Joyful Teaching in Challenging Times: Practical Ways to Renew Energy and Support Student Success

Description Teaching today can feel unusually demanding. Faculty are navigating student disengagement, shifting expectations, social and political tensions, emerging technologies such as AI, and their own fatigue from years of rapid adaptation. At the same time, teaching remains deeply meaningful work that creates opportunity, supports student growth, and changes lives. In this interactive webinar, Flower Darby, author of the 2026 book The Joyful Online Teacher: Finding Our Fizz in Asynchronous Classes, will explore how instructors can renew their own energy while creating more connected, motivating, and successful learning experiences for students. Drawing from research on human flourishing, learning, emotion, and motivation, the session will offer a practical framework for promoting well-being in every class, beginning with the instructor’s own sense of purpose and connection. Participants will leave with evidence-informed strategies they can apply across modalities, including online, in-person, hybrid, and blended courses. The focus will be on manageable practices that strengthen rapport, reduce disconnection, and help faculty rediscover the joy and meaning at the center of transformational teaching. Speakers: Flower Darby - Incoming Director of CTL (Estrella Mountain Community College) Brett Christie, Ph.D. - VP, Educational Innovations (Alchemy)