A Series of Unfortunate Semesters: Showing Up for Students Anyway

2026 Equity Conference - WORKSHOP 7A: A Series of Unfortunate Semesters: Showing Up for Students Anyway Amanda Scukanec | Mt. San Jacinto College (CA) In the past several years, educators and students alike have weathered what feels like a series of unfortunate semesters - pandemics, political turmoil, economic uncertainty, community trauma, global conflict, and a constant churn of unsettling news. While faculty often feel pressure to stay “neutral” or stick strictly to disciplinary content, students bring the weight of the world with them into every class, from biology to business to English. Ignoring that reality doesn’t protect learning; it distances students from it. This session invites educators from all fields to explore how small, intentional acknowledgments of current events can create immeasurable impacts on student engagement, belonging, and emotional well-being. Participants will learn why silence in times of crisis is rarely neutral, how students interpret that silence, and how brief, humanizing gestures, check-ins, thoughtful announcements, relevant examples, or compassionate framing, can open doors to connection without derailing course objectives. Grounded in equity-minded and trauma-informed practices, this workshop offers simple, discipline-appropriate strategies for recognizing the human behind the homework. Attendees will practice crafting micro-acknowledgments that validate student experiences, reduce isolation, and build trust, even in STEM and CTE environments where such conversations might feel unfamiliar. Because sometimes showing up authentically, briefly, and bravely is the most meaningful teaching move we can make. And even if it reaches only one student, that one moment can matter more than we ever know.