A kind of rest, in the form of early retirement, was imposed on me by the pandemic. After the Australian international borders were closed, I made the difficult choice of not returning to my workplace in Japan. Prolonged separation from family was a choice I was unwilling to pursue. After teaching remotely for two years, I retired in 2022 and have not taught since.

When I reflect on my career what I miss most is teaching my seminar. Of course, I miss teaching most of my classes, even the required larger classes. But the classes I miss most are my seminars. A seminar is a two-year course taking place in the third and fourth years of a four-year degree. Teachers in the faculty offer seminars in their area of expertise. Students can choose which seminar they join, unless the seminar is oversubscribed. In that case, they may take the second or third seminar of their choice. Because the seminar is held over two years, it is a good opportunity for the students and teachers to get to know each other.

Certain students made a choice to enroll in my seminar, and for the most part, were passionate about learning. It was particularly rewarding when students grasped a new concept and applied it. Often, the new idea was not something I had taught them, but something they had discovered for themselves when preparing for a presentation. 

Many of the non-teaching jobs I have witnessed in retirement concern solving problems and difficult situations. Of course, teachers have to do this too, but much of the work also offers the joy of igniting the spark of learning and watching students flourish. This is why retirement from teaching, although necessary, has left me feeling frustrated that I can no longer contribute in the way I used to.

But there is a time and a season for everything. Not teaching has not been a form of rest. Instead I have been caring for four generations of a blended family and an errant border collie.