Extending compassion to students as the pandemic continues: Opinion

Professors should increase compassion towards students rather than solely focusing on student engagement as the COVID-19 pandemic continues, write Aaron Langille and Victoria Kannen. The article lists some of the previous compassionate approaches that instructors have implemented within their classrooms, and outlines additional ways that instructors can extend compassion to students. Ideas include checking in with students, creating safe spaces, listening to and anticipating student needs, and trusting students to be doing their best. The authors write that compassionate strategies do not lower learning expectations or excuse students from meeting class criteria; instead, these strategies reduce anxiety, fear, and shame, while modeling life after university. University Affairs (National)