Pencil Smashers

So of course on my last day in school, my last class before my break had to be 6-1 (A senseis class).

They surprised me today by being relatively behaved and quiet in comparison to other lessons we have had together. Also to my surprise A sensei actually graced us with his presence!!! What a shock for me, he usually sends an assistant teacher to sit at the back and stair into space, in his place. So we made our way through my fun filled lesson. (It is a fun lesson! I have done it with EVER class i have and they all love it) After one of my activities I collected my pencils (I have a bunch of pencils in the classroom for the kids to use, instead of having them bring their own pencil cases to class. It saves a lot of time for everyone and I thought it would be easier for the kids.) After collecting my pencils I looked down and saw that about half the class had smashed the tips of the pencils, very obviously on purpose. I was so pissed! I stopped the lesson and yelled at them for a minute. Still A sensei coward at the back of the class. He felt no need to interfere in any way. They were shocked and embarrassed that I did not just per tend not to notice. They got very quite and serious after that. We moved on and played another game, but the group of kids I know was involved in the pencil smashing (heehee) were noticeably sulking in the corner, not participating. At the end of the lesson I took another minute to tell them that smashing my pencils was very rude. It sucks cause I know they dont understand exactly what I am saying. They know what I am saying, but if they understood me fully, I feel like I could get a lot further with them. What I wanted to do was yell at them and then make them all stand up and in true Japanese disciplinary fashion, make a deep bow to me and apologize in English. Perhaps I will do that next time. Anyway I am so pissed. And I am even more angry because A sensei took absolutely no interest in my lesson or in disciplining his students. And I can do nothing about it. I cant talk to anyone at the school and my company has been of no help to me on this matter. I really want to talk to some of the other teachers about it, but I am afraid they will just go tell A Sensei and then I will look foolish.
You cant ever tell anyone how you feel, which results in all this passive aggressiveness! Obviously I have offended A Sensei, I wish he would just man up and TELL me what I did already so he can move on with his life, and I can have a chance to enjoy teaching his kids who are obviously very bright. BUT NO. he cant tell me how he feels, and so his only option is to disrespect me in front of his kids, leaving me feeling frustrated and confused and to day dream about spitting on his "onigiri" or into his green tea, while no one is looking. ITS So STUPID! I never thought I would value the more open system of communicating we have in the West.

Anyway, in response to my classes and co-workers own passive aggressive childishness, I decided to respond with my own passive aggressive move by displaying the collection of 20 broken pencils on my desk in the teachers lounge. Next year, I will very humbly and respectfully request that H sensei, a 3rd grade teacher in charge of me, buy me more pencils as the 6th graders "keep on braking them, I dont know why, heehee(smiles very shyly)". And adding a little salt in the wound, I realize I have to buy this stuff that they ripe up, with my own money!! anyway, then next year I will request that each child in 6-1 bring their own pencils to class from now on, as they are incapable of respecting my things.

Dont judge me, im angry.

To be fare though, I work with about 40 teachers and I only ever have a problem with this one man. So those are pretty good odds.