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45. Embracing compassion and self-care: Educator wellbeing amidst the chaos

Chapter of: Stories of Hope: Reimagining Education(pp. 545–554)

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Metadata
Title45. Embracing compassion and self-care
SubtitleEducator wellbeing amidst the chaos
ContributorLee Fallin(author)
DOIhttps://doi.org/10.11647/obp.0462.45
Landing pagehttps://www.openbookpublishers.com/books/10.11647/obp.0462/chapters/10.11647/obp.0462.45
Licensehttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
CopyrightLee Fallin;
PublisherOpen Book Publishers
Published on2025-07-02
Long abstractThis chapter is a call for self-understanding and hope, beginning with the individual. It explores how Higher Education professionals can apply self-compassion—through self-kindness, recognition of shared humanity, and mindfulness—to support their own wellbeing amid the growing pressures of teaching, administration, and research. As lecturers, tutors, and teachers face increasing burnout, overwork, and underpayment, self-compassion offers a practical framework for academic self-care, helping educators to hold themselves with gentleness rather than harsh self-judgment. The chapter also argues that the principles of self-compassion must extend to colleagues, fostering a more supportive and humane academic culture.
Page rangepp. 545–554
Print length10 pages
LanguageEnglish (Original)
Contributors

Lee Fallin

(author)
Lecturer in Education, working for the School of Education at University of Hull
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5254-1349

Dr Lee Fallin is a Lecturer in Education, working for the School of Education at the University of Hull, where he is the Programme Director for a suite of Master’s in Education courses. His teaching specialises in special educational needs, inclusive education, social justice, design thinking, research methods, and digital education. Lee has published research on inclusion in Higher Education, the purpose of the academic library and on contemporary issues in learning development. His current research interests include indoor/outdoor learning spaces, artificial intelligence and geographies of place. Lee is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, a Certified Member of the Association of Learning Technology, and a Certified Leading Practitioner with the Association of Learning Development in Higher Education (ALDinHE). Lee is also recognised as a Microsoft Innovative Educator Expert and is a Microsoft Certified Educator.

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