16

最近我每天都在和時間賽跑，努力利用人力資源克服我在電腦軟體方面的弱點，並且學習抓大放小，終於把書完成了。這是一本關於十六歲的短篇故事集，包含了十五個學生和我寫的作品，除了文字外，還有插畫，做書的過程中我一直和孩子們說：我的同學去波隆納參加插畫展，我在這裡要出版像樣的東西。我不斷重複：你可以更好。難怪今天終於有人說我是個難搞的老師。

Lately I've been racing against time, making effort to overcome my weakness in using computer software by putting talented people to good use and learning not to obsess about certain details. Finally, here is our first book, hot off the press printers. 

This is a collection of short stories revolving around the theme of the age 16, including the works of 15 students and mine. Everyone had to write and illustrate their story. In the process I repeated to the girls: My ex-classmates are in Bologna participating in the illustration fair. I don't want to publish terrible stuff here. Knowing they could meet my expectation, I had never stopped saying: You can do much better. No wonder today they finally admitted that I am a tough woman. 

去年在坎貝爾做團體作業時真是惡夢一場，設計這本書時我們大家集思廣益，決定主題概念後女孩們紛紛熱心地幫忙，很難想像團隊作業可以如此順遂美好，對於孩子們我的很感謝。

My group project in Camberwell last year was nothing but a nightmare. However, when designing this book, we brainstormed together. After deciding on the main concept, the girls helped each other with enthusiasm. It was hard to imagine that teamwork can be so smooth and beautiful. I am very thankful to my kids. 

雖然每個故事只有一千多字，我們在下筆之前就不斷討論，因為我大力推薦，所以大部份的學生寫的是親身經驗，然後每週有每週進度的討論，最後還有無數次校對，經過這四個月，好多人的生命都改變了，有些同學因為這件事面對過去的傷痛，也產生了自信心，而我對她們也更瞭解。而我應該是改變最大的人吧，我一直不屬於任何團體，這是第一次我和一群人同時有相同的目標，我不在乎自己給了多少，因為我也是其中一部份。

Though each story is no longer than 1500 words, we had discussions on the themes before we got down to work. That explains why most students wrote about their personal experiences (since I highly recommended it). There were also weekly talks before the girls finished the whole stories. Also, Sophy and I proofread the final version for numerous times. 

After these four months, many students' life had changed. Some of them chose to face their past wounds and through writing, they found remedy. Also, this project boosted their self-confidence. I got to know more about each of them. However, I should be the one that underwent the most change. I had never belonged to any group, but this was the first time I felt connected to some people because of a common goal. I didn't mind how much I'd given because after all I was part of the project. 

中間還有好多好多小故事，雖然我現在一時想不起來。下週等孩子們把作品放上部落格後，大家就可以好好品味十六歲的美麗。

Though I can't remember them all, there are so many stories during the process. Next week when the girls upload all the works to their blog, you are more than welcome to savor the beauty of 16....