A Student Breakup

Every time a student quits, it feels like you're going through a break-up.

You're given the "it's not you, it's me" explanation.

But it still hurts.

You're a good teacher - you don't see students as just numbers who fill a schedule.

You invest time, energy, and thought into them.

So when they call it quits, it stings.

After a breakup, you don't instantly hop on the apps and swipe right on the first person you see.*

You have a period of grieving.

• You delete your ex's contact from your phone.

• You look through photos and reminisce about the time spent together.

• You giggle as you take the ugly T-shirt they left at your house to the local charity shop.

With time, it hurts less.

But you'll see things that remind you of them and get that pang of sadness.

Now, I know that losing a student isn't on the same level as losing a relationship.

Even if you instantly contact the prospective student at the top of your waitlist so you can fill the now available space, you can still have a moment of lament.

• You remove their name from your timetable.

• You look through old lesson notes and reminisce about pieces and performances.

• You grin as you finally bin the ugly eraser you only kept because that student loved using it as a game piece.

With time, they become a distant memory.

But you'll be in a shop, and a song will play that they once learned, and you get that pang of sadness.

Some students are easier to let go of than others.

This is your reminder that you're allowed to be sad and miss them.

You're a human with feelings.

And if you miss your students, well, that just means you're a darn good teacher who cares.

*No judgment if this is what you do - sometimes it's needed!