Helen Reynolds
@helenrey.bsky.social
Physics teacher, author of Activate/Oxford Revise Physics + others. Learning the foxtrot. Loves cogsci + joined up curriculum. Big fan of mini whiteboards.
Owns It's A Learning Curve LLC https://itsalearningcurve.education
All views my own.
Owns It's A Learning Curve LLC https://itsalearningcurve.education
All views my own.
Pinned
Helen Reynolds
@helenrey.bsky.social
· Aug 1
It's a Learning Curve
itsalearningcurve.education
Super excited to announce that I am now a company! My days teaching in a school are at an end.
My new venture is tutoring + providing professional development + outreach in physics and cogsci.
Here's the site - if you find anything amiss let me know! 😊
itsalearningcurve.education
My new venture is tutoring + providing professional development + outreach in physics and cogsci.
Here's the site - if you find anything amiss let me know! 😊
itsalearningcurve.education
Delighted to make a summary of this EXCELLENT book - thought-provoking and extremely useful, and one of the BEST chapters about 'How Do We Learn' that I have read. Thanks @drcastelino.bsky.social
Summary pdfs here: itsalearningcurve.education/cogsci-book-...
Summary pdfs here: itsalearningcurve.education/cogsci-book-...
November 7, 2025 at 12:57 PM
Delighted to make a summary of this EXCELLENT book - thought-provoking and extremely useful, and one of the BEST chapters about 'How Do We Learn' that I have read. Thanks @drcastelino.bsky.social
Summary pdfs here: itsalearningcurve.education/cogsci-book-...
Summary pdfs here: itsalearningcurve.education/cogsci-book-...
Another summary! This time it's the excellent Evidence-Informed Wisdom: Making Better Decisions in Education by Bradley Busch, Edward Watson, Matthew Shaw.
A must-read for those interested in research in education! It's the wisdom part that we all need.
itsalearningcurve.education/cogsci-book-...
A must-read for those interested in research in education! It's the wisdom part that we all need.
itsalearningcurve.education/cogsci-book-...
November 3, 2025 at 9:01 PM
Another summary! This time it's the excellent Evidence-Informed Wisdom: Making Better Decisions in Education by Bradley Busch, Edward Watson, Matthew Shaw.
A must-read for those interested in research in education! It's the wisdom part that we all need.
itsalearningcurve.education/cogsci-book-...
A must-read for those interested in research in education! It's the wisdom part that we all need.
itsalearningcurve.education/cogsci-book-...
Delighted to share another summary- a profoundly thought-provoking book.
A must-read for those interested in the the bigger picture of transforming learning.
Thanks to @P_A_Kirschner for his help with the summary.
Download summary and book here:
itsalearningcurve.education/cogsci-book-...
A must-read for those interested in the the bigger picture of transforming learning.
Thanks to @P_A_Kirschner for his help with the summary.
Download summary and book here:
itsalearningcurve.education/cogsci-book-...
October 30, 2025 at 11:37 PM
Delighted to share another summary- a profoundly thought-provoking book.
A must-read for those interested in the the bigger picture of transforming learning.
Thanks to @P_A_Kirschner for his help with the summary.
Download summary and book here:
itsalearningcurve.education/cogsci-book-...
A must-read for those interested in the the bigger picture of transforming learning.
Thanks to @P_A_Kirschner for his help with the summary.
Download summary and book here:
itsalearningcurve.education/cogsci-book-...
Those were the days!
5 years ago I sent them the picture of the cup and find something that wasn't a cup and do the same.
The cat won, obvs.
Force arrows still the best way to show forces act ON objects.
#iteachphysics
5 years ago I sent them the picture of the cup and find something that wasn't a cup and do the same.
The cat won, obvs.
Force arrows still the best way to show forces act ON objects.
#iteachphysics
October 28, 2025 at 12:59 PM
Those were the days!
5 years ago I sent them the picture of the cup and find something that wasn't a cup and do the same.
The cat won, obvs.
Force arrows still the best way to show forces act ON objects.
#iteachphysics
5 years ago I sent them the picture of the cup and find something that wasn't a cup and do the same.
The cat won, obvs.
Force arrows still the best way to show forces act ON objects.
#iteachphysics
Brilliant transition from centre of mass to torque in APC Physics!
