1. Mentoring Novice Science Teachers
and
Reflective Teaching

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

3. 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.

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

5. 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

6. 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.

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

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

9. 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.

10. Classroom management can be a daunting task for any novice!

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

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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.

15. 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

16. 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

17. 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

18. 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