Exploring self-compassion as a means of emotion regulation in teaching

ABSTRACT Self-compassion is emerging as a method to support teachers dealing with the stress of teaching. In this qualitative study, the authors investigate the ways in which self-compassion already exists in the teaching context and in what ways self-compassion intersects with emotion regulation. Teachers shared critical incidents of unsatisfactory outcomes in their teaching. Through a priori coding and I-poems, the authors found self-compassion present before the resolution, after the resolution and even used as the resolution to conflict in those unsatisfactory critical incidents, indicating the usefulness of self-compassion as a method of emotion regulation. The earlier the use of self-compassion, the more quickly emotional recovery occurred. Implications for teacher education are the need for explicit teaching, practicing, and encouragement of self-compassion as an important element in pre-service and in-service teacher development and resilience in the profession.