We (I) cut a wooden spoon at the centre of mass, and lo! Unequal masses!
They got another one + a ruler + made some measurements +assumptions, and lo!! Equal masses! No one has every got it spot on before.
#iteachphysics
We (I) cut a wooden spoon at the centre of mass, and lo! Unequal masses!
They got another one + a ruler + made some measurements +assumptions, and lo!! Equal masses! No one has every got it spot on before.
#iteachphysics
October 28, 2025 at 12:46 AM
Brilliant transition from centre of mass to torque in APC Physics!
We (I) cut a wooden spoon at the centre of mass, and lo! Unequal masses!
They got another one + a ruler + made some measurements +assumptions, and lo!! Equal masses! No one has every got it spot on before.
#iteachphysics
We (I) cut a wooden spoon at the centre of mass, and lo! Unequal masses!
They got another one + a ruler + made some measurements +assumptions, and lo!! Equal masses! No one has every got it spot on before.
#iteachphysics
I've got a page for resources to help parents get to grips with how their children learn, and how they can help.
Looking for any more suggestions?
itsalearningcurve.education/for-parents/
Looking for any more suggestions?
itsalearningcurve.education/for-parents/
For parents
If you would like to find out what cognitive science has to say about the best learning strategies to help your child learn, then here are some excellent places to start: 🧠 How do we learnAn introd…
itsalearningcurve.education
October 20, 2025 at 2:38 PM
I've got a page for resources to help parents get to grips with how their children learn, and how they can help.
Looking for any more suggestions?
itsalearningcurve.education/for-parents/
Looking for any more suggestions?
itsalearningcurve.education/for-parents/
I've started a CogSciPhysics group on LinkedIn... let me know if you're interested.
If you've replied and not had an invite my sincere apologies - please reply/message and I'll sort it out
#iteachphysics
If you've replied and not had an invite my sincere apologies - please reply/message and I'll sort it out
#iteachphysics
October 20, 2025 at 2:10 AM
I've started a CogSciPhysics group on LinkedIn... let me know if you're interested.
If you've replied and not had an invite my sincere apologies - please reply/message and I'll sort it out
#iteachphysics
If you've replied and not had an invite my sincere apologies - please reply/message and I'll sort it out
#iteachphysics
Name your equations.
Trust me, it's a game changer.
#iteachphysics
itsalearningcurve.education/on-the-benef...
Trust me, it's a game changer.
#iteachphysics
itsalearningcurve.education/on-the-benef...
On the Benefits of Naming Equations
I asked my students how they’d found the APC exam a few years ago and one student said: “It was fine. Question 1 was Billy squared and Question 3 was an easy Charlie”. What? Well,…
itsalearningcurve.education
October 14, 2025 at 2:28 PM
Name your equations.
Trust me, it's a game changer.
#iteachphysics
itsalearningcurve.education/on-the-benef...
Trust me, it's a game changer.
#iteachphysics
itsalearningcurve.education/on-the-benef...
Extremely useful litmus test, not just in the context of multiple intelligences from @carlhendrick.substack.com
... and the phrase:
Comfortable Fictions: The Myth of Multiple Intelligences open.substack.com/pub/carlhend...
... and the phrase:
Comfortable Fictions: The Myth of Multiple Intelligences open.substack.com/pub/carlhend...
October 10, 2025 at 5:42 PM
Extremely useful litmus test, not just in the context of multiple intelligences from @carlhendrick.substack.com
... and the phrase:
Comfortable Fictions: The Myth of Multiple Intelligences open.substack.com/pub/carlhend...
... and the phrase:
Comfortable Fictions: The Myth of Multiple Intelligences open.substack.com/pub/carlhend...
Calling physics teachers!
I'd like to get together an online 'group' of people who teach physics AND also have an interest in cognitive science.
If that's you, let me know (DM or via my website)! I'd love to talk specifics, share ideas, discuss issues.
#iteachphysics
itsalearningcurve.education
I'd like to get together an online 'group' of people who teach physics AND also have an interest in cognitive science.
If that's you, let me know (DM or via my website)! I'd love to talk specifics, share ideas, discuss issues.
#iteachphysics
itsalearningcurve.education
It's a Learning Curve
itsalearningcurve.education
October 3, 2025 at 2:18 AM
Calling physics teachers!
