The bell rang a little after a gloomy dawn. As a trickle of A.P. Spanish students settled into their wooden desks, teacher Zachary Daniels powered up his smartboard. Behind him, the classroom wall was covered with translated verbs 鈥� Explico (explain), Escribe (write) 鈥� written on a large, white scroll. 

For this morning鈥檚 lesson, Daniels asked the students to use a different kind of language, to look within and name a feeling. Did they walk through the doors feeling humiliated? Guilty? Peaceful? Were their outlooks tainted by hopelessness or brightened by hope?

It was late March and the world outside Paw Paw High School, located in a rural stretch of western Michigan, seemed increasingly threatening. The war raging in Ukraine was dominating airwaves and news feeds. A school shooting in Oxford, Michigan, had left four students dead. And Covid continued its inexorable march.

As Daniels spoke, he passed out a worksheet filled with 29 colorful, cartoon images of children鈥檚 faces, each expressing a unique mood. The worksheet guided the students to rate the intensity of their feelings on a scale of 1 to 10, and they jotted down their answers quietly. 

鈥淭he way we think and feel and act affects the next situation that comes up,鈥� Daniels told the class. 鈥淎nd that creates a cycle that can really impact the way that our days go.鈥�

The mindfulness check has become a weekly ritual for the 650 or so students at Paw Paw High. Daniels wants his students to interpret their thoughts and feelings in a non-judgmental way. Mastering this skill will take consistent practice.

A mental health crisis intensifies

Teachers have been trained in the subjects they teach, but not in ways of helping students control their emotions or rewrite the stories they tell themselves. But since the mid-1990s, multiple have shown the benefits of (SEL), a strategy that trains educators to nurture student wellness by helping them feel connected, engaged and supported while cultivating skills in self-management, social awareness and responsible decision-making. 

As the Covid-19 pandemic brought shutdowns and quarantines, making students鈥� lives less stable and connected, it and left schools searching for answers. Making matters worse was a longstanding shortage of counselors and social workers. As the pandemic began, Michigan had the , with , more than double the recommended caseload. 

To address the problem, many Michigan schools adopted a homegrown social-emotional learning curriculum created by TRAILS 鈥� 鈥� a program that borrows techniques from cognitive behavioral therapy and was developed at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor in 2013. In the aftershock of the pandemic, its popularity has grown and is now being taught in over 600 schools statewide. 

Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer has included funding of to expand the TRAILS program in her proposed budget for the 2022-2023 fiscal year. The legislature is now debating the budget and typically tries to pass the education portion by July 1, when the fiscal year begins for school districts.

The program includes a three-tiered approach. , geared toward K-12 students and rooted in the techniques of mindfulness, focus attention on thoughts and feelings to help a child choose to act with care. Elements of help students disrupt the cycles of negative thoughts, feelings, and behaviors they go through when confronting a difficult situation.

The is focused on small group, skill-building sessions led by school mental health professionals, and the offers suicide risk-management training to school staff members.  

Decades of scientific research has shown an emotionally healthy learner is a better learner. But school leaders, well before the pandemic, lacked the tools and capacity to tackle a student mental health crisis head on. 鈥淭hey did not feel they were equipped to manage the sort of severity and volume of mental illness that was coming through the doors of counselors, social workers and school psychologists,鈥� said , a former school psychologist and adjunct faculty member at the University of Michigan Medical School who founded the program. 

The goal of TRAILS, said Koschmann, who serves as its executive director, is not for teachers to dole out unwanted therapy to students. Nor is to replace counselors and social workers. Rather, it鈥檚 a way to help foster wellness inside schools and coordinate care for students who need extra help or treatment. 

TRAILS鈥� lessons about feelings and self-management are supportive and often fun. But across the nation, a campaign against social-emotional learning has fomented anger among a vocal sector of parents, state lawmakers and conservative groups with ties to dark money, as . 

These groups have labeled SEL a masquerade for critical race theory (CRT), another culture war flashpoint, . The opposition led a to end its SEL initiatives earlier this year. Florida鈥檚 top education officials over 50 math textbooks because their pages made references to SEL and what they describe as CRT.  And a Minnesota group lambasted the district鈥檚 SEL lessons as a 鈥溾��&苍产蝉辫;

In Michigan, some parents have spoken out at school board meetings against the teachings of SEL skills, and is fighting the pushback. 

鈥淚t鈥檚 a complicated moment in American education,鈥� said Koschmann. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a larger debate about how are we educating young people about questions like race and racism, and privilege and power in the country, at the same time, that schools are saying, 鈥榃e also need to take care of students鈥� mental health.鈥欌��&苍产蝉辫;

Despite the backlash, educators and parents overwhelmingly support the teaching of SEL skills, . 

