Many of us know the story “The Little Engine That Could,” with the small train whose repeated refrain of “I think I can, I think I can,” helped her accomplish a challenging task. The lesson of that story, that our attitude influences our success, is a lesson we all hope our children learn early in their lives. Self-efficacy, or the belief that you are able to achieve a goal, is a key to our success, both as children and as adults!

Growth mindset and self-efficacy are closely related but slightly different. Children need both self-efficacy (belief in their ability to accomplish a task) coupled with a growth mindset (belief that with effort, their ability to accomplish that task will improve).  By helping children develop self-efficacy and a growth mindset they can overcome challenges, recognize their strengths, put forth effort and achieve their goals. The idea of “I can do hard things” would indicate a strong sense of self-efficacy, where the statement of “I may not know how to do that, but I can learn to do it if I keep trying” would illustrate a growth mindset. Both are key to a child’s growth.

Four Building Blocks of Self-Efficacy in Children

During early childhood, four main building blocks of self-efficacy in children begin to develop:

• Mastery Experiences: When a child performs a task successfully, it strengthens his/her sense of self-efficacy.  On the contrary, when a child is unsuccessful at a task, it decreased his/her sense of self-efficacy.  This doesn’t mean children shouldn’t be challenged to “stretch” themselves, but it does show why providing children with challenges they can succeed at is so beneficial.
• Social Modeling: When children observe their peers work hard and accomplish a task, it helps increase their belief in themselves that they can accomplish the task too.
• Social Persuasion: When children receive specific verbal encouragement from others that they will be successful, it helps them believe that they have the skills and capabilities to succeed.
• Psychological Responses: A positive mood can influence our ability to succeed.

Parents, teachers, and others can help enhance self-efficacy in children in a variety of ways. For example, adults can teach children to:

• Recognize and challenge negative thoughts by replacing the negative thought with a truthful, positive thought
• Establish achievable goals, and
• Celebrate small and big successes.

Adults and peers can help children by:

• Using specific praise regarding the task i.e. “you did well because you tried three times to tie your shoes without giving up”
• Providing just-right activities. Children need to be involved in the decision-making process to use and practice new skills that are challenging but achievable.
• Being honest. Do not disregard the situation if the child does not succeed. Acknowledge the situation and offer suggestions for the child to use their strengths the next time.
• Praising effort
• Modeling self-efficacy themselves

As children develop self-efficacy they are better prepared to address the variety of challenges they will face throughout their lives. A sense of self-efficacy is key to our long-term personal happiness, and parents and caregivers can play a key role in providing children with this key to their lifelong success!

We live in a world that seems to grow increasingly busy with each passing day. School, work, extra-curricular activities, chores, and non-stop access to various forms of technology are often part of a child’s day to day life. Although the variety of activities available to children and their families can provide great benefits, they can also lead to stress and frustration if not properly managed. In Cache Valley, student responses on the annual Student Health and Risk Prevention (SHARP) Survey administered in cooperation with Bear River Health Department, indicate that students across the valley are experiencing a consistent increase in the levels of stress they feel in their lives. That stress contributes to feelings of anxiety and depression, and in extreme cases, thoughts of self-harm.

There are many approaches families can choose from to help address these issues. Scaling back on extra-curricular activities, dedicating time for building connections between family members, and managing the amount of time spent on electronic devices all can contribute to lower stress levels in children. Another approach that is growing in popularity is the practice of “mindfulness” in the home.

Mindfulness is defined as “the self-regulation of attention with an attitude of curiosity, openness, and acceptance.” Practicing mindfulness has been shown to improve attention and reduce stress as well as increase one's ability to regulate their emotions. According to data from The Hawn Foundation, which trains educators on the use of mindfulness strategies in the classroom, when students develop their habits of mindfulness, the benefits include:

• improved their ability to get along with other children
• greater optimism and enhanced self-concept, self-regulation, and self-management
• improved their planning and organizational skills
• better impulse control

Maria Hersey, Ph.D., the U.S. director of education and training at the Hawn Foundation states that mindfulness training is about “getting students to reflect on their own thoughts and actions and learning how to make better choices for themselves and for others as well. So in our technology-based world where everybody is connected, we talk to students about the importance of self regulation and learning how their brains work so they might react less emotionally and more rationally in situations, and understand that they can be in control of themselves and their actions."