I'd like to get together an online 'group' of people who teach physics AND also have an interest in cognitive science.
If that's you, let me know (DM or via my website)! I'd love to talk specifics, share ideas, discuss issues.
#iteachphysics
itsalearningcurve.education
I'd like to get together an online 'group' of people who teach physics AND also have an interest in cognitive science.
If that's you, let me know (DM or via my website)! I'd love to talk specifics, share ideas, discuss issues.
#iteachphysics
itsalearningcurve.education
Another summary! This time the marvellous Mental Models by Dr Jim Heal and Rebekah Berlin delving deep into developing students thinking, what it means and how to do it.
AND updated Cogsci Reading List - now up to 74 books.
itsalearningcurve.education/cogsci-book-...
AND updated Cogsci Reading List - now up to 74 books.
itsalearningcurve.education/cogsci-book-...
September 15, 2025 at 4:55 PM
Another summary! This time the marvellous Mental Models by Dr Jim Heal and Rebekah Berlin delving deep into developing students thinking, what it means and how to do it.
AND updated Cogsci Reading List - now up to 74 books.
itsalearningcurve.education/cogsci-book-...
AND updated Cogsci Reading List - now up to 74 books.
itsalearningcurve.education/cogsci-book-...
Want to introduce some cogsci practices into your classroom but not sure what that looks like?
Check out some easy+no cost ideas here (specifically for physics but adaptable!):
itsalearningcurve.education/cogsci-in-th...
#iteachphysics
Check out some easy+no cost ideas here (specifically for physics but adaptable!):
itsalearningcurve.education/cogsci-in-th...
#iteachphysics
Cogsci In The Classroom
” Ok, fine. But what do you actually DO?” I get asked this a lot, so this page is for ‘THIS is what I do*’. I’ll put it in phases, where a ‘phase’ was abou…
itsalearningcurve.education
September 2, 2025 at 1:52 PM
Want to introduce some cogsci practices into your classroom but not sure what that looks like?
Check out some easy+no cost ideas here (specifically for physics but adaptable!):
itsalearningcurve.education/cogsci-in-th...
#iteachphysics
Check out some easy+no cost ideas here (specifically for physics but adaptable!):
itsalearningcurve.education/cogsci-in-th...
#iteachphysics
The Most Persistent Myth... 'that (fill in the gap...) will revolutionize education'.
@veritasium.bsky.social , please you could you update your excellent video to include AI?
www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEmu...
@veritasium.bsky.social , please you could you update your excellent video to include AI?
www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEmu...
The Most Persistent Myth
YouTube video by Veritasium
www.youtube.com
September 1, 2025 at 2:38 AM
The Most Persistent Myth... 'that (fill in the gap...) will revolutionize education'.
@veritasium.bsky.social , please you could you update your excellent video to include AI?
www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEmu...
@veritasium.bsky.social , please you could you update your excellent video to include AI?
www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEmu...
Thanks
@carlhendrick.substack.com for shining a light on something that has bothered me about the 'mastery' model assessment.
It has to factor in forgetting...
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
#iteachphysics
#cogscisci
@carlhendrick.substack.com for shining a light on something that has bothered me about the 'mastery' model assessment.
It has to factor in forgetting...
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
#iteachphysics
#cogscisci
Capturing Session-to-Session Dynamics of Learning and Forgetting: Testing the Limits of Knowledge Tracing Models - International Journal of Artificial Intelligence in Education
The development of intelligent tutoring systems and other educational technology necessitated the implementation and development of computational models of student learning. At the foundation of these...
link.springer.com
August 30, 2025 at 3:48 PM
Thanks
@carlhendrick.substack.com for shining a light on something that has bothered me about the 'mastery' model assessment.
It has to factor in forgetting...
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
#iteachphysics
#cogscisci
@carlhendrick.substack.com for shining a light on something that has bothered me about the 'mastery' model assessment.
It has to factor in forgetting...
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
#iteachphysics
#cogscisci
Best intro to a book about physics stuff...
So Planck should have had two constants... 🤷
#iteachphysics
So Planck should have had two constants... 🤷
#iteachphysics
August 29, 2025 at 1:55 PM
Best intro to a book about physics stuff...
