End of the Japanese School Year

There's a strange thing going on at school -  About a month ago the students took their final exams.  Yep, a month ago.  Since then, classes have been carrying on as normal.  With a week left of school, the teachers have already turned in the grades...Yes, a week left of school and grades have been done.  Actually, they've been done since the students took their finals back in February. But it takes time to hand write two copies of all the students grades...yes, in the city I work in the teachers have to hand write two copies of the grades (ALL the grades).  The strangest part is, the kids know it and yet for some reason, as soon as finals are over, all those kids that were sleeping and refusing to work, have suddenly started to study.  WHAT!?!  It makes no sense.  Granted, they're not doing EVERYTHING, but one student who has literally done NOTHING all year, has started doing at least 1/2 of the work.  Another girl, who read a book everyday in class, has started taking notes and doing the workbooks.  And I ask WHY!?!  If only my Japanese was good enough, I'd ask them myself.

Of course, there is one thing that isn't too unlike American schools at the end of the year...student behavior has gotten nuttier.  A couple of weeks ago, 4 out of 8 of the 1st year's classroom doors had to have the glass replaced because students had knocked it out (most likely rough housing or throwing something inside). This might not apply everywhere, but at my school there is no discernible difference between inside behavior and outside behavior.  You'd definitely never hear, "take it outside!"  Here are some pics from around the school - just 1 week left!

Before class - After the bell -  Unlike America, the bell doesn't signal the start of class.  Kids don't pay ANY attention until the gore says, "stand up."

Homeroom teacher vs. student.  After the homeroom teacher won, the kids tried to convince me to arm wrestle the teacher...um I'm no fool!  I did arm wrestle the other kids, but they're 7th graders, my odds were great :)





During cleaning time - trying to sneak out of cleaning duties - hiding outside, climbing out the windows, arguing to decide who has to clean the sink (water's freezing), and just plain wrestling.

Getting into trouble - Students have started stealing shoes out of a kid's shoe locker (the only form of bullying the teacher's actually punish) - but who would have known there'd be any consequences from the way they were acting.

My conversation with a teacher -
Me - So what are all the kids doing? Are there club activities today?
Teacher - No, it's bullying.
Me - Bullying? What kind of bullying.
Teacher - Shoe bullying.
Me - You mean stealing?
Teacher - No, bullying.
Me - Bullying by stealing someone's shoes?
Teacher - yes.
Me - Oh.

Students getting yelled at for 30 minutes.

Underclassmen trying to listen in on the conversation.




I guess no matter where you go, kids are kids.