The Adventures of Banana Teacher 06 - Stick Kid pt. 1

With both graduation and entrance ceremonies behind us, the kindergarten I work at has returned to normal. The new students are adjusting to their new environment and the returning students are adjusting to their new teachers. I usually spend the first few weeks of a new school year teaching procedures and rules and getting the kids used to my classroom. Things were going great... at first. Now, it isn't uncommon for new students to join a few weeks after the new year has started. So when I saw an unfamiliar face peering into my classroom, I knew that I would be getting a new student soon. The school's principal came in and introduced me to said strapping young lad and his father. I said the normal "hajimemashite" and continued on with my class. The kid seemed okay. He looked a bit overwhelmed and didn't understand any English, but this is common and easily resolved. The principal directed the student and father into the office to fill out paperwork. Since  my class was over, I walked down the hallway and noticed that said child was currently hitting his father with a rather large bamboo stick while the father tried filling out the paper work. I tried to engage SK (stick kid) so that his father could fill out the required documents in peace, but my attempts were in vain. While trying to communicate with SK, two of my students passed by. They tried to be friendly by giving their blunt object wielding classmate a grand, "hello"! Uninterested in the other children, SK continued with his life's mission: hitting his father with the stick. My students continued to say, "hello", but SK wouldn't even give them the time of day. Feeling defeated, they began to walk away, but not before So-kun exclaimed loudly in Japanese, "He must be a baby. He is so rude." While most children object to being called  a "baby" by telling the teacher or yelling back, SK reacted in what I can only describe as a fit of pure animal rage. He proceeded to stand up on the chair and jump down, all while waving the stick and shrieking. My students, fearing for their lives, ran away screaming as fast as their little legs could carry them. Luckily the school secretary was able to grab him before he could hit either of the other kids, but this earned her a few jabs in the behind with the stick. I stood there stunned and terrified. I made sure that the principal and secretary knew that I don't allow sticks in my classroom and to make sure that the father understood this. I then walked away shaking my head and questioning my career choice.

My new wine glass...