Back to work, for now...

Well, I got well-rested in Virginia, then proceeded to quickly fall back off the horse with long hours in DC (fun) and then some late nights back in Philly (less so). Still, I'm a bit recharged and ready to plow into the last days of the fall semester.*

Some notes on the fall's penultimate week (i.e., this one):

1. Today was my "Descriptive Review" meeting, where my Penn Mentor and my Classroom Mentor (who? I mentioned the distinction briefly back in September) sat down with me for a fairly comprehensive discussion of my teaching practice so far. [Note: the following is my present understanding, which might be slightly incomplete or askew] This originates with PA's teacher certification requirements, where my formal observer (in TEP, the Penn Mentor) must submit a "Statewide Evaluation Form for Student Professional Knowledge & Practice." The form requires a review of my teaching in a few categories (planning & evaluation, classroom community, knowledge of students/content/pedagogy, professionalism). As part of the TEP program, that review becomes a bit more of an inclusive process. The two required observations that go into the review are tied to our Term III lessons. Prior to submitting the form, my Penn Mentor convenes a meeting with me and my Classroom Mentor to openly share all of our thoughts on these topics (strengths, vulnerabilities, & recommendations). In theory (and as I experienced it), the meeting is a great opportunity for thorough debrief & reflection on the fall's fieldwork (as well as helping provide the Penn Mentor with other thoughts and perspectives before finalizing her evaluation). 
2. District schools have report card conferences, which makes for some weird half-days (today we had students from 8:30-9:30, a prep period until 10:15, and early lunch from 10:30-11:00, then dismissal at 12:00). Especially frustrating coming just off a Thanksgiving holiday. Still, it's great to get the opportunity to sit in on those conferences - seeing a more formal side of teacher-parent interactions than I'd previously been part of, as well as meeting some parents & grandparents I hadn't yet met.
3. On a non-academic note - I ended up with an absolute treasure-hoard of holiday leftovers, so I'm feeling pleasantly stuffed around the clock. I've unloaded pie at an impressive rate, bringing an entire pie to class, setting out an open invitation for free pie and studying, and encouraging housemates and friends to take their fill - yet somehow the leftovers persist. Want any pie?
4. Finished that cryptic project I teased last week - now just waiting for a delivery, and then maybe I'll spill the beans.
5. Getting ready for that TEP event on Saturday - will I see you there?

*Yeah I'm aware that this whole paragraph mixes metaphors pretty clumsily, but hey, wouldn't it be weirder if I made the effort to focus the entire paragraph on just one metaphor? Then you'd say, "Hey Jesse, what's with all the metaphors about plows?" The only way to win is not to play, and that's just boring. Okay, I'm done.