Master of Arts (MA) – On campus
My name is Shirina Aktar. I am grateful for the opportunity to live and study on UBC’s Vancouver campus, which is situated on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the Musqueam people. Currently, I am pursuing my Master of Arts degree in Early Childhood Education, under the supervision of Dr. Laurie Ford. Previously I completed my bachelor’s (honours) and master’s degrees in Sociology at Khulna University in Bangladesh. I also completed a diploma in Early Childhood Education with high honours and distinction in leadership at Centennial College in Toronto, ON.
So far, my experiences at UBC have been great! I am enjoying my studies very much! All my professors are very supportive and caring, and my classmates are amazing. At an early age, I was inspired to become an educator when I saw my father as a successful and respected teacher at our local elementary school. Growing up in a rural community in Bangladesh, I understood the importance of education for children’s holistic development, creative potential, and social mobility. For this reason, I wanted to become an educator. While working at a rural elementary school, I witnessed how issues such as gender and class were major barriers to children’s access to education. Therefore, I decided to be a lifelong educator with a mission to support children’s education, development and well-being. After working for several years in diverse international contexts, I wanted to pursue an MA degree so that I can learn up-to-date knowledge of ECE theories and pedagogies, and also contribute to the knowledge base of the field by conducting original research.
My current research interest is intercultural communication between educators and families in culturally and linguistically diverse contexts. I love travelling, gardening, swimming, and baking/cooking for my family and friends.