RethinkEd and the Educational Records Bureau (ERB) have launched the first comprehensive social and emotional learning solution that includes an integrated assessment, on-demand professional development, and a multi-tiered curriculum for all learners.
A key differentiator in RethinkEd’s approach is that SEL is for all learners, and that includes teachers, as well as students in general and special education. RethinkEd’s SEL professional development series not only helps improve the social-emotional well-being of the teacher but also empowers them with the knowledge and confidence to teach SEL successfully to their students. RethinkEd’s curriculum address the learning needs of all students, including students in Tiers 1, Tiers 2 and 3.
RethinkEd’s SEL approach is based on research that students who are motivated, who know how to learn from failures, and who persist through challenges are the most successful in school and adulthood. An essential part of a student’s development, SEL skills such as “communication” and “relationship building” are rarely taught of formally measured in American schools.
And yet, today’s caregivers and teachers are charged with preparing children in a rapidly changing, technology-saturated world in which an estimated 65 percent of children entering school today will eventually have jobs that don’t yet exist. To thrive, students will need more than traditional academic learning, said RethinkEd Senior Vice President Diana Frezza.
“The keys to a successful program of developing SEL competencies are to begin with standardized measurement to assess where you are and then to link programs and professional development to the outcomes of that measurement,” said Dr. Tom Rochon, ERB president. “We are delighted to partner with RethinkEd on an innovative product that for the first time provides students and teachers a reliable, effective means of measuring ‘soft skills’ and then acting on the results.”
A key differentiator, ERB’s assessment is a measure of socio-emotional learning as described by the five CASEL competencies, self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills and responsible decision making. The combination of ERB’s assessment tool with RethinkEd’s curriculum and professional development components allows teachers and students to make classroom adjustments that meet individual student needs.
“ERB’s SEL assessment serves as an objective lens through which schools and districts can measure their students’ social and emotional learning skills, intervene appropriately to address deficiencies, and evaluate the effectiveness of their curricula and teacher professional development,” Frezza said.
“Our world will demand that today’s students are communicators, collaborators, and problem solvers,” Frezza explained. “A data-informed SEL program will prepare students for today’s and tomorrow’s workplace.”
About RethinkEd
RethinkEd combines the power of technology and research to deliver innovative, scalable and evidence-based instructional materials and supports for all learners. The comprehensive suite of tools ensures that every student develops the academic, behavioral and social/emotional skills they need to succeed in school, at work, and in life. RethinkEd positions educators, students and families for success.
About ERB
ERB is a not-for-profit organization providing admission and achievement assessment as well as instructional services for PreK – Grade 12. For 90 years, and with over 2,000 member schools and districts around the world, ERB continues to be a trusted source to inform admission decisions and/or to support curriculum and instruction.
