New year, new rules, new teacher.

It's humbling and amazing to think that three years ago, I was just starting to adapt to this country that I now consider home. The language, people, expectations, food and way of life was brand new and I soaked it up like a culturally depraved sponge. Mexico has been my window to the rest of the world, even if it's a window that's just one country below my own. Even so, it has become to feel familiar. The things that once felt like blazing a new trail have become second nature. The areas where I was once holding on to God's promises like a vice grip were now not so threatening. Little did I know, God was preparing new challenges in my new country.

For those of you that don't know, this year I have taken a new job at Lincoln. I'm currently the Mentor Teacher, helping teachers who are not only new to Mexico, but new to the profession of teaching. After teaching fifth grade for five years, this sixth year of teaching it only felt fitting to move on to sixth grade! God gave me the opportunity to move up to 6th grade with my class from last year and teach Science (a subject I am fascinated by and thrilled to teach again after two years). As I prepared my syllabus for this year (something I never thought I would have to do), I was concerned that my students would feel ultra comfortable with me as their teacher again. I had nightmares of stampedes in my classroom or students laughing when I tried to discipline them. So, I created the tag line 'New year, new rules, new teacher'. As I introduced my rules on the first day, I reminded my now taller and stronger students that I was indeed a new teacher. I had never taught 6th grade before, and they had never met the 'new me'! I then proceeded to shake their hands and introduce myself, which brought giggles but also squinting eyes, trying to see if I had altered physically in any way and was actually a new person. Although I had fears that teaching in Middle School would be intimidating, impossible, and that failure would be inevitable, teaching has proved to be the bright spot in my day.

The most stretching new part of my life recently has been my new role as Mentor Teacher. I have loved the chance to come along side new teachers, give them suggestions, direction and guidance as they set up their classrooms, plan their first weeks of school, observe their classes and mold them as teachers. It has been fantastic, fulfilling, but DRAINING! There were days during the Orientation Week that I would wake up and feel tired to the marrow in my bones. I felt as if I were always on, needing to answer questions, be a support, be upbeat. For me as a naturally introverted person, it was a struggle at times to keep the up the attitude of graciousness. Once again, God was trying to teach me that it is HE that gives me strength, and not myself. I had become very comfortable teaching fifth grade, loving my students and being loved back. I gave very little effort and had boundless results, with both parents and students supporting me. Now? All of that has been taken away. I'm at the mercy of people who are struggling themselves to feel supported. I try my hardest to work with administration and fellow teachers to make things easier for these new recruits, and I never feel as if my job is finished. This has proved to be the hardest job that I have ever undertaken, and it has put my trust in God to the test.

New year? Totally.

New rules? Obviously.

New teacher? Nope. The Master Teacher has always been right beside me. It's just time that I started talking to Him again.