“Let’s go to the Lume exhibit in Indy,” my wife offered. She knew I’d been feeling stir crazy. I was feeling the weight of two years of changes. I felt like we needed to do something. I was thrilled!
Indianapolis is a couple hours away from where we live. I was driving there. My normal commute is 7 minutes by car. An hour in, I was feeling anxious. My body and brain were second-guessing the whole thing. We made it; it was awesome; and I was also relieved to get home. My wife drove home.
Building stamina takes time.
It’s no different with my students. At their young ages, even a long weekend can cause stamina – amnesia. Their brains and bodies forget their ability to read or write in a focused way for 20+ minutes. And in the midst of all the changes, as we enter the fourth quarter, some students are only now showing true stamina for the full school day. Stamina work takes time.
Wednesday I’m heading to a conference. A real, in-person, conference! I registered in February of 2020. I’m wondering where I will feel my lack of stamina the most. Will it be the length of the presentations, the number of presentations, or simply the whole “here-is-a-big-group-of-people all together” aspect that challenges my comfort?
Just like I do with my students, I think I’ll need to practice, take a break, and reflect.
How is your stamina these days? Any tips for a conference attendee?
Tim's Teaching Thoughts 
Your post really made me think, especially because I am about to attend my first in-person conference since 2019 next week. I hadn’t thought about stamina and I’ve gotten so used to Zoom conferences and workshops where I can turn off my camera, get up and get a snack, or just listen. I hope that you’ll share your conference experiences!
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