Self-Compassion and Empathy
In all likelihood, there may have been instances where individuals exploited my willingness to grant extensions or make-ups. However, I grapple with the dilemma of weighing that risk against the alternative—meticulously probing into students' personal lives and demanding evidence for their circumstances, such as asking for proof of a family member's passing. Demonstrating kindness to students facing challenges holds significant value for me. When faced with a choice, I lean towards trusting that students are abiding by the honor code and being honest.
- Mary Rose, College of Liberal Arts
Self-compassion is not the same thing as self-esteem; it is a practice of treating yourself like you would a close friend by accepting your shortcomings but also holding yourself accountable to grow and learn from failure (Neff, 2003, 2011). Research on this topic conducted here at UT Austin suggests that “self-compassionate individuals may be better able to see failure as a learning opportunity and to focus on accomplishing tasks at hand” (p. 274, Neff, Hsieh, & Dejitterat, 2005).
- Model how you have compassion for yourself and others.
- When you make a mistake or struggle with something, share it with students and talk about strategies you use to be compassionate with yourself (e.g., self-talk).
- When a student comes to you with a question or need, show that you are listening and understand where they’re coming from (e.g., smile, shake your head, repeat what they say to clarify).
- Discuss common humanity among you and students. Examples include:
- When students struggle or fail, talk about a time when you had a similar experience.
- Share your own positive and negative experiences at specific times (e.g., before or after giving an exam, when going over an assignment).
- Try seeing things from a student’s perspective and help him or her see things from your perspective.
- Give students the benefit of the doubt. Don’t assume they’re lazy or trying to get out of work.
- Be flexible. Take into consideration students’ lives outside of class. These lives may include:
- Families, including their own children
- Jobs
- Chronic illnesses
- Other classes