for my teacher friends

Blog-tember Day 19: If you could give one piece of advice to a large group of people, what would it be?

My class from Colegio Binmea in Chihuahua; we spent two years together. :)

It is hard for me to believe, but I am in the midst of my fifth year of teaching. I definitely don't feel old enough for this, and most days, I still feel like I am figuring things out along the way. Yes, I've learned a lot and know what not to do and what to do in many situations. But there are so many situations where I am still at a loss as to how to respond. How do I help my kids know who Jesus is while teaching them math, reading, science, and social studies? How do I encourage them to be the best version of themselves they can be when I often feel like a hot mess myself?

There's no job quite like teaching. You are a counselor, nurse, caretaker, and educator. Simultaneously. It is demanding and exhausting to say the least. But it is oh so worth it. To see the light bulb go off and to watch them progress through the year, knowing that they are growing and changing so rapidly into the people they'll become for the rest of their lives...it's amazing.

If I could give one piece of advice to my teacher friends who are just starting out, I would say this: never stop being the student. It sounds cliche, but as soon as you think you know it all, you are sure to find out (the hard way) that you don't. There is always another way to do something. There is always someone who knows something you do not. One thing I've learned in my five years is that I am constantly learning-how to respond to my kids, how to plan effectively for them, how to assess, how to love. And when we have humble hearts that are willing to learn from them so that we can enable them to learn, we are in a good place, and they are set up to succeed.