Nurturing the social and emotional skillset of our students is crucial for their overall success and is a key component to positive outcomes in school. At ERB, we understand the importance of equipping students with the tools they need to navigate relationships, manage emotions, and make responsible decisions.
Historically, it was believed that these social traits could only be cultivated at home. But we now know that it’s possible – and highly effective – to integrate this instruction into the school setting. That’s why we are excited to introduce SelfWise, our innovative student self-report inventory designed to measure social and emotional skills.
Announcing the SelfWise Inventory
The SelfWise inventory focuses on the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning’s (CASEL’s) five core competencies, which can directly impact student outcomes. These include self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making.
Students choose a rating from a scale as they respond to a series of statements developed to measure student alignment with the CASEL competencies (as shown in the example below). The tool is available across three grade spans: Grades 3-5, Grades 6-8, and Grades 9-12. All items and scenarios are worded positively to avoid frustration or negative ideation.
I am really good at listening to what my teacher is telling the class.
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Strongly Disagree
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Disagree
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Neutral
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Agree
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Strongly Agree
SelfWise inventories are intended to be administered twice each school year at any time, though we recommend administering once in the fall (after students settle into their new classrooms) and once in the spring (after students are done with roughly 80% of the school year). While untimed, the inventories typically take students about 15 minutes to finish.
When administering SelfWise, educators have the flexibility to assess individual students or entire classrooms. This allows for a comprehensive evaluation of social and emotional skills within various contexts, providing valuable insights to drive educator decision-making and help students navigate their environment.
Measuring Social and Emotional Skills
The CASEL competencies form the foundation for strong social and emotional skills, enabling students to thrive in both academic and personal spheres. Here’s a closer look at what SelfWise measures:
Self-Awareness
The Self-Awareness subscore measures awareness of emotions and self-confidence. It helps students recognize and understand their own emotions and how they impact their thoughts and behaviors. Additionally, it fosters a strong sense of self-confidence and belief in one’s abilities.
Self-Management
The Self-Management subscore measures emotion regulation and self-regulated learning. It focuses on students’ ability to regulate their emotions effectively, manage stress, and employ strategies for self-directed learning and goal attainment.
Social Awareness
The Social Awareness subscore measures perspective-taking and understanding social norms. It encourages students to develop empathy, appreciate diverse perspectives, and navigate social situations with sensitivity and respect.
Relationship Skills
The Relationship Skills subscore measures communication, cooperation, conflict resolution, and seeking help. It assesses students’ ability to build positive relationships, effectively communicate their thoughts and feelings, resolve conflicts constructively, and seek support when needed.
Responsible Decision-Making
The Responsible Decision-Making subscore measures problem-solving, decision-making, and evaluating consequences. It helps students develop critical thinking skills, analyze situations, make ethical decisions, and understand the potential outcomes of their choices.
SelfWise Score Reporting
SelfWise empowers educators with actionable data through comprehensive reports. Individual reports, available in ERB 360 Access, provide a detailed analysis of each student, enabling educators to develop an action plan and create a supportive environment that enhances social and emotional development.
Students receive a score between 1 and 99 for each of the five CASEL core competencies, as demonstrated by the graphic below.
Screenshot: SelfWise reporting, available in ERB 360 Access, for a fictional individual student.
You can also view group-level data by grade level or for an entire school to better understand students’ social and emotional skills on a broader scale. This information can help provide important insight about overall school culture and climate as well as student skill development.
Screenshot: SelfWise reporting tool, filtered by entire grade level and test season.
Educators can also view SelfWise results alongside other assessment results as part of ERB’s newly launched Whole Child Solution, including our CTP and Milestones assessments, as well as our Check-In Survey to measure student well-being, academic engagement, and fairness and belonging.
Screenshot: Data visualization tool in ERB 360 Access for data across achievement tests, Check-In Survey on student well-being and belonging, and SelfWise.
Together, let’s equip our students with the skills they need to thrive academically, socially, and emotionally – because their success extends far beyond the classroom.
Join us in embracing SelfWise, the key to unlocking students’ social and emotional potential. To learn more, you can request information about how SelfWise can benefit your school below.
