Instructor Self Care

Many are on holiday today, so I thought I would provide a tangent to our Teaching as Research approach and share an article on "Practicing Self-Care: 5 Tips for Teachers" by Newcomer (2020). Although the need to take care of ourselves in order to take care of our students may seem sensible, I have found that many effective instructors delay and/or refrain from self-care thinking every moment can be of benefit to students. While this may work for a while, as humans we all need basic care, so finding the balance is key.

The author shared five ways in which we can practice self care from Teaching Fellows, especially during the holidays.

1. Set and maintain boundaries, perhaps using visual organizers;

2. Reflect on your feelings and needs, by journaling, part of self-regulated learning and metacognition;

3. Recognize what is and isn’t in your control, for instance creating active outcomes and teaching methods;

4. Acknowledge moments of gratitude or joy, which I am certain there are many of in your lives, including student successes (often we tend to focus on the few overly critical comments we receive); and

5. Use self-care routines throughout your day, which could include meditation, exercise, eating well, and/or a regular positive chat with uplifting colleagues [also here is a Portable Practices for Self-Care Infographic].

I hope that everyone enjoys a well-deserved break and that you find multiple ways to rest, recuperate and inspire yourself and others. I will be taking next Friday, January 1 off and share the next SoTL article in the new year on January 8, 2021. Have a wonderful new year!