Some thoughts about the physics curriculum and its assessment in Scotland with some observations and questions about standards and how this impacts on things like subject choice. Can we address some of these longstanding issues in the Curriculum Improvement Cycle? www.enlighten.scot/lessons-lear...

Lessons learned, opportunities to be grasped - Enlighten

A recent blog post by Paul Argyle McDonald regarding the mathematics curriculum in Scotland got me thinking about how the physics curriculum and its assessment, particularly in relation to Higher and ...

enlighten.scot

A blog post for @enlightenscot.bsky.social about the physics curriculum and its assessment. @drewburrett.bsky.social @physicsdrew.bsky.social @andrewkbailey13.bsky.social @colinmcgill.bsky.social @mrdissent.bsky.social @mrdegsy.bsky.social @brucenextlevel.bsky.social @lynnej0nes.bsky.social

Stuart Farmer@stuartphysics.bsky.social · 5mo ago

Some thoughts about the physics curriculum and its assessment in Scotland with some observations and questions about standards and how this impacts on things like subject choice. Can we address some of these longstanding issues in the Curriculum Improvement Cycle? www.enlighten.scot/lessons-lear...

1987 I did an investigation as a student teacher into Teacher Stress. The main cause was "Pressures of Time." This year, an extensive survey by @sstatradeunion.bsky.social HWB Committee did a massive survey investigating teacher well-being. Conclusion? Excessive workload. @jennygilruth.bsky.social

Confusion abounds as to whether iodine sublimes or evaporates at 1 atm. In fact, it melts and flows. A little microscale triumph. See tinyurl.com/2nw2hram #ChatChemistry, #ITeachChem @cleapss.bsky.social @rsc-educomscot.bsky.social @sfed-rsc.bsky.social @beyondbenign.bsky.social

Want to find out more about our PGDE programmes in Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Maths & English? Want to find out what it's like to study to become a teacher at @edinburghnapier.bsky.social? Come and meet us on Thu 20 Nov at our Merchiston campus. www.napier.ac.uk/study-with-u...

Chemistry teacher in Scotland? Interested in leading professional learning around the use of practical work? Check out this course from @rsc.org edu.rsc.org/events/train...

Train the Trainer: pedagogy for practical chemistry

Thursday 27 November or Friday 28 November, 9.30am-4pm GMT, University of Strathclyde

edu.rsc.org

Essential reading from @jonsevers.bsky.social - 'Is Jonathan Haidt right about smartphones?' www.tes.com/magazine/tea... @tesmagazine.bsky.social

Is Jonathan Haidt right about smartphones?

In ‘The Anxious Generation’, Haidt makes the case that social media and smartphones have ‘rewired’ today’s teenagers, but his critics say the evidence tells us something very different - and that bann...

tes.com

The RSC Education Community (Scotland) is excited to share that applications are open for the Inspiring Young Chemists Fund for 2025-2026 (Deadline 3 October 2025). In the 2024-2025 session, the IYC Fund provided over £3000 of support for the 14 successful applicants. forms.office.com/e/Y9XnquQ7yM

If you can't find what you are looking for, make it. New improved dressCode pupil portal coming soon. #TogetherWeCanCloseTheGenderGap

The Curious Teacher Conference Sat 04 Oct 2025 @edinburghnapier.bsky.social, Sighthill Campus £50 (£35 for student teachers). Registration/details: sway.cloud.microsoft/uiY35a9sitDV... Keynotes: @nuthmani.bsky.social (Education is not neutral) and Kirsten Leask (Learning for Sustainability)

Curious Teacher Conference 2025

Curious about improving your pedagogy? Curious about aspects of inclusion? Curious about thriving in teaching? We have the conference for you!

sway.cloud.microsoft

www.tes.com/magazine/ana...

What should you expect as a new student teacher in Scotland?

With many students starting their teacher education journey in Scotland, Colin McGill offers some words of advice and says it’s an exciting time to join the profession

tes.com

What should you expect as a new student teacher in Scotland? @colinmcgill.bsky.social of @enuteachered.bsky.social offers some sound advice in @tesmagazine.bsky.social (and subscribing to TES weekly is something I'd add to his advice!) www.tes.com/magazine/ana...

What should you expect as a new student teacher in Scotland?

With many students starting their teacher education journey in Scotland, Colin McGill offers some words of advice and says it’s an exciting time to join the profession

tes.com

New episode of Beyond Survival: The New Teacher Podcast. A great summer listen for new teachers: myself and @khairbused.bsky.social discuss how to thrive in the early years of your career. open.spotify.com/episode/3nwo...

How to thrive in the early years of your career

Beyond Survival: The New Teacher Podcast · Episode

open.spotify.com

Systematic inclusion: Is literally everyone thinking, talking, practising, learning? How much does it matter to you? teacherhead.com/2025/06/25/s...

Systematic inclusion: Is literally everyone thinking, talking, practising, learning? How much does it matter to you.

