"Teacher, I Can't Stand That Sound"—A Small Incident About Noses in a Quiet Classroom

Introduction: The Frozen Classroom Atmosphere

It happened in a beginner's class on a spring afternoon with warm sunlight streaming through the windows.

At the time, I was suffering from severe hay fever. During class, my runny nose wouldn't stop, but due to the Japanese virtue (or unconscious habit) that "blowing your nose loudly in public is rude," I stood at the podium sniffling quietly every few minutes with a "sniff sniff" sound.

In my mind, this was "consideration" to avoid interrupting the lesson. However, the classroom atmosphere grew heavier by the minute.

When I glanced forward, the students from Western countries who usually took notes enthusiastically had stopped their pens with expressions full of distress. One made a gesture as if covering their ears, while another grimaced and stared at me intently.

At that moment, I realized: what I thought was "consideration" had become "unbearable noise echoing through the quiet classroom" for them.

In this article, through this "small incident about noses" that I experienced, I'd like to explore the blind spots in non-verbal communication that Japanese language teachers tend to overlook, and what true mutual understanding with learners means.

---

The Collision Between "Unseemly" and "Unbearable"

Why did my "sniffling sound" corner them so much? There lay a deep cultural divide that we don't teach in textbooks.

The Misunderstanding Caused by Japanese "Discretion"

We Japanese are often taught from childhood that "blowing your nose in public is bad manners (unseemly)," right? Especially in quiet places, we extremely dislike making loud sounds.

[Example 1: Japanese Thought Process]
"If I blow my nose now, it will make a loud sound and attract everyone's attention.
I'll endure it a bit and just sniffle quietly. That's proper manners."

However, this Japanese "discretion" is received with the opposite meaning by many from other cultures, especially English-speaking students.

The Destructive Power of "Sniffing" for Learners

This act of sniffling, called "sniffing" in English, is recognized as an "unpleasant sound" that goes beyond mere bad manners and is accompanied by physiological disgust.

[Example 2: Western Students' Thought Process]
"Why doesn't the teacher blow their nose?
Continuing to sniffle like that is unsanitary and unbearable.
I can't concentrate on the lesson content at all..."

Here's a table summarizing the difference in sensibilities between Japan and the West.

Perspective	Japanese Sensibility	English-speaking Students' Sensibility
Sniffling Sound	"Temporary endurance" and within acceptable range.	"Continuous suffering" and extremely unpleasant.
Nose-blowing Act	"Embarrassing" in public.	"Hygienic treatment to remove discomfort."
Direction of Consideration	Erasing one's presence (not making sounds).	Not making others uncomfortable (removing the cause).

Specific Episode: The Quietly Offered Pocket Tissue

After class ended, one student approached me. With a slightly sad but determined expression, they took out a pocket tissue from their bag and offered it to me.

[Example 3: Post-class Conversation]
Student: "Teacher, please use this. It's okay to blow your nose... or rather, please blow it."
Me: "Oh, thank you (Ah, so it really was unpleasant...)"
Student: "Listening to you sniffle continuously was as painful for us as hearing nails scratching on a blackboard."

I was shocked by this expression "nails scratching on a blackboard." My "consideration" had been close to "torture" for them.

---

Reconsidering the Teacher's "Body"

Since this incident, I became more conscious of the messages sent by my "body" as a teacher. Our casual behaviors are not just habits, but are imprinted on students as "Japanese norms."

The Danger of "Unconscious Teaching" That Promotes Counter-transference

If I continued to sniffle in the classroom and showed it as "manners," what would happen to the students?

They would learn that "it's okay to sniffle in Japan" and adopt that habit. Then in the future, when attending an important meeting in their own country, they might unconsciously sniffle and be evaluated as "an uncultured person." This is the danger of "counter-transference."

[Example 4: NG Pattern (Risk of Counter-transference)]
A learner who acquired the "sniffling habit" in Japan, at a job interview with a foreign company after returning home:
"(Sniff...) My strength is (sniff...)"
→ Interviewer: "This person is unsanitary and lacks self-management."

Our bodies as teachers are themselves "living teaching materials." That's why we need to control our actions from a multicultural perspective, rather than imposing our own country's culture.

"One Word" and "One Box" That Change Classroom Rules

After this experience, I decided to change the classroom environment slightly.

Example 5: Tissue Box Placement and Declaration I started placing a large tissue box in a prominent place on the teacher's desk. And I decided to convey this at the first class of each new semester.

[Teacher's Action]
"Everyone, if your nose runs during class, you don't need to endure it.
Please feel free to use these tissues.
In Japan, some people feel it's a bit embarrassing to make loud sounds,
but blowing your nose properly once is more considerate to me and your classmates
than continuously sniffling."

By explicitly stating the rule that "it's OK to blow your nose," I was able to remove students' discomfort while teaching the balance with Japanese "discretion."

---

Practical Advice: To Bridge the Distance with Learners

Here are points for "non-verbal dialogue" that teachers can practice starting tomorrow.

1. Objectively Assess Your Own "Sounds"

• Sniffling sounds, pen clicking sounds, desk tapping sounds.
• Observe whether these might be causing "suffering" for students from certain cultural backgrounds.

2. Explore the Reasons Behind Students' "Expressions"

• If a student suddenly stops writing or grimaces, it might not just be because the content is difficult.
• Use it as an opportunity to reflect on whether non-verbal discomfort (micro-aggression) is occurring.

3. Openly Discuss Cross-cultural "Discomfort"

• Asking "This is how it is in Japan, but how is it in your country?" is the first step in building an equal relationship between teacher and student.

[Example 6: OK Pattern (Dialogue of Mutual Understanding)]
Teacher: "Yesterday, I sniffled on the train. But if you, ○○-san from Germany, heard that, you'd feel uncomfortable, right?"
Student: "Yes, honestly it's a bit difficult (laughs)"
Teacher: "I thought so. Cultural differences are interesting, aren't they? Let's both be mindful."

---

Conclusion: "Physical Dialogue" Beyond Words

"Sniffling"—such an everyday, small sound that doesn't appear in textbooks. Yet hidden within it were deep sociopragmatic norms and cultural conflicts.

Cross-cultural understanding isn't just about learning grand history or philosophy. Why did the student in front of me stop writing? Why did they offer me a pocket tissue? The process of unraveling the true nature of such small "discomforts" through one's own body is, I believe, what true Japanese language education is about.

Teachers also learn from learners. The eyes of those students who stared at me in that frozen atmosphere were benefactors who taught me the importance of "physical dialogue."

What You Can Do Starting Today

• Place a Tissue Box in the Classroom: Visualize physical "permission."
• Practice "Excuse Me": Actually practice with students the smart phrase to use when blowing your nose or leaving your seat.
• Notice Your Own Habits: Use students' gazes as a "mirror" to reconfirm your own physical actions.

As professionals who teach language, I want to be a teacher who can also empathize with the "physical discomfort" beyond words. With this thought in my heart, I stand at the podium today (with tissues at the ready).