Teaching in Higher Ed Pedagogical Wellness and the Conditions for Flourishing with Theresa Duong
Feb 12, 2026
Theresa Duong, a pedagogical wellness specialist at UC Irvine who bridges wellness, pedagogy, and faculty development. She explores what it means to create classroom conditions for student flourishing. Short practical practices, mentorship’s role in academic wellbeing, campus-level initiatives, and building communities of practice are highlighted.
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Mentors Sparked An Unexpected PhD Journey
- Theresa Duong describes how undergraduate mentors opened research opportunities that led her to a PhD path she never expected.
- Supportive instructors and counseling helped her avoid toxic academic cycles and enabled flourishing during grad school.
Pedagogy Blends Art With Science
- Theresa Duong frames pedagogy as the art and science of teaching and learning, blending practice with research.
- She notes teaching is the active practice while pedagogy includes the research and iterative refinement behind it.
Wellness Is Course Design, Not Lowering Rigor
- Pedagogical wellness intentionally joins wellness and pedagogy to create classroom conditions that help students flourish while keeping academic rigor.
- The work reframes wellbeing as system design rather than lowering standards or 'handholding.'
