Mentoring Novice Science Teachers and Reflective Teaching

WHY ARE YOU HERE? Journal Reflection: Why am I interested in science mentoring and what’s in it for me? Be Honest

Are you here because: Your principal told you to attend You need professional development You are looking for challenge and growth You want to guide and nurture young science teachers Quality teachers are better for our students You want to be apart of a national conversation about what constitutes best practice.

Journal Reflection What qualities and skills do I bring to mentoring novice teachers? What skills to I need to develop?

Journal Reflection:. What qualities and skills do I bring Journal Reflection: What qualities and skills do I bring? What skills do I need to develop? leadership developing rapport approachable solution finder supportive reflective tolerant We will list qualities and skills of good mentors on big paper. Then do communication worksheets organized facilitating inquiry good listener experienced knowledgeable inspiring

Think back…way back… to your first year or two of teaching. Journal Reflection: Use 5 words to describe your first year or two of teaching.

Teaching is harder than most people think ! Many do not survive

stressed overwhelmed isolated Under-prepared challenged excited Have participants list words on big paper

There is so much to master Science content Physical Geological Biological Ecological Math General teacher skills Classroom management Diverse learners Science specific Managing safety, equipment Inquiry Discuss: The general knowledge needed for middle school science when many are specialized in one area. How teaching science is different than other subjects. The difficulty of developing classroom management style.

Classroom management can be a daunting task for any novice!

Management issues specific to science inquiry safety materials resources technology lab procedures routines use of equipment managing groups

Role and Requirements Improve novice teacher practice by assisting with design and implementation of inquiry Assist with classroom management issues Observe each novice at least once and meet for post observation reflections Hold 10 meetings throughout the school year with novice group Post brief meeting agenda: When, Where, Who, What Topics discussed, issues, solutions, inquiry work and action items Go over mentor handbook

Facilitating Meetings Agenda to frame the meeting Address upcoming topics and lesson ideas Adapt existing lessons into inquiry lessons Address issues and barriers Encourage reflection on improving practice Problem solve: Be solution oriented Draw on evidence Do not allow meeting to focus on complaining

Don’t let meetings turn into whining sessions. Lead the group toward problem-solving and reflecting on practice Don’t let meetings turn into whining sessions.

Using Reflective Inquiry as a Model for Problem-Solving with Novices Generation of identifying questions & background information Design & conduct scientific investigations Confirming hypotheses/answers Recognize & analyze alternative explanations & models Communicate/defend scientific argument Novice describes situation, group identifies the problem Collect data by probing questions and observations Make an action or solution plan Challenge with alternative possibilities; share relevant experiences Novice communicates results of action or solution next time. Use a few of the scenarios and walk the solutions through the reflective inquiry model

Barriers to inquiry Time and covering curriculum (Breadth versus Depth) TAKS concerns Confidence in content and management Improvisational nature of inquiry Trust and belief in students’ ability, interest and engagement (issue of passive learners) We teach how we were taught

Role-playing Activity New mentors pair up with second year mentors Choose one of the barriers to inquiry Create a scenario that a novice teacher might encounter that relates to that barrier. Role play novice and mentor roles with another pair Generate solutions Group share

The act of learning is the result of reflection upon experience… Having an experience does not necessarily result in learning; you have to reflect on it. In order to learn, one must be willing to risk exposing oneself to new things, be willing to test the validity of old things in relation to the new, be willing to form new conclusions and be willing to risk exposing oneself to an unknown outcome. K. King, 1998