner Rotarian – will be presenting on the topic “Equity and Social Justice: Empathy is Key” on Tuesday (March 22).
Glaze is among hundreds of other world renown speakers who will be virtually gathering from 87 different countries from March 21 to 24 to share their expertise and research.
“I feel honoured to have been invited, especially among the world’s best. Some of those names you see on the program are absolutely some of the world’s best, so to be included in that group, it’s an honour and I must fulfill that honour,” she says.
Since being invited, Glaze has been doing lots of research and has come up with 13 recommendations to share on how equity, empathy and social justice can be prioritized in the world of education.
“[It is important to] recognize that not all children can learn on the same day and in the same way,” she says. “As teachers, we need to have a repertoire of skills so that we can address the needs of any student. And whenever I have worked in a system, closing achievement gaps was one of my most important actions as a leader, because I don’t want any children left behind. I don’t want any throw-away kids.”
Glaze maintains that it's important to see the bigger picture of academic achievements across a classroom, a district, or a country, and not hyper-focus only on the students who are doing well.
“What good is it when school systems say, ‘Oh, we’re a great school district.’ When they say that to me, I say, ‘Well, how are the children in poverty doing? How are the immigrant children doing? How are the boys doing? How are the girls doing?’ They have to disaggregate their data and see who is doing well and who is not doing well. And more than anything, how are they going to close the achievements gaps?” says Glaze.
The World Education Summit is guided by 10 global pledges to education that centre around democratizing education, seeking social justice and diverse voices, using technology for the greater good, building trust and raising the global bar of expectations.
