Breaking into Tears

I saw 8th graders breaking into tears and sobbing this afternoon. This was the second time I witnessed their tears. Both times they broke into tears while they were being scolded by the teacher. I don't think they cried because they were scared of the teacher but because they realized that they did something "morally wrong." (Yes, at Japanese schools, everything can be turned into a moral lesson.) Perhaps, their guilt was so heartfelt that they couldn't help crying. Usually, it is female students who cry. But, today even one boy was crying. (As I gathered, this homeroom crisis had been continuing since yesterday afternoon.)

Eventually, the crisis was resolved. Whether ethical or not, I recorded details of this episode in my fieldnote. I am such a voyeur.