Sara Pagliaro

I am currently a first-year Ph.D. student in Social Justice Education at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto. I completed an M.A. in Social Justice Education at OISE this year; my master's thesis was on Transcending the Classroom: Re-imagining Social Justice Education for K-12 Teachers in the Greater Toronto Area.

What were your favourite classes and why?

I had a few favourite classes! In my second year, I took “Teaching and Learning a Second/Foreign Language”. This course was one of my favourites because it provided a foundational background into teaching and learning, not just regarding a second/foreign language but strategies for teaching and learning more generally, which initially sparked my interest in education. I also enjoyed the French oral language practice courses. I took the first oral language practice course in my second year and the advanced oral language practice course in my third year (which unfortunately got interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic). I loved these courses because they provided a safe and informal way to practice speaking French and there were so many opportunities to have discussions and converse in French. Since I found speaking to be the hardest French skill (more so than reading, writing, and comprehending in French), I really valued the opportunity to practice speaking with my peers.

What are your plans beyond grad school?

Considering that I have been in grad school for 2 years now (doing my MA) and will continue to be in grad school for the next 4 years (doing my PhD), it is hard to think beyond grad school and plan for what is to come after this major chapter in my life. Preliminarily speaking, after grad school, I intend to apply for sessional lecturer (SL) positions and hopefully get my foot in the door with teaching and lecturing at the undergraduate level. My ultimate goal once grad school is said and done is to be a professor! Beyond grad school, my plan is also to continue with my research and carry out new projects, publish, and stay up-to-date and informed with what is happening in my research areas of interest.

What are some of your favourite memories of your undergrad experience?

Some of my favourite memories of my undergrad experience include getting involved and developing a sense of community, gaining meaningful friendships, and being on campus and taking in the beauty of the campus, especially the surrounding nature. In my final 2 years of undergrad, I was involved in the Department of Language Studies’ French club, ÉFUTM. This was a nice way to balance my studies with a fun and destressing extracurricular that not only taught me important things about student leadership and governance but allowed me to positively contribute to the academic journeys of students in the French program and develop community with these peers. Additionally, I gained meaningful friendships throughout my time in undergrad. Having a community of friends on campus really helped navigate the rollercoaster-type experience of pursuing post-secondary education. They helped to keep me motivated, calm, and grounded! Lastly, I loved just being on campus. The UTM campus feels serene, calming, and I always felt a sense of comfort and at home when I was on campus. Often times I reflect on how much I miss walking around campus from class to class, because the nature and surrounding outdoors were always so beautiful and calming. I appreciated that aspect so much.

What is a piece of advice you would give to an undergrad in your program?

A piece of advice that I would give to an undergrad in my program is to get involved with research during your undergraduate education, especially if you wish to pursue grad school. Getting involved with research while in undergrad is an excellent place to start learning about research, deciding which methods work for you and which ones don’t, and also gaining knowledge and experience regarding data analysis and interpretation. The Research Opportunity Program was how I got involved with research in my undergrad. It was a wonderful opportunity being able to work closely with professors and faculty, learn about the research process, and provide that critical student perspective. Now, after completing my Master of Arts degree and Master’s thesis, and in currently pursuing my PhD, I can confidently say that participating in research while an undergrad student provided a foundation to my research knowledge and was a great opportunity to get my foot in the door with regards to research.  

How have you utilized the alumni network either as a student and/or as an alum?

Despite still being a student at the University of Toronto even after graduating from my undergrad at UTM, I have utilized some resources that are available to alumni. Between my time at UTM (ending April 2021) and beginning my Master’s (Fall 2022), I utilized resources and support from the UTM Career Centre that are available to students up to 2 years after graduation. I accessed resources and support to finetune and get feedback on my résumé and CV. Additionally, I have also remained in contact with professors and staff at the Department of Language Studies after graduating, which afforded me opportunities to get involved with translation work, writing newsletters, and most recently, being employed by the department as a Teaching Assistant (TA). I look forward to the support and resources I will be able to access once I finish my PhD. Since that is 4 years away, I’m sure there will be more innovative and helpful supports/resources that alumni will be able to access. I’m excited to see what these will be!