Time to say goodbye / 別れの季節

　High school graduation season is almost upon us. I always enjoy the ceremonies and seeing the students walk across the stage to collect their diplomas, and while the day itself can be a little emotional since the students usually stop coming to school at the start of January it doesn’t feel too sudden that they are leaving the school.
　This year I didn’t teach any 12th grade classes so I only really saw students for explicit test practice or speaking practice, or when they came around the Language Centre for a chat. However, I was lucky enough to be invited to join the final CCU lesson with Mr Stifler and his 8 students. Since their last official lesson fell around Christmas he prepared some Christmas themed activities like a listening gap fill and a running dictation. Of course the students are capable of more difficult activities but this lesson in particular was about giving the students room to destress and have some fun before they went had to get back to intense studying and a hectic entrance exam schedule. I know the students in his class well since I have taught them all since junior high school and I really enjoyed having the opportunity to see them run around child-like once more. After the lesson the students stayed around to chat and take pictures. It was a really fun day and I’m sure not will be just one of many good memories to come back to me during the graduation ceremony as I hear each name called out and see each student go up on stage.