Post-pandemic: Teaching with kindness.

Area of Science:

• Education
• Sociology
• Psychology

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic presented unique challenges to global education systems.
• Traditional teaching methods were disrupted, requiring rapid adaptation.
• The term 'unprecedented' became commonplace, yet deeper reflection on its impact is needed.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the influence of the past two years of experience on personal beliefs and behaviors related to teaching.
• To reflect on the evolving role of a teacher in response to the pandemic.
• To explore the growing understanding of the necessity of compassion and kindness in an educational context.

Main Methods:

• Personal reflection and narrative inquiry.
• Analysis of lived experiences as an educator during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Qualitative examination of shifts in pedagogical beliefs and behaviors.

Main Results:

• The pandemic experience significantly altered the author's perspective on teaching.
• A profound shift occurred in understanding the teacher's role, emphasizing empathy.
• The importance of compassion and kindness in educational settings was recognized as paramount.

Conclusions:

• The COVID-19 pandemic, despite its challenges, fostered a more compassionate and humanistic approach to teaching.
• Educators' personal and professional development was significantly impacted, leading to a greater appreciation for socio-emotional aspects of learning.
• The experience underscores the need to integrate kindness and compassion into the core of educational practices.