Day 295 - Subbed At Half Time

Friday February 5th

I struggled manfully in having planned all my lessons but my voice and resolve gave way in my first lesson. The lesson itself was a bit of a disaster - it's the last time I ask a band 3 set to do a Tarsia puzzle...schoolboy error.

After that I was ushered gently into the staffroom and out of general circulation for the rest of the day. It turned out quite well as I managed to get everything organised for next week.

Day 211 - Best of Days, Worst of Days

Friday November 13th

Last rehearsal before the big performance and the tutor group are finally getting ready. I've enjoyed organising them and the best bit is that it is all their own work (well, except the Pink Floyd lyrics).

Very busy after that with a final revision lesson for my re-take class. I served up chocolate biscuits and tea to them as we went over questions and techniques. My whole objective was to try and relax them before the exam. After lunch I had a couple of tough lessons. First up was 922 and an observed lesson which went well in the computer room but pretty draining. That was followed by a bit of a disaster when the lesson I planned with 813 bombed half way through. Our head of department is the class teacher and tried to rescue it, which only made it worse.

As I was licking my wounds, two girls from the re-take class came in and THANKED me for all the help I had given them. they said that they had been more relaxed and answered more questions than they would have done without my help. Now that's what I'm talking about.

Day 172 - Triumph and Disaster

Monday October 5th

Ready for the fray today and had a formal observation from DVS. Now, the lesson was not great, in fact it was average and we didn't get through nearly as much as I planned. However, the important thing is that I didn't get upset by it. I just accepted it could have been better and moved on to the next one. The next one went really well so what's the moral here? I'm going to have good lessons and bad lesson, good days and bad days, but as long as I don't get too disconsolate or too giddy, I should be able to pace myself through the year without too much stress or shooting myself in the foot.

I think I've quoted this from Rudyard Kipling before, but:

If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;