You know the feeling when something comes to an end, but you really don’t want it to? That’s something I felt really a couple of weeks ago when the semester ended. But even before the semester was over, we – my colleague Emma and I – we had to say goodbye to a couple of students with whom we worked with closely over the last year(s) (see the Orangutan Keeper).

It’s been a while since we had our last session with the BEd students and I meant to write this little post already back then but never managed to get to writing it. Our last session was held on a sunny afternoon, outside the O’Rahilly Building with coffee and some snacks to celebrate the occasion of the last session. It was a bit chilly but no complaints as long as there's a bitta sun. 

While we were enjoying a very relaxed atmosphere and spoke about the past four years and their becoming teachers, a lot of very nice memories were shared; also a couple of not so nice ones given that a big part, and in fact even from their first year of their experience of being a student and becoming a teacher was heavily influenced by the pandemic. 

The more impressive and inspiring it was to see these students (and in fact all the other students who went through this experience!) arrived at the end of their undergraduate journey, showing dedication, commitment, poise, and good humour. We had great fun teaching them all, and had wonderfully reflective discussions which showed so beautifully that it is not only the students who learn but also the teachers; I have learnt so much more in this last year talking about teaching and learning, linguistics, racism, discrimination and so many more topics with these students than I expected; a lot more about myself, my interest and my passion (teaching – surprise!) than I could have ever imagined. This also showed in the fact that Emma and I would often continue with the discussion and reflection after the session with the students and disagree and (sometimes) agree on certain aspects that came up in the conversations with them. 

It is not surprising that it was an end to a module that I would have loved to postpone by another couple of weeks. Who wants to stop learning, am I right? There is something comforting (and also a bit frightening) in knowing that the learning journey for us, teachers, does not stop, and therefore these students will also never stop learning, even after they settle in schools and in their new jobs. 

I could not stop thinking about the module and the academic year coming to an end, and while I was thinking about it, Nelly Furtado's "Why do all good things come to an end" started playing on repeat in my head and instantly became this very difficult to get rid off earworm (you're welcome!). Every year, we have a little reception and prize-giving ceremony in the department, and this year was the first time I could not make it because I was at a conference in Dublin (more about this soon!), so it felt like I did not get the opportunity to properly say goodbye to the final-year students in this year; no real closure, so to say. And no real opportunity to express my gratitude for their work and contributions over the last year. So I will do this here: Go raibh míle maith agaibh!

While I was thinking about this, the repating of Nelly Furtado's song over and over again in my head made me realize that it's a bit of a metaphor for my being as a teacher: I will need to say goodbye and slán to this year's group of final-year students, who taught me a lot over the last year, and will be soon welcoming a new group of final-years in the next academic year - until it's time to say goodbye again.