ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses some models of reflective practice (RP) and offers techniques to enable beginning teachers to be a reflective mentor and to support a beginning science teacher to reflect on the extent of their progress and to identify the direction of their development. It enables science teachers to support a beginning teacher to use RP to realise: any limitations they may be experiencing; their learning needs; the effect they may have on others; and the effect others may have upon them. RP enables a mentor and beginning teacher to understand and express themselves in a way that is exclusive to them and to their mentor–mentee relationship. RP is a process of thinking, whereby a person can make sense of an event, situation, occurrence or phenomenon. A mentor or the beginning teacher may be short of time or may have to wait a long time for something. Situations can change over time; issues can be resolved or environments can change.