So Planck should have had two constants... 🤷
#iteachphysics
So Planck should have had two constants... 🤷
#iteachphysics
Following on from the 'a physics teacher needs a large number of explanations for things' post, which are the topics/concepts that need the MOST?
Mine are:
#1 - potential
#2 - field
#3 - anything to do with circuits.
#iteachphysics
Mine are:
#1 - potential
#2 - field
#3 - anything to do with circuits.
#iteachphysics
August 28, 2025 at 7:41 PM
Following on from the 'a physics teacher needs a large number of explanations for things' post, which are the topics/concepts that need the MOST?
Mine are:
#1 - potential
#2 - field
#3 - anything to do with circuits.
#iteachphysics
Mine are:
#1 - potential
#2 - field
#3 - anything to do with circuits.
#iteachphysics
Unsurprising but reassuring.
And I think that 'being able to explain it differently' has a place of great importance in physics.
My students have said that they notice this, or rather the lack of it, especially in math(s) and physics.
#iteachphysics
teachinglicense.study.com/resources/st...
And I think that 'being able to explain it differently' has a place of great importance in physics.
My students have said that they notice this, or rather the lack of it, especially in math(s) and physics.
#iteachphysics
teachinglicense.study.com/resources/st...
We Asked 100 Students What They Wish Teachers Knew Here's What They Said
When students are asked to reflect on their learning experiences, they often offer candid and thoughtful feedback. In a recent Study.com survey, we asked 100 students what they wish their teachers understood about their needs, challenges, and learning preferences.
teachinglicense.study.com
August 26, 2025 at 2:00 PM
Unsurprising but reassuring.
And I think that 'being able to explain it differently' has a place of great importance in physics.
My students have said that they notice this, or rather the lack of it, especially in math(s) and physics.
#iteachphysics
teachinglicense.study.com/resources/st...
And I think that 'being able to explain it differently' has a place of great importance in physics.
My students have said that they notice this, or rather the lack of it, especially in math(s) and physics.
#iteachphysics
teachinglicense.study.com/resources/st...
This.
"Humans who rely on an LLM to generate outputs for them do not understand those outputs well enough to do anything with them... the reliance on AI is preventing junior entrants into every field from developing the very skills they would need to check that AI’s work."
"Humans who rely on an LLM to generate outputs for them do not understand those outputs well enough to do anything with them... the reliance on AI is preventing junior entrants into every field from developing the very skills they would need to check that AI’s work."
You might have heard AI boosters say: "it's okay that this tech is wrong half of the time, because the human operator 'partnering' with the LLM will catch errors."
Except no they fucking won't.
The actual context in which these systems are deployed make checking the AI's "work" impossible.
Except no they fucking won't.
The actual context in which these systems are deployed make checking the AI's "work" impossible.
"Human in the loop" is a thought-terminating cliche
Without thoughtful guard rails, asking people to clean up after machines doesn't make machines better — it makes people worse.
productpicnic.beehiiv.com
August 25, 2025 at 1:23 PM
This.
"Humans who rely on an LLM to generate outputs for them do not understand those outputs well enough to do anything with them... the reliance on AI is preventing junior entrants into every field from developing the very skills they would need to check that AI’s work."
"Humans who rely on an LLM to generate outputs for them do not understand those outputs well enough to do anything with them... the reliance on AI is preventing junior entrants into every field from developing the very skills they would need to check that AI’s work."
When I told my classes I was leaving one student said (to general agreement) that the thing that they would miss most was how I said ....
Wonderful
@xkcd.com
Wonderful
@xkcd.com
August 25, 2025 at 12:03 AM
When I told my classes I was leaving one student said (to general agreement) that the thing that they would miss most was how I said ....
Wonderful
@xkcd.com
Wonderful
@xkcd.com
This is the exception to the Betteridge's Law of Headlines (that the answer to any headline that's a question is always 'no').
Thanks @daisychristo
open.substack.com/pub/daisychr...
Thanks @daisychristo
open.substack.com/pub/daisychr...
Are we living in a stupidogenic society?
The cognitive muscles we no longer exercise
open.substack.com
August 24, 2025 at 7:51 PM
This is the exception to the Betteridge's Law of Headlines (that the answer to any headline that's a question is always 'no').
Thanks @daisychristo
open.substack.com/pub/daisychr...
Thanks @daisychristo
open.substack.com/pub/daisychr...
