So Close I Can Taste It!

It's my favorite time of the semester. The time when you walk into the computer lab and slightly frown when you realize that all the computers are taken, but realize and empathize with the fact that everyone is simply finishing their finals. The time when everyone is sitting together going over their notes and studying for finals, or the Praxis. The time when you realize that you maybe should have started working on this reflective group presentation a little earlier than you did, but aren't really worried because you always produce top-quality work and luckily you were able to select your groupmates for this project so you have faith in them...ok, maybe that last one just applies to me, but that fact of the matter remains that it's like the last week and some change of school and I am excited!
Even though I started a few of my projects a little later than I would have liked to, I started them earlier enough and I am pretty much done now. For example, I made sure I selected to give my presentation in my psych class last week, so I wouldn't have to worry about it this week. And me and my student teaching dialogue paper have been working on our reflective paper all semester long (sort of), so now it's just a matter of pulling the stuff together. It's pays to plan ahead, because during this hectic time of year I can just sit back, relax, and find a friend in the computer lab who will print my already-completed work off my jump drive for me!
I am still teaching, though. I grew slightly attached to my 6th grade boys, and although I should have left them about 2 weeks ago, I haven't mustered up the nerve to leave them yet. I actually enjoy teaching this groups of children and enjoy the school environment. I was just talking to my boyfriend last night about how, should I teach once I am finish this program, Lea (the school where I student teach) is a good site for me. I am familiar with the environment, the administrative team is very supportive of the staff (even under NCLB pressures), my cooperating teacher loves me, and my professor at Penn is Lea's Penn partnership liaison (Penn is partners with a few area schools, and they do like professional development and provide various resources, such as student teachers!, to support these schools) and she thinks that I would make a good fit at the school. With my professor's nod of approval and my cooperating teacher's accolades, I'm sure I could work there. And that is what I really like about being here at Penn. I've networked and made connections sheerly by doing what I am supposed to do as a student. I didn't go out of my way to forge these connections; they were kind of naturally opened up to me because I did my duty as student. How hot is that!
Speaking of hot, it's getting warmer outside! Ugh! I think anything above 75 degrees is torture...I think it's 76 today! And to think that in just 2 short weeks, I am taking a vacay in Vegas and then going to Cali for job training....how am I going to make it? And Philly summers can be brutal (now, take that with a grain of salt. Remember, I think 76 is too hot...) If you enjoy hot city sun, a Philly summer may be the thing for you. Atlantic City and beaches aren't too far away, but still...let's just hope that my office has air conditioning...