I have always thought I was compassionate… Very compassionate according to others.
I wonder now if I am practicing enough compassionate teaching. The focus of compassionate teaching is on the emotional and mental wellness of students, by prioritising of empathy, understanding, kindness and respect. This approach involves establishing an inclusive and secure learning environment that fosters student growth and enables them to achieve their maximum potential.
As tutors we need to establish a relationship with them as individuals, understanding they come from different backgrounds and cultures and making sure that they all receive the support they need. Apart from giving deadline extensions to those with ISAs and ECs, we should give them adapted material, in advanced of the class, and make sure they have a summary or clear to-do list at the end of the session.
It is very important to focus on growth rather than only highlighting errors particularly when providing feedback to students. In this case, I find myself much more in tuned with compassionate feedback when this is oral and informal than in a written formal format.
Why is this? I am still on the way of discovering what are the obstacles I find while writing formal feedback: are we briefed and taught on how to do it? Is the system really supporting a model that fosters compassionate feedback? Do I have a language barrier?
Or maybe is just me not being conscious enough?
To re re re read:
Fostering belonging and compassionate pedagogy.
https://www.arts.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0019/223417/AEM3_FBCP.pdf