I’m often struck by just how deeply embedded some ineffective teacher habits are.  I see it as a collective more than an individual problem. Faced with the inherent challenges that teac…

teacherhead.com

"The science of learning empowers teachers to make better decisions in their classrooms. Decisions grounded in how students actually learn, not in how we might wish they did." This is a fantastic blog post.

Carl Hendrick@carlhendrick.substack.com · last yr.

A recent article claimed that the Science of Learning and Direct Instruction is "neoliberal ‘dogma’ that is working to de-skill the teaching profession". This is my response to that ⬇️ carlhendrick.substack.com/p/defending-...

Eventually got around to listening to this yesterday. Well worth a listen if you teach in Scotland.

Stuart Farmer@stuartphysics.bsky.social · last yr.

Latest episode of the Talking Scottish Education podcast with Andy Creamer who has a leading role in the Scottish Curriculum Improvement Cycle is now out on all the usual platforms #TalkScotEd feeds.acast.com/public/shows...

There’s a limited time 33% discount on all three of The Teaching Delusion books on Amazon just now: TTD: amzn.eu/d/6YiH3fq TTD2: amzn.eu/d/7yL7ta5 TTD3: amzn.eu/d/2XFBwF8 If you’re interested in them, it’s a great chance to get yourself a copy of each one 😊

Excellent explanation and rebuttal from @carlhendrick.substack.com of views which are unfortunately still too prevalent in much of the educational establishment.

Carl Hendrick@carlhendrick.substack.com · last yr.

A recent article claimed that the Science of Learning and Direct Instruction is "neoliberal ‘dogma’ that is working to de-skill the teaching profession". This is my response to that ⬇️ carlhendrick.substack.com/p/defending-...

Another really interesting episode of 'Talking Scottish Education' from @stuartphysics.bsky.social and @dnleslie.bsky.social speaking about #curriculum #reform with Andy Creamer from @educationscotland.bsky.social Many shortcomings of #CfE identified and discussed. Need for clarity and decluttering

Treated myself today. Great service from @guitarguitaruk.bsky.social in Edinburgh.

Last call for #MICER25 #ChemEdResearch @cerg.bsky.social

Colin McGill@colinmcgill.bsky.social · last yr.

The finalised programme for Methods in Chemistry Education Research #MICER25 at @edinburghnapier.bsky.social micerportal.wordpress.com #chemsky #chemedresearch

Last call for #MICER25 #ChemEdResearch @cerg.bsky.social

Colin McGill@colinmcgill.bsky.social · last yr.

The finalised programme for Methods in Chemistry Education Research #MICER25 at @edinburghnapier.bsky.social micerportal.wordpress.com #chemsky #chemedresearch

Engage your learners with the science of smelly sweat with this story and accompanying TikTok: edu.rsc.org/everyday-che... #scienceteachers #sciteachuk

Why does your sweat smell?

Sniff out the science of body odour, deodorants and antiperspirants

edu.rsc.org

The third episode of Talking Scottish Education is available now. In it @stuartphysics.bsky.social & I speak with Carole Ford & Lindsay Paterson on the importance of a knowledge-based curriculum, the role of assessment, and the need for coherence in educational practices.

Recording of @aud2526.bsky.social presentation "Signing to Know: Unlocking chemistry concepts" from symposium in her honour last week is now on @cerg.bsky.social YouTube channel. Thanks to Dr Helen Pain for her warm introduction to Audrey and the symposium youtu.be/9cWN4oD39kw

Dr Audrey Cameron: Teaching Deaf Children Chemistry

YouTube video by RSC Chemical Education Research Group

youtu.be

The finalised programme for Methods in Chemistry Education Research #MICER25 at @edinburghnapier.bsky.social micerportal.wordpress.com #chemsky #chemedresearch

#MICER25 speaker announcement! micerportal.wordpress.com/2025/04/23/f... #chemedresearch #chemsky

Final #MICER25 speaker announcement

To complete the MICER25 line-up, we have a double act of Prof. Jacquie Robson and Dr Helen Cramman from Durham University. Prof. Robson and Dr Cramman will be leading a workshop on the use of focus…

micerportal.wordpress.com

www.heraldscotland.com/news/2510205...

Warning over crisis in Scots schools as student teacher numbers to fall

The Scottish Government has been warned of a crisis in secondary education, as figures reveal a big shortfall in students studying to become teachers

heraldscotland.com

Some worrying figures here: www.gov.scot/publications...

Teacher Workforce Planning Advisory Group: initial teacher education intake figures 2024

Teacher Workforce Planning: initial teacher education intake figures 2024

gov.scot

Methods in Chemistry Education Research speaker announcement: Dr Nicola Kiernan, Head of Chemistry and STEM co-ordinator at the High School of Dundee will be leading a workshop exploring the use of video for analysing gestures. www.linkedin.com/posts/colin-... #chatchemistry #chemedresearch

Penultime speaker announcement for the Methods in Chemistry Education… | Colin McGill

Penultime speaker announcement for the Methods in Chemistry Education Research (MICER) meeting at Edinburgh Napier University on 21 May 2025 Dr Nicola Kiernan (Head of Chemistry and STEM Co-ordinator...

linkedin.com