Colin McGill

How to thrive in the early years of your career Beyond Survival: The New Teacher Podcast · Episode

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...

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…

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

Thanks for writing this - it hits many nails on the head.

"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.

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

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.

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

It's great - really enjoying it!

Epiphone Les Paul Custom.

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

Last call for #MICER25

#ChemEdResearch
@cerg.bsky.social

Last call for #MICER25

#ChemEdResearch
@cerg.bsky.social

Why does your sweat smell? Sniff out the science of body odour, deodorants and antiperspirants

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

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.

YouTube video by RSC Chemical Education Research Group Dr Audrey Cameron: Teaching Deaf Children Chemistry

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

The finalised programme for Methods in Chemistry Education Research #MICER25 at @edinburghnapier.bsky.social

micerportal.wordpress.com
#chemsky #chemedresearch

📌

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…

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

#chemedresearch #chemsky

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

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

Absolutely - a big focus on retention in required

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

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

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...

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

I’m registered and looking forward to this. I’m fairly sure I’ve never missed a MICER since the year it started - maybe @mkseery.bsky.social will give me an long attendance award 🤣 #MICER #ChemEd

Methods in Chemistry Education Research Portal Post by @seerymk.

#MICER25 update:

Prof. Paul Ashwin will be leading a workshop on the use of interview data and phenomenography.

MICER takes place at @edinburghnapier.bsky.social on Wednesday 21 May 2025.

Details at micerportal.wordpress.com

#ChemEd #ITeachChem #ChemEdResearch #ChemSky

Science Teachers! If you're looking for a relatively cheap leaving present for your Y11s / Y13s, "The Works" sell 3 copies of "Why Don't Things Fall Up?" for £7.50 - that's £75 for 30, free P&P. Or buy a set for your classes next year. It's a great book - don't take my word for it, read the reviews

New books available at @enulibrary.bsky.social:
@strickomaster.bsky.social @katejonesteach.bsky.social @brucenextlevel.bsky.social @johncattedu.bsky.social

The Curious Teacher Conference Edinburgh Napier University (Sighthill Campus) Saturday 07 June 2025 £35 (£18 for student teachers) Lunch and great chat included

📢The Curious Teacher Conference: a 1 day professional learning event to enhance knowledge, skills and wellbeing of school teachers.

Keynote speaker: @olliebray.bsky.social (update on the Curriculum Improvement Cycle).

The Curious Teacher Conference Edinburgh Napier University (Sighthill Campus) Saturday 07 June 2025 £35 (£18 for student teachers) Lunch and great chat included

📢The Curious Teacher Conference: a 1 day professional learning event to enhance knowledge, skills and wellbeing of school teachers.

Keynote speaker: @olliebray.bsky.social (update on the Curriculum Improvement Cycle).

Why primary CPD needs primary expertise – avoiding “Secondary Lite” Primary and avoiding “Secondary Lite” CPD. I led a session last week where the schools in attendance were focusing on primary pedagogy and the need for specific approaches across the developmental …

My latest blog around why primary CPD needs experienced primary voices.
thinkingflexibly.com/2025/03/24/w...

Wednesday 26th March In the postwar years the 4-minute mile was seen as pinnacle of middle distance running. The barrier was finally broken by 25-year-old Roger Bannister (pictured bottom - original video with his voice over) at the Oxford University Track in May 1954 where he was a medical student. He’d only started running at University. Bannister’s record only stood for 42 days as it was broken by Australia’s John Landy at a meet in Finland. More than 1700 runners have run a sub-4-minute mile in the 70 years since. However, on Wednesday last week New Zealander Sam Ruthe (top) became the youngest member of the 4-minute mile club. In a race specifically hosted for him to break the record, his pace-makers (including 2-time Olympian Sam Tanner) helped him to a time of 3:58.35 - Aged just 15 years and 341 days (NZ News video inc footage & interview). The previous youngest, Norwegian Jakob Ingebrigtsen who was 16 years and 250 days when he broke 4-minutes, has since gone on to win gold medals at the Tokyo and Paris Olympics. Ruthe hopes to run in the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028, but he’ll still only be 22 at the 2032 Olympics in Brisbane, Australia. Questions: How long do you have to break Sam Ruthe’s record, could you do it? Or are you already too old? What average speed (in mph) do you have to run, to run a 4-minute mile?

On Wednesday's TGT, a recent record breaker and a classic sporting first. 15-year-old Sam Ruthe emulates a feat of 71 years ago, creating his own world record. Discuss with your tutees Sam's achievement and whether they could emulate it, or discuss the history.
bit.ly/TutorGroupThink