Virginia teachers learn from each other in Roanoke for Children's Engineering Convention

ROANOKE (WSLS 10) -  Hundreds of Virginia teachers are in Roanoke for the 21st annual Virginia Children's Engineering Convention. It is all about teachers helping other teachers learn new ways to make STEAM exciting in the classroom.

"We have learning centers, we have a block center, art center, science center but I'm really hoping to get ideas to incorporate some steam activities into those centers and do more hands-on learning," said Meg Druga, an Augusta County teacher.

Druga says giving students early access to STEAM -- science, technology, engineering, arts and math -- is important. The Convention also gives teachers professional development and growth in dozens of breakout sessions showing them what's working in other parts of the Commonwealth. They learn by doing hands-on activities just like they would be teaching their own students and its pays off in the classroom.

"The critical thinking skills, to build things, to and grow they just can think way beyond their years," said Sean Collins, a Chesterfield County art teacher who builds activities into the curriculum. "They are naturally inquisitive and trying to figure out how things work all the time."

The two-day conference wraps up Friday and then teachers will go back to their school districts to share what they learned.


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You can see Jenna weekday mornings at the anchor desk on WSLS 10 Today from 5-7 a.m. She also leads our monthly Solutionaries Series, where we highlight the creative thinkers and doers working to make the world a better place.