In the past few months, however, a growing number of Paw Paw parents expressed fears over the teaching of social-emotional learning. Some worried the curriculum pushed critical race theory. In response, the district has hosted in-person and virtual community forums to clarify the curriculum鈥檚 purpose. Last month鈥檚 in-person forum attracted over a dozen parents. District leaders are not planning to abandon TRAILS and are being proactive as fears arise, said Corey Harbaugh, director of curriculum for the Paw Paw Public School District. 

鈥淭here is a high level of concern from people who tie social-emotional learning to certain political agendas, even though we know that politics is not our business. Our business is taking care of the needs of students,鈥� Harbaugh said. 鈥淥ur parents and our community have to be at ease and support what we鈥檙e doing; otherwise, we鈥檙e fighting about it rather than working together.鈥� He wants parents to understand, he said, that SEL 鈥渋sn鈥檛 tied to any political agenda beyond giving kids what they need to feel connected, engaged, cared for.鈥�

TRAILS training in the Upper Peninsula

Kristy Alimenti, a mental health services coordinator with the Delta-Schoolcraft Intermediate School District in the Upper Peninsula, said her district has facilitated training for over 60 teachers in TRAILS since last year. The limited preparation time required, ease of applying SEL skills to academic lessons and strong research base of the curriculum made it appealing to administrators.

In a rural area where access to mental health services is low and rates of anxiety and depression among students are rising, Alimenti said TRAILS gave staff more tools to tackle challenges before they escalate and may require deeper intervention. 

鈥淚t allows us to also de-stigmatize the conversation around mental health and provide lessons that address a lot of what the students may be facing or experience in a more proactive and preventative way,鈥� she said. 

Visits to two districts, Paw Paw Public School District in rural western Michigan, and Ypsilanti Community Schools, an urban district, offer a sense of what these programs look like in practice.  

Learning from Simon Says 

It was a quiet, rainy morning at Erickson Elementary School in Ypsilanti, a diverse, low-income city near the Huron River that has shed thousands of manufacturing jobs. In room 127, the fifth-graders were getting a lesson on thoughts, feelings and behaviors. Halfway through, they stood up as teacher Nikki Krings laid out the rules of a reverse game of Simon Says. 

鈥淪imon Says, move forward!鈥� Krings directed. 

The students shuffled a few steps backward. 

鈥淪imon Says, thumbs up!鈥�&苍产蝉辫;

The students flashed their thumbs down. 

鈥淪imon Says, make a really happy face!鈥�

Some students grimaced, while one couldn鈥檛 help but give a goofy grin. 

Krings and other Ypsilanti teachers were trained in TRAILS at the onset of the pandemic in 2020, at a time when they were fretting over whether they could preserve close connections with their students over computer screens from home. 

Krings said the tools she learned helped her deescalate some students鈥� mental health problems, instead of relying on a social worker in the building. It also helped build a culture of empathy and understanding in her classroom, giving kids space to navigate their feelings.

As Covid risks eased and students flocked back to classrooms this year, Krings and other teachers at Erickson saw their students鈥� fears of the unknown grow. 

In a city where people , many of the students were already in survival mode. The students at Erickson are predominantly Black, and most are . Some don鈥檛 always have food at home. Others bounce from home to home because their families can鈥檛 afford to stay where they are. 

Black children disproportionately endure the pains of poverty and illness, and the mental health impacts that result. More than a third of high school students said in that they鈥檝e been treated poorly or unfairly because of their race or ethnicity. Even before the pandemic, the mental health crisis plagued Black youth. Over the past decade, among Black, Latino, and Asian teenagers.

Krings has made room 127 a place where students can try to escape their troubles and be themselves. In addition to TRAILS, she teaches students about race and encourages discussion and acceptance of diverse gender identities. 鈥淚t鈥檚 important for me, for them, to feel safe,鈥� she said. 

Alayah, a girl with tight cornrows and dangly braids, and Alex, wearing green and black glasses, gleefully followed each step of the reverse Simon Says amid a sputtering of giggles. (MindSite News is identifying them by their middle names to protect their confidentiality).

The two are good friends. Alayah likes Alex because he鈥檚 fun. Both want to get good jobs when they grow up. Alayah said her mom believes in her dream of starting a business. One day, Alayah said, she hopes to buy her mom a house and a car.  

