Grace in the Grind: Finding Space to Breathe as an Educator

In this episode of Teach, Lead, Innovate, host Dave Walker returns with a heartfelt reflection on one of the most essential yet overlooked elements of teaching and leadership: grace.

Education never slows down, but your soul needs you to. Dave explores what it truly means to give yourself grace, weaving personal reflection with insights from leading research on self-compassion, burnout, and teacher well-being.

Listeners will learn:

✅ What “grace” really looks like in a school setting

✅ Practical ways to set boundaries and celebrate micro-wins

✅ How teacher well-being directly impacts student success

✅ Why grace isn’t weakness—it’s wisdom

🎧 Whether you’re a teacher, leader, or lifelong learner, this episode will help you pause, reflect, and remember that presence matters more than perfection.

📚 Referenced Research

Neff, K. D. (2003). The development and validation of a scale to measure self-compassion. Self and Identity, 2(3), 223–250.

Maslach, C., & Leiter, M. P. (2016). Understanding the burnout experience: Recent research and its implications for psychiatry. World Psychiatry, 15(2), 103–111.

Jennings, P. A., & Greenberg, M. T. (2009). The prosocial classroom: Teacher social and emotional competence in relation to student and classroom outcomes. Review of Educational Research, 79(1), 491–525.

Roeser, R. W., Schonert-Reichl, K. A., et al. (2013). Mindfulness training and reductions in teacher stress and burnout. Mindfulness, 4(3), 174–189.

Dreer, B. (2023). On the outcomes of teacher wellbeing: A systematic review of the literature. Frontiers in Education, 8, 1228688.

#TeachLeadInnovate #TeacherWellbeing #EducatorGrace #LeadWithLove #MindfulTeaching #PrincipalPodcast #EducationLeadership