How to be empathetic when teaching first-year students

First-year students often find the adjustment to university life stressful, particularly in demanding disciplines like pharmacy. As educators, we frequently prioritise curriculum objectives and knowledge delivery over students’ emotional and psychological needs. This oversight can negatively impact their performance. Empathy – understanding students’ perspectives and responding to their struggles – is crucial for fostering a positive learning environment, as I’ve observed during my three years of teaching first-year students at Al-Mustaqbal University. 

This article offers concrete strategies for incorporating empathy into teaching practices, ultimately supporting students’ academic and personal growth.

Understanding the challenge of teaching with empathy

The first year of university is a period of significant adjustment. Students must adapt to a new academic structure, manage a heavy workload, juggle personal and professional obligations, and often cope with homesickness or cultural differences. These pressures can lead to disengagement, poor academic performance or even dropout.

• Using literature to increase students’ empathy
• Connect with your students inside and outside the classroom
• Teaching from the heart in 13 steps

A key challenge is the gap between teacher expectations and students’ realities. Many students enter university unprepared for the academic rigour, independent study requirements and time-management skills needed for success. 

Meanwhile, educators may assume students already possess these skills, creating a disconnect that leads to stress and underperformance. Empathy bridges this gap by helping educators recognise students’ struggles and provide appropriate support, ensuring a smoother transition into university life.

Practical strategies for empathetic teaching

1. Create a safe and inclusive classroom environment

When students feel free to express themselves, they perform at their best. Inclusive practices enhance both academic performance and social cohesion, according to research by Jeffrey Cornelius-White of Missouri State University.

To achieve this, educators should:

• be mindful of how language impacts students’ confidence and engagement 
• avoid singling out students for mistakes
• acknowledge the diverse backgrounds and experiences present in the class, especially in multicultural settings like our classrooms in Hillah, Iraq. For example, during group activities, I pair students from Hillah with their peers from distant cities to promote collaboration and mutual understanding. This approach helps students appreciate different backgrounds and challenges
• use anonymous surveys (such as in Google Forms) to gather feedback on course difficulty or classroom dynamics. In my class, a survey revealed that students struggled with memorising drug classifications. I introduced mnemonic techniques and visual aids, which significantly improved their engagement.

2. Adapt your teaching methods

Empathetic teaching begins with understanding that students learn in different ways. By remaining flexible, you can accommodate diverse learning styles while fostering compassion and inclusivity.

• Use case studies, role-playing and hands-on lab work to make abstract concepts real. To encourage participation among students, start with low-stakes activities that allow them to engage without fear of making mistakes, such as small-group discussions before class-wide sharing. 
• Apply Bloom’s Taxonomy to develop lessons that progress from basic comprehension to critical thinking.
• In humanities courses, storytelling and reflective writing tasks help foster empathy.
• In STEM fields, collaborative problem-solving tasks enhance teamwork and mutual support.

In my opinion, employing real-world scenarios, such as simulating patient visits for pharmacy students, assists first-years in connecting theory to practice and increases their confidence.

3. Provide timely, meaningful and constructive feedback

Feedback should be specific, actionable, and delivered with kindness. Instead of saying: “This answer is wrong,” try: “You’re on the right track, but consider exploring [X concept] further.” Positive reinforcement and clear instructions strengthen resilience and promote growth. Effective feedback, delivered at the right time, significantly impacts student achievement, found John Hattie and Helen Timperley of the University of Auckland.

4. Be mindful of workload and deadlines

Empathy extends to understanding students’ challenges outside the classroom. Avoid overwhelming them with assignments, and provide clear directions and deadlines. During the pandemic, I noticed many students juggling online studies and home duties. By adjusting deadlines and providing recorded lessons, I helped reduce their stress.

5. Active listening and showing understanding in all interactions

Active listening is the foundation of empathy. Encourage students to voice their concerns without fear of judgement. I often use open-ended questions such as: “What has been the most difficult aspect of this course for you?” This reassures students that their opinions matter and helps me identify areas where they need support.

Why empathy works

Empathetic teaching enhances learning outcomes, especially for first-year students, by addressing the whole student, not just their academic performance. When students feel understood and supported, they are more likely to participate actively, seek help when needed, and adopt a growth mindset, according to Gloriana Trujillo and Kimberly D. Tanner. My experience has shown that empathetic teaching reduces dropout rates and increases overall satisfaction.

Promoting empathy also aligns with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 4: Quality Education, which emphasises inclusive and equitable learning. In pharmacy education, integrating empathy fosters well-rounded practitioners who prioritise both technical expertise and compassionate patient care.

Empathy is more than a soft skill; it’s a powerful tool for improving teaching and learning. By actively listening, fostering supportive environments, adapting teaching methods, providing constructive feedback and being mindful of workload, educators can help first-year students thrive. As someone who has worked with pharmacy students in Hillah, I’ve seen the profound impact empathy has on both teaching and student outcomes. Let us continue to prioritise empathy in higher education, for the benefit of our students and society.

Abdulhusein Mizhir Almaamuri is a lecturer in the College of Pharmacy at Al Mustaqbal University, Iraq.

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