avis glaze

“As a young girl growing up in Jamaica, I believed in the value of a good education.  My philosophy was to reach for the stars and to achieve the highest level of education possible.  At age 11, I remember wanting to do a master’s degree.  I learned about a doctorate later on.

My first career choice was to be a lawyer, but that changed when Miss Bogle, who became my favourite teacher, addressed equity issues head-on and spoke passionately about fairness, justice and respect – values that were very important to me at a very early age.

I remember reflecting on the statement attributed to the German Lutheran minister:  “First they came for the trade unionist… ” etc, and also reading about Apartheid in South Africa.  I vowed at a very young age that I would spend my life fighting injustice and being an advocate for those who were disadvantaged in any way.  In other words, my life’s work would be as a fighter for human rights.”

“I have known Dr. Glaze since my childhood in Jamaica and have always had great admiration for her personal character and her dedication to the education and encouragement of children.  An early, cherished memory I have is of her gift to me of a tennis racquet which has underscored, in my mind, the commitment she has to ensuring the holistic child development through the nurturing of mental, physical and social ability.  That simple gesture has always been a reminder to me to give of my best in any the engagement of any endeavour.

Dr. Glaze values education and hard work and, as a professional educator, she would often ask about my academic aspirations and career plans.  However, these questions were never posed at a remove from herself.  In fact she was equally, if not more, demanding of herself.  Upon the successful completion of her PhD, I recall asking her what she might want to do next, with all that hard work behind her.  To my surprise and lasting inspiration, she declared that she wanted to pursue yet another line of study simply for her personal enjoyment and growth.  In this way, through personal example, she brought me to understand that education is a journey, not a destination.  I have admired her extraordinary ability to balance her drive, vision and self-confidence against her patience, empathy and sensitivity. Dr. Glaze has consistently modelled excellence for me, presenting herself as a living example of what I might accomplish if only I would try, as she would prod me, to “reach for the stars.”

Ricardo Allicock
Jamaican Ambassador to Japan

the formative years

I was a very ambitious young girl who believed in hard work, always remembering the exhortation of my grandmother who always said, “If you want to do well in life you have to be prepared to burn the midnight oil.”  (I think she was thinking of the days before electricity when they used lamps.)

Early in life my first career choice was to become a lawyer. I remember the years spent watching Perry Mason, visualizing myself pleading cases in court.   I had the benefit of attending an excellent high school after receiving the 11 plus scholarship to an excellent high school for girls.  After meeting a teacher who denounced prejudice and racism and who believed in equity and social justice – causes that were very important to me at the time – I decided that I wanted to become a teacher.  I felt strongly that teachers make a significant difference in children’s lives and in society-at-large. Through education, they influence students’ life chances and life choices and contribute to nation building and other important societal outcomes.  Through the work they do on a daily basis, teachers help shape the future of our society.

Receiving the Benefit of A first Class education:
– Church Teachers’ College
– The UNIVERSITY OF the West Indies
– the University of TORONTO

I was fortunate to receive an excellent education in Jamaica. The rest of my school years in Jamaica were dedicated to long hours of study and being grateful for a first class education – one that prepared me academically to compete, with confidence, globally   I held steadfast to my dream of becoming a teacher.  On completing my first degree at the University of West Indies, I was accepted at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) of the University of Toronto.

I arrived in Toronto eager to embrace this new opportunity but being fearful of the cold and intimidated by the vastness of the country and the fact that I was so far away from home with no relatives nearby.  I found dealing with the winter the most difficult adjustment.  University professors at OISE/UT would invite us “visa students” to their homes for Christmas dinner. I will always remember their kindness and concern for us! Finally it was my desire and perseverance to achieve my goal and the warmth and generosity of the Canadians with whom I had come in contact that  helped me to decide that I wanted this country to be my new home.  I enjoyed graduated studies and was grateful for the excellent grounding I had received during my first degree at the University of the West Indies.

After graduate studies in Toronto, I had to return home to apply for landed immigrant status.  I did the equivalent of 2 master of education programs and a doctorate in education.  Once I started teaching, I moved rapidly up the ladder, through all the important roles, becoming a superintendent of education and later Ontario’s first Chief Student Achievement Officer.  I received many international awards for my work in education.  One of the highlights was to return to the University of Toronto as a recipient of an honorary Doctor of Education.  This was truly a highlight of my career.