The school, in a farming community an hour’s drive south of Louisville, has used federal money to create “take-a-break” corners in each classroom.
So-called social-emotional learning, or SEL, has become the latest political flashpoint, with conservatives saying schools use it to promote progressive ideas about race, gender and sexuality, or that a focus on well-being takes attention from academics.īut at schools like Lakewood, educators say helping students manage emotions and stress will benefit them in the classroom and throughout life. Still, some parents don’t believe schools should be involved in mental health at all. Districts across the country are using federal pandemic money to hire more mental health specialists, rolling out new coping tools and expanding curriculum that prioritizes emotional health. Student mental health reached crisis levels last year, and the pressure on schools to figure out solutions has never been greater. Among them: the harmful effects of isolation and remote learning on children’s emotional well-being. In some ways, this year’s back-to-school season will restore a degree of pre-pandemic normalcy: Most districts have lifted mask mandates, dropped COVID vaccine requirements and ended rules on social distancing and quarantines.īut many of the pandemic’s longer-lasting impacts remain a troubling reality for schools. The rural Kentucky school is one of thousands across the country using the technology to screen students’ state of mind and alert teachers to anyone struggling. Tired.ĭepending on the answer, Leah, 9, gets advice from a cartoon avatar on managing her mood and a few more questions: Have you eaten breakfast? Are you hurt or sick? Is everything OK at home? Is someone at school being unkind? Today, Leah chooses “silly,” but says she struggled with sadness during online learning.Īt Lakewood Elementary School, all 420 students will start their days the same way this year. It asks her to click an emoji matching her state of mind: Happy. How are you feeling?” chirps a cheery voice on her laptop screen. (AP) - For fourth-grader Leah Rainey, the school day now begins with what her teacher calls an “emotional check-in.” By JOCELYN GECKER and DYLAN LOVAN undefinedĬECILIA, Ky.
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