Physics in Chavruta – A Model for Supporting Early Career Teachers

We present a model of an induction program that supports early career physics teachers as well as experienced teachers who face new challenges in their teaching of physics. The model involves personal mentorship embedded in a teachers’ professional community of practice led by senior physics teachers and supported by a physics education research group. The program is entering its third year. We discuss the structure of the program and the function of its components and use excerpts from written reflections by community members (novice and senior physics teachers, mentors and mentees), artifacts that were generated by and shared in the community, agendas for the monthly community meetings, and ongoing working documents to illustrate our claims.