You may have sussed my antipathy for AI (in relation to education/learning/physics).
It doesn't 'forget'.
Doh. Well, of course not, but that is why it is NOT learning:
carlhendrick.substack.com/p/the-parado...
It doesn't 'forget'.
Doh. Well, of course not, but that is why it is NOT learning:
carlhendrick.substack.com/p/the-parado...
The Paradox of Memory: Why Forgetting Makes Learning Possible
Borges, Bjork, and the science of memory, forgetting and learning
carlhendrick.substack.com
August 24, 2025 at 7:47 PM
You may have sussed my antipathy for AI (in relation to education/learning/physics).
It doesn't 'forget'.
Doh. Well, of course not, but that is why it is NOT learning:
carlhendrick.substack.com/p/the-parado...
It doesn't 'forget'.
Doh. Well, of course not, but that is why it is NOT learning:
carlhendrick.substack.com/p/the-parado...
Excellent sim for dot product = parallelness.
#iteachphysics
#iteachphysics
August 23, 2025 at 10:30 PM
Excellent sim for dot product = parallelness.
#iteachphysics
#iteachphysics
There aren't prerequisites in the UK -we have a national curriculum.
I really don't understand them. For me:
Physics was required for AP1
AP1 was was required for AP2
Either AP1 preferably AP1+2 is required for APC...
Otherwise it's exposure not getting stuff into long term memory (aka learning).
I really don't understand them. For me:
Physics was required for AP1
AP1 was was required for AP2
Either AP1 preferably AP1+2 is required for APC...
Otherwise it's exposure not getting stuff into long term memory (aka learning).
August 23, 2025 at 10:27 PM
There aren't prerequisites in the UK -we have a national curriculum.
I really don't understand them. For me:
Physics was required for AP1
AP1 was was required for AP2
Either AP1 preferably AP1+2 is required for APC...
Otherwise it's exposure not getting stuff into long term memory (aka learning).
I really don't understand them. For me:
Physics was required for AP1
AP1 was was required for AP2
Either AP1 preferably AP1+2 is required for APC...
Otherwise it's exposure not getting stuff into long term memory (aka learning).
Naming things... 'adaptive forgetting' is such a useful term, makes sense of the idea that forgetting is the key to abstraction.
Forgetting = repurposing what we know to find patterns, is the price we pay for understanding.
Excellent blog @C_Hendrick
carlhendrick.substack.com/p/the-parado...
Forgetting = repurposing what we know to find patterns, is the price we pay for understanding.
Excellent blog @C_Hendrick
carlhendrick.substack.com/p/the-parado...
The Paradox of Memory: Why Forgetting Makes Learning Possible
Borges, Bjork, and the science of memory, forgetting and learning
carlhendrick.substack.com
August 23, 2025 at 3:04 PM
Naming things... 'adaptive forgetting' is such a useful term, makes sense of the idea that forgetting is the key to abstraction.
Forgetting = repurposing what we know to find patterns, is the price we pay for understanding.
Excellent blog @C_Hendrick
carlhendrick.substack.com/p/the-parado...
Forgetting = repurposing what we know to find patterns, is the price we pay for understanding.
Excellent blog @C_Hendrick
carlhendrick.substack.com/p/the-parado...
Super excited to be about metacognition in 3 weeks!!
Tickets here- $85 for a jam-packed day of amazing professional development, and ideas that you can use on Monday!
www.dmns.org/learn/tpd/ev...
#iteachphysics
#cogscisci
Tickets here- $85 for a jam-packed day of amazing professional development, and ideas that you can use on Monday!
www.dmns.org/learn/tpd/ev...
#iteachphysics
#cogscisci
researchED | Denver Museum of Nature & Science
Join us for this year's researchED | Denver Museum of Nature & Science!
www.dmns.org
August 22, 2025 at 1:54 PM
Super excited to be about metacognition in 3 weeks!!
Tickets here- $85 for a jam-packed day of amazing professional development, and ideas that you can use on Monday!
www.dmns.org/learn/tpd/ev...
#iteachphysics
#cogscisci
Tickets here- $85 for a jam-packed day of amazing professional development, and ideas that you can use on Monday!
www.dmns.org/learn/tpd/ev...
#iteachphysics
#cogscisci