Sarah Toatley, a professor in the honors program, sits down for coffee to share her teaching methods and life story. PHOTO CREDIT: uri.edu
Professor Sarah Toatley takes a non-traditional approach to life and teaching both inside and outside of the classroom.
“I love meeting students, finding out what they are interested in and finding a way to incorporate those interests into the classroom,” Toatley said.
Toatley has been a professor in the honors program at the University of Rhode Island since 2015 and has constructed unique topics for honors seminars based on her own interests and the interests of the students.
The process of constructing an honors course starts with her supervisor sharing the outcomes that need to be covered for the given semester. Then, she comes up with topics that will fit the outcomes. Some courses she has held in the past include “The Art of Activism” and “Curation of Self”. Currently, she is teaching “(Di)visions and diversity”, which is about diversity and inclusion representation on screen, as well as a class on teenage heroes.
“All information has value and it is important that we as individuals understand that all information gives us something within a particular context,” Toatley said.
For Toatley, it is important to look at the research process in a way that is applicable to students with all different backgrounds. According to her, although not everyone will leave URI writing research papers, everyone uses research skills on a daily basis in one way or another.
Even something as simple as purchasing a new product on Amazon employs research skills, according to Toatley.
“We are all individually authorities on different subjects and in different areas in our lives,” Toatley said. “Authority is not something that exists outside of us.”
In addition to teaching, Toatley has a deep-rooted passion for film and she has worked both in a Hollywood setting as well as in a personal filmmaking setting.
She worked on multiple projects with Rachel Weisz, an award-winning English actress. In the past, she has also worked the reshoots for “The Whistleblower,” a note-worthy 2010 film that is a fictionalized depiction based on the experiences of Kathyrn Bolkovav, a former human rights activist.
Also with Weisz, Toatley worked on “Oz the Great and Powerful,” a 2013 film directed by Sam Raimi starring James Franco, Michelle Williams, Mila Kunis and Rachel Weisz, “Dreamhouse” with Daniel Craig and “To The Wonder” directed by Terrence Mallik starring Ben Affleck.
In addition to working on these larger productions, Toatley has made smaller experimental films in which she has acted and directed.
“ I love making movies and I love the way we as humans are able to understand visual narrative,” Toatley said.
According to Toatley, it is very complicated to pick up all the cues and comprehend how all aspects of making a film unfold, however, all humans have the ability to interpret visual media in their own way.
She also noted the importance of taking initiative for the projects that you want to create.
“I have always wanted to tell stories especially after studying theater,” she said. “I don’t know why it took me so long to realize but nobody is going to come up to me and tell me now it’s time to make a movie. I just had to do it.”
Toatley will continue to teach in the honors program for the foreseeable future to continue to create an engaging learning environment and hopes to add onto her filmmaking passion.