So how can families incorporate mindfulness into their routines at home? Some simple ideas include

A variety of resources, including apps that guide children and parents though basic mindfulness exercises, are available to support families as they look for ways to become more mindful in the home. Developing habits of mindfulness is one way family members can help one another manage stress more effectively and bring an additional component of peace and emotional security to the home, which is good for everyone in the family

• Implement "brain breaks," in which children take a deep breath and calm themselves for three to five minutes to quiet their minds, be present, and just focus. Parents can encourage their kids to take a brain break during homework time, during stressful situations, or simply when transitioning from one activity to the next. "It's just a moment when you need to decompress a bit and just be present," Dr. Hersey says. It's about taking that time to be calm and peaceful, remember the things that are important in life, focus on the positive, and be purposeful in our actions
• In order to teach children to truly be in that moment and not thinking about tomorrow's math test or Saturday's birthday party, parents could do a "listening walk" with their children, asking them what sounds they hear, what the sounds remind them of, and how they help them remember a happy time or appreciate a positive experience
• However a parent chooses to teach their children mindfulness, parents practicing it themselves may have the greatest impact on their children. When a parent sets routines in place for taking just a few moments a day to close their eyes and notice their breath, their thoughts, their emotions, and their body sensations, it has the potential to make a great impact on the whole family."

We are fortunate to live in an incredibly diverse community, where differences in language, ethnicity, culture, religion, physical disability, gender, and other areas surround us. This local diversity reflects the diversity that our children are likely to face as they grow and become part of an increasingly global society. One challenge parents face is determining how to help children accept, respect, and value diversity in their own lives and community. This appreciation can prepare them for future success, both professionally and personally, as they grow and interact with people from diverse backgrounds.

Dr. Christopher Metzler, a leading authority on issues of diversity and inclusion, has the following four suggestions for parents:

Start with yourself as a parent

Children listen to what parents say as well as watch what they do, so parents must be willing to address their own diversity deficits. For example, one parent may tell her children not to judge people by their color. The family lives in a majority white community and the children have had very limited interactions with blacks.

However, if her children hear their mother telling friends that “the blacks” with whom she works are so lazy that she has to do their job and her job, the children hear a message equating blackness to laziness. If we are to teach our children to make decisions that are not based on stereotypes, then we must do the same. In this example, the people may in fact have been lazy. However, it is not their blackness that makes them lazy - they are just lazy.

Get out of your comfort zone

Americans tend to segregate themselves into fairly homogenous communities. Teaching our children to accept differences may require that we use the power of the internet to learn about differences, that we seek out cultural activities that are out of our community and explore the strength and value in diversity. It is not enough to simply visit cultural events, eat ethnic foods and thus learn about differences from a “tourist” point of view. Instead, we must make a deliberate effort to get out of the familiar and show our children we mean it. Accepting differences should be how we live our lives.

Listen and Respond

When children ask about differences, start by listening to the question they are asking and the language they are using. If in asking questions about differences they are using hurtful or stereotypical language, explore with them why such language is hurtful. Explain in an age-appropriate manner why stereotypes don't tell the whole story and are divisive.

Don't be blind to differences

Parents often say that they want their children to be "difference blind." This is both unrealistic and misses the point. Children will notice that Jouain has a different sounding name or that Yasmeen always wears a head scarf to school, or that Jameson uses a wheelchair. As parents, we must help them appreciate and learn about those differences, not pretend that they do not exist. The question is not whether differences exist; it is what message we are sending by teaching children to be "blind" to differences. Unless we as parents are willing to help explain to children what seems strange or different to them, we will never be successful in teaching children to understand and appreciate differences.

Parents teach children how to brush their teeth, to comb their hair, to be responsible and to be successful. We do so by introducing and reinforcing behavior that helps achieve these goals. We should do the same when it comes to appreciating diversity.

Frank Schofield
Logan City School District Superintendent

The use of technology in our professional and private lives is continually increasing. Various devices, including tablets, smartphones, and desktop or laptop computers are used by adults, teenagers, and young children for work, education, and entertainment. The positive opportunities technology provides are significant. As many of us know, they also come with challenges. Once challenge that has become increasingly visible is the impact of social media (i.e. Facebook, YouTube, Club Penguin, etc.) on children.

The American Academy of Pediatrics has identified a number of potential benefits from a child’s use of social media. They include developing communication skills, creating a sense of self, and discovering access to valuable information. These benefits are accompanied by potential risks including cyberbullying, exposure to inappropriate content, and disengagement from face to face interactions with friends and family.

