CHEMISTRY MENTORS

Chemistry Mentors are a new initiative at St Albans School, led by Miss Hickey, Head of Chemistry: "They have been a fantastic addition to the way we engage pupils with Chemistry across the School, and it has been a pleasure to see them develop their leadership skills through the clinics and House events.”

Mentors are selected in the second term of the Lower Sixth Form and are in post until the Second term of the Upper Sixth Form. Following their application, they are selected based on their enthusiasm for the subject, including beyond the course, experience in leadership and also their propensity for helping others.

I applied for the position of Chemistry Mentor so that I could be more involved within the chemistry department and demonstrate my commitment and passion for the subject. I've enjoyed setting up events such as House Chemistry. Working together with other mentors and exchanging ideas was very enjoyable. Along with the teamwork aspect, being able to go beyond the classroom and help other students enjoy chemistry as much as I do has been the most rewarding part.

Fauzaan, Upper Sixth Form

Chemistry has long been a passion of mine and when the opportunity came up to be a Chemistry Mentor it enabled me to share my enthusiasm with my peers. Through helping others grasp some of the more challenging concepts it also strengthens my own knowledge. It is incredibly rewarding to see the progress and build up of confidence as I help guide my peers through areas they struggle with. Mentorship has strengthened my leadership by teaching me how to communicate effectively and adapt my approach to suit others and their learning styles.

Olaf, Upper Sixth Form

I originally applied to be a Chemistry Mentor because I plan to study Chemical Engineering at university. Being a mentor has been a rewarding experience, allowing me to support students and share my love for chemistry. Mentoring has also given me the opportunity to improve my organisational skills by working on school chemistry events, as well as my communication skills by learning to explain complex ideas in a simple yet accurate way, both of which are invaluable skills for university.

Dan, Upper Sixth Form

Being a Chemistry Mentor is the perfect opportunity to help and support peers who need extra guidance, and I am extremely glad I have done it.

Being a Chemistry Mentor has also helped me improve my leadership and effective communication skills. Explaining topics to students requires clarity and patience as well as being able to adapt to how the student is responding.

As a Mentor, my responsibilities are varied and dynamic from attending meetings with your group regarding planning events or better ways to improve the chemistry clinic, to attending the clinic on a rotating basis and helping pupils throughout the School with any help they have with chemistry.

Rezwan, Upper Sixth Form

As Chemistry Mentors, we helped set up and run House Chemistry. During the process of creating questions for the senior event, we tried to find ways of applying GCSE and A Level chemistry to interesting uses, such as in rocket fuel. I enjoyed making these questions as I could explore new areas of the subject. Part of the role involves helping out at clinics, which can also be rewarding when you reach a breakthrough with a student on a topic that they were struggling with.

Dylan, Upper Sixth Form