Early career science mentor (pilot)

The Royal Society of Chemistry is excited to announce a new mentor training program designed to support mentors of early career science teachers. We are currently seeking mentors in England to participate in the pilot phase of this program. 

Sign up here 

Why this program? 

Our research has shown a significant gap in subject-specific support for early career chemistry teachers, as well as a broader lack of subject specificity within the Early Career Framework. This program aims to fill these gaps, providing mentors with the necessary skills and knowledge to offer targeted, subject-specific support during mentoring sessions. 

Who should join? 

We are looking for mentors of early career science teachers, particularly those focused on chemistry. However, we recognise that ECTs often teach multiple sciences, so mentors from all science specialisms are welcome. 

What will you gain? 

By participating in this course, mentors will: 

• Learn to provide effective subject-specific support to ECTs in secondary science education. 
• Develop a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities in teaching science subjects. 
• Foster a collaborative, reflective, and growth-oriented mentorship environment. 
• Gain strategies to integrate best practices and subject-specific knowledge into mentorship. 
• Tackle common challenges and misconceptions in science teaching, offering practical solutions. 
• Enhance communication and interpersonal skills for meaningful engagement with ECTs. 

Course structure and format 

Those taking part in the pilot will have access to the materials for the month of November.  

• Four online on-demand (asynchronous) modules, which can be completed independently at your own pace. 
• Two optional discussion forums via Teams, with dates TBC. 

These sessions will cover effective mentoring strategies, practical teaching methods, and subject-specific guidance for science teaching. 

Participants are expected to commit fully to the pilot and participate in the program’s evaluation, including a questionnaire and an interview at a convenient time.