An internationally renowned teacher and speaker is making a stop in Steinbach this week to get inside the brains of local educators and parents of middle school students.  Hanover Assistant Superintendent Randy Dueck says Rick Wormeli will be in town Monday and Tuesday.  "He really engages teachers in topics about student engagement and how we can get our kids really intellectually engaged with what is going on in the classroom.  So that their wheels are really spinning, so they are excited and enthused about what they are learning in the classroom."

Dueck explains it's important that students are engaged in the classroom.  "We have been doing a lot of thinking about student learning and what motivates students to learn and we are quite aware that the more deeply we can engage them in whatever it is they are doing, the more deeply they are going to learn.  We look at social engagement, academic engagement and intellectual engagement.  Intellectual engagement is where they are really thinking and actively connected to the work that they are doing and where the deepest learning happens."

He adds the goal is to find ways to improve and increase the amount of time students are intellectually engaged.  Wormeli will be working with teachers during the day to explore some of these ideas.  Then Monday evening he will be meeting with parents to explore the concept of middle school education.  Dueck says that is a model we are moving towards in Steinbach.  "We are switching away from the junior high school model and towards a middle school model and it's very appropriate timing for Rick to talk about that and help all of us wrap our heads around what it is to be a middle school rather than a junior high school."

Dueck says there will also be a second part of the evening.  "It will focus more specifically on the two new Steinbach middle schools.  The Clearspring Middle School which is under construction right now and the Stoney  Brook Middle School which is the current Steinbach Junior High School.  We will have two brand new Steinbach middle schools and both principals will be talking and sharing their vision.  we'll be giving a construction update about Clearspring Middle School and talking a bit more about what that transition will look like because it's going to be a period of significant transition this coming year in preparation for the opening of the two new schools in September of next year."

The parent event is open to all parents in Hanover School Division.  "If they are from outside Steinbach and aren't particularly interested in part two they are free to leave at the end of part one but they are welcome for both parts.  The event will be at Mennonite Brethren Church in Steinbach.  Part one from 7-8pm and part two from 8-9pm."