So what can families do to help children learn to use social media effectively in order to effectively manage the potential benefits and challenges? Some strategies identified by researchers include:

Create Ground Rules

If children are old enough to be using the computer on their own, they are old enough to understand that there are rules they need to abide by. Breaking them should not have a lesser consequence than if they broke a rule in the offline world. Parents and children should have open discussions about what the family’s rules mean, and how they will be applied.

Keep the Computer in a Central Location

It’s much easier to keep tabs on any online activity when the computer is located in a high-traffic zone than if a child is using a computer in the privacy of her own room. Place the computer in a central location like the kitchen or family room so that everything is out in the open.

Limit Cell Phone Use

Keeping tabs on social media activity can be more difficult with cell phones. Just as you would limit use of a computer, TV or gaming system, parents can do the same with a cell phone. Set rules for the device, only allowing cell phone usage at certain hours in the evening or after homework has been completed. With teens of driving age, the most important rule to enforce is that under no circumstances should cell phones ever be used while driving. Phones should be kept off so incoming text sounds aren’t a distraction or should be kept in the glove compartment, out of reach.

Be a Good Example of How to Use Social Media

If you are tweeting and updating your Facebook page at a stop light and taking every opportunity to “just check something,” you’re setting a poor precedent for social media usage that your child will surely follow. Always remember to ask yourself if you’re setting a good example and demonstrating proper technology etiquette as well

As parents thoughtfully and consistently manage their child’s use of social media, children will be much more likely to see the benefits of appropriate social media use, while avoiding the potential pitfalls.

For many families, the summer months are significantly more relaxed than the school year, and children enjoy a greater level of flexibility in their schedules. The transition from a comparatively unstructured schedule of summer vacation to the greater structure of school can be a challenge for many families. One thing that can help with that transition, as well as support a child’s overall success and happiness, is the creation of consistent routines and schedules at home

Children’s brains are in an ongoing state of development throughout their school years. Establishing consistent routines, at any age, have significant benefits, including the following:

• Children develop greater confidence in their world and their ability to navigate it when they know what to expect, and the responses to their actions are predictable.
• Consistent routines help develop confidence and self- dependence.
• Establishing routines helps students develop self- control
• As children (and adults) experience the security that comes from being in a predictable environment they have more energy to dedicate to learning and creative endeavors.

Although there are significant benefits to following consistent routines at home, establishing those routines can be challenging. Below are five ideas, taken from education.com, for establishing basic routines with children at home. The language used during each routine will change depending on the age of the children involved, but each of these routines can benefit families, regardless of the age of the family members.

1. Plan at least one meal per day that you have together as a family. This meal does not have to be dinner; even a 15-minute breakfast where everyone gets to share their plans for the day can be effective. Turn off the television and do not answer the phone during your family time. This is a great way to start a routine that allows children to take responsibility, even for something small, such as carrying the silverware to the table. 
2. Have a bedtime ritual, which will help children slowly calm down, and allow them to associate certain activities with getting sleepy. Think about what calms your child. Is it taking a bath? Reading a story? Listening to soft music? Always do the bedtime preparation in the same order, and ask your child questions such as, “What do we do after we put on our pajamas?” A great item to include in the bedtime ritual is that of talking about your day. Let your child tell you what he did that day, and prompt him if he forgets. This part of the routine not only helps children with memory, time orientation, and language skills, but it also shows them that you care about what they did that day. 
3. Include preparation for transitions in the routine. For example, say, “We have 10 minutes left before we start getting ready for bed. When the big hand gets to the 12, it will be time to put on your pajamas.” 
4. Work together to make pictures that indicate each step of the routine, put the pictures in order on a colorful sheet of paper, and hang the finished product in your child’s room. You will not only be helping build creativity in your child, but you will also promote self-sufficiency, as your child will be able to look at the pictures to identify what step comes next. 
5. Although routine is very important for young children, do not be too rigid. Children do need to learn how be flexible and deal with minor changes. If there is an interruption to the routine, tell your child, “I know we usually do x, but today we are going to do y because (reason). Tomorrow we will go back to our usual schedule.” If most of their day is predictable, young children will be able to deal with small changes, especially if they are prepared

It is never too late to start a routine. You set a good example for your child when you tell her, “The way that we have been doing things has not been working. We are going to try something new. Here is our new schedule.” While you should definitely be open to the fact that the schedule may need some adjustment, you also need to be firm in sticking to the new routine.  Know ahead of time that your family may have difficulty adjusting, including potential resistance to the new routines. Be prepared with how you will handle this resistance and remain focused on the reasons you are establishing these routines.

