Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-v9fdk Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-19T06:44:58.939Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Teaching, Self-Care, and Reflective Practice during a Pandemic

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 February 2022

Rachel Vanderhill Open the ORCID record for Rachel Vanderhill [Opens in a new window]  and
Courtney Dorroll
Rachel Vanderhill
Affiliation:
Wofford College, USA
Courtney Dorroll
Affiliation:
Wofford College, USA
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Political science courses often address difficult topics that can take an emotional and psychological toll on students, including burnout, compassion fatigue, and vicarious traumatization. There is a growing awareness of the importance of reflective and self-care practices in teaching, especially considering the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on student mental health. However, this is a rarely discussed topic in political science. This article discusses the results of our pedagogical research on the emotional impact of learning about atrocities, the challenges of studying during a global pandemic, and the benefits of self-care activities (e.g., meditation) for student well-being. Our research is based on two different courses and includes student self-reflections and our analysis of class discussions. We conclude that our students struggle with the emotional costs of studying difficult topics (especially during the pandemic) and are receptive to doing self-care activities and find them beneficial for their mental health.

Type
Article
Information
PS: Political Science & Politics , Volume 55 , Issue 3 , July 2022 , pp. 610 - 614
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2022. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of the American Political Science Association

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Ahmad, Aisha. 2020a. “Why You Should Ignore All That Coronavirus-Inspired Productivity Pressure.” The Chronicle of Higher Education, March 26. www.chronicle.com/article/why-you-should-ignore-all-that-coronavirus-inspired-productivity-pressure.Google Scholar
Ahmad, Aisha. 2020b. “Productivity and Happiness Under Sustained Disaster Conditions.” The Chronicle of Higher Education, April 9. www.chronicle.com/article/productivity-and-happiness-under-sustained-disaster-conditions.Google Scholar
Cunningham, Maddy. 2004. “Teaching Social Workers about Trauma: Reducing the Risks of Vicarious Traumatization in the Classroom.” Journal of Social Work Education 40 (2): 305–17.10.1080/10437797.2004.10778495CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dorroll, Courtney. 2020. “Care in the Classroom.” Network for Vocation in Undergraduate Education [blog], November 10. https://vocationmatters.org/2020/11/10/care-in-the-classroom.Google Scholar
LeBlanc, Nicole J., and Marques, Luana. 2019. “Anxiety in College: What We Know and How to Cope.” Harvard Health Blog, August 27. www.health.harvard.edu/blog/anxiety-in-college-what-we-know-and-how-to-cope-2019052816729.Google Scholar
Lee, AHyun. 2020. “Trauma-Informed Online Learning.” Wabash Center [blog], June 18. www.wabashcenter.wabash.edu/2020/06/trauma-informed-online-learning.Google Scholar
Mir-Hosseini, Ziba, and Longinotto, Kim. 1998. Divorce Iranian Style. Twentieth Century Vixen, documentary film.Google Scholar
Napoli, Maria, and Bonifas, Robin. 2011. “From Theory toward Empathic Self-Care: Creating a Mindful Classroom for Social Work Students.” Social Work Education 30 (6): 635–49.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sheffield, Carole. 2011/2012. “Always Ready for Summer: Reflections on the Emotional Cost of Teaching about Violence against Women.” Transformations: The Journal of Inclusive Scholarship and Pedagogy 22 (2): 21–35.Google Scholar
Smith, Heather, and Hornsby, Mark (eds.). 2021. Teaching International Relations in a Time of Disruption. London: Palgrave MacMillan.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Stevenson, Mark. 2019. The Dictator’s Playbook. PBS documentary film.Google Scholar
Tremblay, Jessika. 2014.“10 Tips for Surviving Anthropological Fieldwork.” Ethnographic Encounters. https://netnographicencounters.com/2014/04/07/10-tips-for-surviving-anthropological-fieldwork.Google Scholar
Tumminio Hansen, Danielle. 2020. “Restorative Trauma-Informed Pedagogy.” Wabash Center [blog], December 4. www.wabashcenter.wabash.edu/2020/12/restorative-trauma-informed-pedagogy.Google Scholar
Wofford College. 2018. “Resilience Project Well-Being Exercises.” www.wofford.edu/wofford.edu/documents/about/resilience-project/toolkit.pdf.Google Scholar
Zartner, Dana. 2019. “Focus on the Positive: How Do We Keep Our Classes from Becoming Too Depressing?” Journal of Political Science Education 15 (3): 346–64.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Zurbriggen, Eileen L. 2011. “Preventing Secondary Traumatization in the Undergraduate Classroom: Lessons from Theory and Clinical Practice.” Psychological Trauma: Theory, Practice, Research, and Policy 3 (3): 223–28.CrossRefGoogle Scholar