Self-Care as Pedagogical Practice

Originally published January 9, 2026

As a new term begins, we all feel that familiar buzz of fresh intention and focused energy. We are preparing our courses, polishing MyLS pages, and getting ready to support our students. But, as we start, many of us are also entering the Winter term carrying a mixture of pedagogical, emotional, and cognitive fatigue. In recognizing this feeling, we can remember to seek self-care and be gentle with each other, our students and ourselves through our teaching practice.

In this context, faculty self-care is not a personal add-on or a January resolution. It is part of a professional sustainable pedagogical practice that pairs high-quality teaching and learning with meaningful boundaries to support instructors over time. Pedagogies of care strategies often focus on student belonging, motivation, and well-being, but balancing this with faculty self-compassion, joy, and capacity is as important to supporting a successful learning environment for students (Cavanaugh 2023; France 2023; Kenny & Dyjur 2018). When teaching practices are unsustainable, the impact is felt not only by faculty, but also by students through delayed feedback, reduced presence, and inconsistent expectations.

Embedding Self-Care into Sustainable Teaching Practice

A moment for reflection

As we begin the term, consider:

What is one teaching practice this semester that supports my long-term wellbeing?
Where might I reduce effort without reducing learning impact?

Sometimes small but intentional changes can have a long-term and meaningful effect on instructor energy during the term. Potential changes could include:

Creating an FAQ MyLS discussion board for peer support to reduce emails.
Embedding a short weekly “5-minute share” to tell a story of a connection or a learning moment in your field to intentionally share your passion.
Using quick response technology like iClickers to integrate attendance, formative feedback, and engagement tracking easily into the gradebook.

Set communication boundaries early

Establish clear language around email response times, set norms about office hours, and communication channels to manage expectations for both students and yourself. Predictable availability is often more effective, and more sustainable than constant availability. This can model to students what healthy digital practices, professional boundaries, and effective time management can look like.

Design for alignment

When designing courses, intentionally map content, assessments, and learning activities to the learning outcomes. This alignment reduces cognitive and administrative load during teaching, provides greater clarity for students, and minimizes repetitive questions about expectations, thereby creating space for self-care and supporting long term teaching practice.

Make assessment and feedback manageable

Consider using rubrics to streamline grading and exemplars to promote equitable opportunities.
Spread assessments across the semester, giving students brief pauses between major assessments (breathers) and allowing instructors time to grade and provide timely feedback on progress. Consider creating a course calendar that reflects the rhythm of the term while also accounting for your own time and personal needs.
Block a few hours in your calendar to reflect on various evaluations and grading workloads in your course(s) and consider any areas for revisions to improve the experience for you and your students.
Join our upcoming workshop on Assessment (re)Design in the Age of Gen AI for helpful prompts and guidance in creating or revising an assessment.

Be aware of campus student services

Teaching involves care, but faculty are not counsellors. Likewise, sustainable teaching practices require knowing when to listen, when to support academically, and when to refer students to institutional services (Costa 2022). Familiarize yourself with Laurier Student Success services as well as student support and Wellness referral pathways to maintain appropriate boundaries while ensuring students receive the help they need.

Reach out for teaching support

Know who to ask for help and support. Reach out to an educational developer who can support you through confidential teaching consultations for brainstorming ideas, discussing course and assessment redesign, or classroom challenges that work for your context and needs.

Reaching out for appropriate support reduces anxiety and unnecessary labour and is essential to maintaining your wellbeing. Engaging with these supports early can prevent challenges later in the term.

Sustainability and self-care in teaching is not achieved in Week 1. It is iterative and responsive. Adjusting a course mid-semester, revising communication practices, or seeking a teaching consultation are all signs of pedagogical professionalism and can help sustain your energy through the term.