Establishing routines can be difficult, but the benefits are well worth it.  Consistent routines teach children how to arrange time in a manner that is efficient, productive, and cuts down on stress. This sense of order is not only important for making your child feel secure in the moment, but it will also allow your child to internalize an automatic sense of how to organize her own life as she grows up. The ability to then monitor, organize, and regulate both our surroundings and our responses to them contributes to greater health and success throughout a child’s life.

Welcome to summer! Summer can provide a much needed break from the routine and work of the school year, both for parents and children. The weather and change in routines allows for several opportunities for parents and children to engage in extended learning activities that reinforce concepts learned during the school year ,as well as ensure that knowledge and skills developed during the school year are preserved for the next grade. The extended opportunities may be indoors or outdoors, and can create exciting possibilities for students to see how what they have learned in school can be used in the world around them. Some simple ideas include:

Grow the Biggest Zuchinni in the Neighborhood

The staff at GreatSchools have this to say about the learning opportunities that exist in the garden. “What better way to learn the basics of science and how things grow than to plant your own garden? You can start with seeds or small plants. Talk about what plants need to be hardy: air, water, sunlight and nutrients. Vegetables are especially fun and educational to plant because your child will learn where food comes from and will also get to eat the end product.”

Creat a Family Adventure Scrapbook

A family vacation is a perfect opportunity to create a trip scrapbook that will be a lasting souvenir of family adventures. Collect postcards, brochures and menus from restaurants and tourist attractions. Encourage your child to write descriptions of the places you visited and tell stories about your family’s experiences.

Turn a Museum Trip into a Treasure Hunt

Get your children excited about visiting a museum by exploring the museum’s Web site and taking a virtual tour. When you go to a museum, take into account short attention spans and don’t try to cover a whole museum in one day. Turn your museum trip into a treasure hunt by trying to find those paintings or objects in the museum. Look for interactive exhibits and for periods of history that your child has studied in school.

Pick a Weekly Opportunity to "Do Good"

The flexibility of the summer schedule makes it ideal for performing voluntary services for others. Giving service helps children learn respect for others, become more patient, and develop new skills. Service opportunities can be large (i.e. volunteer in a soup kitchen) or smaller (i.e. offer to walk the neighbor’s dog). Either way, finding a weekly chance to do something nice for other helps students develop social-emotional skills that promote the life-long success, including in school.

Build Something!

Hands-on activities are a great way to help children develop and express their creativity. Designing and building items promotes planning, problem solving, and persistence. Although there are many ways to promote this, a homemade “Maker Space” can provide a simple, structured place to promote these kinds of activities. Just like parents may have a workshop or a craft room, a maker space creates a specific place where a child’s imagination and creativity can be applied in any number of ways.For information on how to set up your own maker space click HERE

Enjoy the summer!

Much of our happiness and success in life is influenced by the quality of our relationships with others. A child’s ability to build positive relationships affects their happiness at home, their success in school, and their long term professional opportunities

While children cannot be expected to be friends with everyone they have to work with, and many children will make friends and learn how to cooperate with their peers naturally, there are many  things parents can do at home to help. The following suggestions come from the Young Citizens initiative, a British organization dedicated to empowering young people to become active, engaged citizens. Some ideas include:

Modeling appropriate behavior

During the early years of child development, children learn social skills by copying the adults they see around them. It is therefore important for adults to model the behavior they would like to see in their child and be aware of their reactions to everyday social situations. Consider what your child is learning through your own relationships and interactions with others and try to demonstrate the attitudes and behaviors that nurture lasting friendships.

Encouraging positivity

Most people tend to prefer the company of positive people as positivity, like negativity, is contagious! Positive people who feel good about themselves generally make others feel good too so attract friends.

You can encourage your child to be positive by discussing problems and talking about how to proactively turn a situation around. Teach your child that having a positive attitude is a choice, and positive self-talk and choosing to not focus on negative feelings are key steps to remaining positive in spite of the challenging days we all face

Starting conversations

Some children struggle to make friends because they don’t have the confidence or communication skills to take the first step. You could help them by role playing opening sentences to help your child get the conversation started (i.e. ‘Did you do anything nice this weekend? I went swimming.).

