Another important consideration for teaching is that of mental stamina. I think we all know that when you have a double lecture, or even a whole lecture straight, you can become pretty jaded.

Well, mental stamina is something that can be built up. Young children have next to no mental stamina and expecting them to sit attentively for more than 10-15 minutes is ridiculuous.

Now I know some of my lesson plans are ridiculuous.

Another reliever in today. My supervising teacher is going to be away for 3 days at a tangi (funeral). Soon, I will have seen more reliever lessons than her lessons. Typically she has set nothing much up. Fortunately we had a discussion about what things I can do this week on Friday last week. So I am set and planned.

Making lessons sometimes takes inspiration. It took me so long to think of anything decent for The Three Little Pigs. When I did think of a good order, then things ploughed through to a whole plan for the week. But it is not a brilliant idea, just a normal idea that you would expect. This sort of planning shouldn't be rocket science so hopefully in the future when I have a bit more experience I can produce a set of lessons (a unit), quickly without agonising over it. I had lesson one, and it went mostly according to plan. I am happy.

Talking of mental stamina, teaching stamina is another thing. After my first two weeks being exhausting, the comparatively intensive day today has not dented my energy levels much. Then again it is only the first day of the school week. I might be a mess by Friday 3pm.

Time to get my Wednesday together so I can enjoy a night out at the pub quiz.