鈥淧eople say they don鈥檛 want to go to school,鈥� Alayah said later. 鈥淏ut I鈥檓 like, 鈥榊ou need school, so you can get a better education and a better job. So you can get somewhere in life.鈥欌��

After a few more commands, Alayah, Alex and the rest of the class sat down at their desks and listened closely. 

鈥淚 want to challenge you,鈥� Krings said. 鈥淲hen you鈥檙e feeling a really big emotion, something really bad, really frustrating, really scared, really embarrassed, I want you to think, 鈥業鈥檓 going to pause real quick, and鈥ecognize my feelings鈥鈥檓 going to take it back and say, let me see (if)  I can do the opposite.鈥欌��

Learning to avoid 鈥榯hinking traps鈥�

In a classroom off of Paw Paw High School鈥檚 long main hallway, English teacher Allan Blank was delivering a rapidfire lesson on the perils of 鈥渢hinking traps鈥� 鈥� the moments when our minds jump to the wrong conclusions or ignore the good. On a wall, posters with memes of the teacher鈥檚 likeness include a headshot superimposed on the body of a surfer. The teacher relishes the light-hearted, Gen Z humor.  

Blank asked the students to work in groups and come up with everyday dilemmas that foster thinking traps. 

鈥淵our friend stops texting you back,鈥� one student said, then sketched out the negative thoughts that coursed through his mind: 鈥淭hey don鈥檛 want to be my friend. They didn鈥檛 text me back. They don鈥檛 like me.鈥�

Blank gave each group two minutes to identify the feelings they outlined in their scenarios, and how those feelings inspire less loving actions. For example, thinking someone doesn鈥檛 like you can trigger feelings of sadness or tiredness.

鈥淲e don鈥檛 want to be stuck in the traps,鈥� he told them. 鈥淲e want to be able to reframe stuff positively, so we鈥檙e getting to a better place. And maybe our behaviors are changing as well.鈥�&苍产蝉辫;

Then he gave them 30 seconds to reframe these hypothetical situations in an affirmative light. 

Perched on a winding street, Paw Paw High School is located in a small town of mostly white, middle-class families. Lakes and small farms dot the countryside outside of town, and a historic winery stands in Paw Paw鈥檚 center square.

Despite the bucolic scenery, the district has been accused of fostering a culture of racial hostility. , a group of local Native American activists called for the renaming of 鈥淩edskin,鈥� the school mascot. Some in the community reacted angrily, even as about a history of racist incidents in the schools emerged. In 2019, the ACLU against the district. , the district dropped the controversial mascot name, eventually changing it to 鈥淩ed Wolves.鈥�&苍产蝉辫;

In the aftermath, the tensions over the mascot renaming created some rifts within the school community. 

鈥淒uring the divided times of the mascot change, one of the things we learned was that we don鈥檛 always know how to talk to one another, across divisions,鈥� said curriculum director Harbaugh. He said social-emotional learning can also strengthen communication and relationships between the district and families.

Paw Paw public schools implemented TRAILS district-wide for the first time in the school year that ends this week. The lessons go beyond mindfulness to teach empathy and understanding of each student鈥檚 unique identity and background. 

As curriculum director, Harbaugh has overseen the implementation of TRAILS and hopes it can transform Paw Paw schools. He encourages staff members, including janitors, secretaries and cafeteria workers, to buy into the concept, and the district pays stipends to those who get additional training. He believes the approach demands a team effort and must be consistent in order to be effective. 

鈥淓very adult (that) any child comes into contact with has been trained and has been asked to prioritize students鈥� social-emotional learning and health,鈥� he said.

The need is real. Last year, Tammy Southworth, Paw Paw High鈥檚 principal, talked with her staff about social-emotional learning after reviewing data that revealed an alarming truth: Students were more anxious and overwhelmed than ever, stuck in a realm of discomfort reinforced by social media. 

鈥淭he way they were relating to each other, as well as to us, was different,鈥� Southworth said. 鈥淲hen I was a teacher, I would say, 鈥榃hatever鈥檚 going on outside, whatever is happening at home, this is your safe space. Come to school, leave those things at the door.鈥欌�� But now, she said, 鈥渢hey can鈥檛 get away from texts, alerts on their phones, reminders of what鈥檚 happening. So I think that just puts a whole different pressure on kids.鈥�

So far, the rollout of TRAILS has meant working through some important challenges.

For some teachers, the lessons went beyond the scope of their jobs and the curriculum felt jarring. A few told Southworth they weren鈥檛 comfortable with TRAILS and didn鈥檛 want to take classroom time away from academics. Others were afraid.