Giving compliments can also help children to start conversations and build a sense of rapport. Children should understand that compliments should be specific and sincere, and they can be a bridge to starting a positive conversation with someone new

Good Manners

The importance of good manners in developing good relationships is often overlooked; it important to model and teach when to say ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ and how to greet adults and other children in different situations.

This might also include learning how to join in a conversation politely, without interrupting. Entering a conversation that has already started is quite a difficult skill to learn so children may need to practice listening to discussions, waiting for a pause then adding something relevant to the conversation.

These are only a few strategies children need to build the positive relationships that will promote their personal health and happiness. As parents model and practice these skills in the home, children will be better prepared to succeed throughout their lives

For more information regarding the Young Citizens initiative, please visit there website HERE

All children are different. This concept, readily understood by parents, may sound simplistic, and on some level, it probably is. However, when we begin to examine all that those differences include, it becomes a much more complex idea. Children grow and develop at different rates, whether we consider their physical, emotional, social, or intellectual development. Although we often cling to the idea of “average” progress in children, those who interact closely with children understand that there is no such thing as an “average” child, but rather each child progresses at their own unique rate, and has their own unique needs and strengths.

In the Logan City School District we strive provide the variety of supports necessary to allow all students to progress according to their individual needs. One initiative we are excited about is our Logan High School Innovations Program. The Innovations Program provides a blend of digital and face-to-face learning opportunities for students, guided by teachers acting as mentors. Students will be able to progress through the required curriculum at their own pace, with their ability to move forward determined not by the number of assignments completed, but by the level of mastery achieved. As students work with faculty mentors to create a personalized learning plan they have the option to create more openings in their schedule, which will allow them to pursue their individualized interests, whether that include more Advanced Placement Classes, increased opportunities to complete technical coursework through Career & Technical Education classes or Bridgerland Applied Technology College, or more experiences with the Fine Arts.

The Innovations Program provides students the flexibility and support they need to take more control over their own learning, chart a personalized course for learning, and develop the attitudes, behaviors, and skills that will allow to achieve success beyond high school. This program will begin at the start of the 2017-2018 school year, and any interested students, including incoming ninth-graders, are encouraged to contact the counseling department or main office at Logan High for more information.

Personalized learning experiences allow each child to grow at the pace that matches their individual needs and interests. The Logan High Innovations Program is only one of the ways we strive to provide that personalization across our district. We are excited to offer that support to students, and we believe that personalization is essential to achieving our district mission of “ensuring all students leave our schools ready to create a positive future for themselves and their community.”

As we move through the winter months the transition to a new calendar year often brings with it discussions of goals or resolutions for the New Year. In families with students in school, these discussions often include a conversation regarding academic grades. These conversations will take place in a variety of settings as parents work to determine how to best encourage and support the academic success of their children. In order to make those interactions as productive as possible, here are some principles to keep in mind. I’ve shared these in this column before, but they bear repeating as we progress through a new year.

1. Talk about grades as feedback instead of labels. discuss the learning that the grades reflect. By focusing on the learning that is taking place instead of just on the grade we help our children stay focused on the purpose of school, and instead of talking about what can be done to “raise the grade” we can focus our discussions on what can be done to improve learning. Focusing on learning instead of grades promotes better long-term attitudes about school, and less stress related to the overwhelming need to get a specific grade.
2. Emphasize the importance of effort and gorwth. Low grades are not always bad, and high grades should not suggest students have reached the pinnacle of their potential. All children should be engaged in challenging activities that push them excel. A love of challenges will help students develop academic and behavioral skills that will support their future achievement. In the words of Dr. Carol Dweck, “If parents want to give their children a gift, the best thing they can do is to teach their children to love challenges, be intrigued by mistakes, enjoy effort, and keep on learning. That way, their children don’t have to be slaves of praise. They will have a lifelong way to build and repair their own confidence.”
3. Listen. When we have discussions with our children about grades, whether they be high or low, we should try to spend more time listening than talking. By asking questions that probe how a child feels about their grades, school, and their interests, and then actively listening, we gain a greater understanding of their needs and how we can best support them as parents. Children and adolescents don’t respond any better to conversations they perceive as “nagging” than adults do, and listening can help ensure the conversation doesn’t go that direction.

These three simple principles can help any parent ensure that conversations surrounding achievement in school remain positive, and support ongoing success for children. Good luck!

Frank Schofield
Superintendent, Logan City School District