Perfectionism in Teaching: Making Room for Being Human
November 2, 2026,
Most of us in higher education care deeply about our teaching. We put time and thought into what we do, and there’s real satisfaction in seeing an idea click for a student or watching them discover something new.
And because we care, it’s easy to put pressure on ourselves to get everything right. We hold ourselves to high standards, often while juggling busy course schedules, research, service work, writing, family, relationships, and just LIFE.
In this Teaching Minute, we're taking a brief look at how our desire to do good work sometimes turns into a desire to do perfect work.
There's a binary quality to perfectionism. It’s the belief that 1) perfection is attainable and 2) anything short of it is failure. Those of us who struggle with it strive to do our best and then often live with a nagging, stressed feeling that the smallest imperfections are shameful, that our work is never good enough, or that if one thing didn’t go perfectly, we’ve failed.
As part of the Critical Teaching Behaviors (CTB) Framework, developed by Lauren Barbeau and Claudia Cornejo Happel, the Reflect principle invites us to think about teaching as an ongoing process of learning and growth. This includes reflecting not only on our teaching practices, but also on the expectations we place on ourselves and what it means to do our work well.
Making Room for Being Human
Being human in our teaching means recognizing that we don’t have to know everything, get everything right, or have every moment of a class session perfectly planned. It means leaving room for experimentation, uncertainty, and unexpected moments of learning. Imperfection can be a teaching opportunity. When you acknowledge a mistake, reconsider an approach, or demonstrate that you don't have all the answers, you model intellectual humility and growth for students.
Making room for being human also means taking care of ourselves and recognizing that our well-being matters, too. It can help to step back and remember what makes teaching meaningful to us. Is it sparking curiosity in our students (and ourselves)? Helping students make discoveries and connections?
When we allow ourselves to be human, complete with our own strengths and imperfections, we invite our students to do the same.
Finally, letting go of perfectionism doesn't mean letting go of high standards or striving to do good work. It means recognizing that meaningful teaching doesn't require perfection.
Strategies to Consider
- Embrace "good enough." Let go of unattainable perfection in favor of a healthier, more sustainable standard.
- Set realistic expectations. Start small. Try applying backward design to one course or TILT to one assignment rather than trying to redesign everything at once.
- Make room for experimentation. Give yourself permission to play, be creative, and take thoughtful risks in your teaching.
- Think about what fills your cup. What aspects of teaching bring you energy or joy? Focus on those, when you can.
- Practice saying no. Are there commitments you can decline, delegate, or at least approach differently?
You're invited to a CTL workshop
Find the Joy in Teaching, Resist Perfectionism
Monday, November 16, 2026 12pm to 1pm
Find more joy and space for experimentation in your teaching, and learn to embrace uncertainty. Leave behind the perfectionist mindset that holds you back. In collaboration with the Osher Center for Integrative Health at UVM and Employee Wellness, this interactive workshop invites instructors to reflect on how perfectionism inhibits teaching and learning. Through guided reflection and activities, we’ll explore how to approach teaching with greater self-compassion and make space for the learning and growth that come with being human. Together, we’ll consider what it means to teach well without striving for perfection – and how to make teaching more sustainable and fulfilling.
We'd love to hear your thoughts about this. (ctl@uvm.edu)
Happy teaching!
Rainamei Luna and Inés Berrizbeitia
The Center for Teaching & Learning
ctl@uvm.edu
Book a consult with us
www.uvm.edu/ctl
Dig Deeper
Embracing Imperfection: Challenging False Narratives of Perfectionism, UT Southwestern Medical Center
Identifying and Overcoming Perfectionism in Academic Writers, National Center for Faculty Development and Diversity
Perfectionism, Cornell University Faculty & Staff Assistance Program
Perfectionism: When “Good Enough” is Actually Great, University of Kentucky Human Resources