鈥淗onestly, there鈥檚 a fear, even for adults, to feel like you have to share your feelings with  a group of kids,鈥� Southworth said. 鈥淭here was definitely a fear that kids were going to start opening up and sharing too much personal information, and the teacher was going to be like 鈥業 don鈥檛 know what to do.鈥欌��&苍产蝉辫;

Southworth told teachers they don鈥檛 have to encourage students to vent all of their emotions but could share their personal rating on a scale of one to 10. 

Getting teachers to help students navigate their troubles and manage their emotions represents a vital shift, said Paw Paw Superintendent Rick Reo. 

鈥淚t鈥檚 just a different way to think about things,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e assume kids are on board and ready to go, or at least, 鈥榯hey can put their mind to it.鈥� You know, it鈥檚 not necessarily true. We need to do some things to make sure we鈥檙e giving them the best opportunity to succeed.鈥�

The district is figuring out how to track the lessons鈥� impact on academic outcomes. Southworth hopes TRAILS will help improve student attendance. Harbaugh said the lessons have already helped bolster students鈥� self-efficacy. In a recent district survey, more students said they 鈥渂elieved in their ability to tackle difficult school work.鈥�

Blank, the English teacher, said the focus on mental health has helped him connect with students more intimately. Recently, he noticed a student being quiet and disengaged. After class, he asked the student if they needed any help. 

鈥淭his is just another way to let kids know that you鈥檙e here. You care for them,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd when you can build those foundational relationships, and let them know that 鈥業 got your back鈥� sort of thing, they鈥檙e gonna be more willing to work with you, open up with you about things that may be happening in their lives.鈥�&苍产蝉辫;

Learning to stop when you鈥檙e mad

Back in Ypsilanti, Alayah, Alex, and their teacher, Nikki Krings, left room 127 and walked to the school鈥檚 library, where colorful books line the shelves and windows offer a view of the playground. The three sat at a brown table to talk more about what they learned. 

The exercise in reframing taught Alayah and Alex to rethink things, they said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 helped me quite a bit,鈥� Alex said. 鈥淟ike when I鈥檓 mad, sometimes I just feel like I want to hit something or someone.鈥� Now, he is able to stop himself. 

Alayah said she better recognizes her frustrations and powers through. The other day, she started doing her math homework and got stumped on a problem. She didn鈥檛 know what to do. 

鈥淚 came to school and asked for help instead of saying, 鈥淚鈥檓 not going to do it,鈥� Alayah said. Before this year, she probably would鈥檝e stayed quiet and answered the questions randomly. 

Alayah and Alex are new to the school and to social-emotional learning. Alex said he has been moving and changing schools for as long as he remembers, each time starting over. 

鈥淚t鈥檚 just hard for me to socialize,鈥� he said. It鈥檚 also hard for him to keep friends 鈥渂ecause I know I鈥檓 probably never going to see that person again.鈥� He compares the experience to characters dying and coming back to life in a video game.  

Attendance turbulence often leads to more behavioral challenges, which can affect . 

For both Alayah and Alex, the weight of grief has already taken hold, even before they鈥檝e reached their teen years. 鈥淎 lot of stuff happens in my family,鈥� Alex said. 鈥淟ike, I鈥檝e lost two people.鈥� His beloved dog also passed away. 

鈥淚t鈥檚 just hard for me because I can鈥檛 think about the present,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 think about the future and I know the people I love will be gone.鈥�&苍产蝉辫;

Alayah lost her father when she was 9. Last year, just before the school year started, her older brother passed away.

鈥淚t was hard for me to do, like, anything,鈥� she said. Recently, she wanted to celebrate another brother鈥檚 birthday, to be there for him, bright-eyed and enthusiastic. She didn鈥檛 want to cry, remembering the other men in her life who were gone. 

鈥淚 did cry on his birthday because it was so hard,鈥� she said. 鈥淚鈥檓 pretty sure my brother and my dad didn鈥檛 want me to still be crying. They want me to go on.鈥�&苍产蝉辫;  

As they talked about these losses, their soft voices broke and tears streamed down their cheeks. School is a place where Alayah and Alex feel safe. When he鈥檚 there, Alex said, he tries to forget about home and be nice to everyone. For Alayah, it鈥檚 hard to open up, but she鈥檚 still trying to make friends. 

The two fifth-graders grab some tissues to wipe their tears, and then walk with their teacher to the social worker鈥檚 office. On that quiet, rainy morning, naming feelings may have surfaced memories of trauma. But as they work through those memories, they know their teacher will be there for them.

This originally appeared at  and is published here in partnership with the S.