If I don't do it, / 不做會怎樣？

六月的植標館週六午後，我們來上豆科植物。傾盆大雨的下午，意外地來了許多孩子和媽媽，兩年前還是個孩子的柏輝這陣子都小學畢業了，這次來感覺像是要和過去說再見了。

On the rainy Saturday afternoon in June, we have a lesson on leguminous plants. It comes as a surprise that there are more children than expected on such a wet day. Our special guest is the 12-year-old Po-huei. When he came two years ago, he was still a child, and now he has graduated from elementary school. I feel he's coming this time to say goodbye not only to us but also to his childhood. 

        平常見沒什麼稀奇的阿勃勒黃花，在拆解之後原來有許多奧秘，今年來的這批孩子頗有學習的熱忱。

     The golden shower trees are in bloom now, and though the yellow flowers are commonly seen, the structure of the flowers is actually amazing. It's nice to see the kids learn with such enthusiasm. 

        雄蕊居然有分三種尺寸，雄雌蕊彎曲的線條也是為了傳宗接代設計！

     There are three sizes for the stamens. Even the curving lines of the filaments and the style are the design of nature to help the plant reproduce. 

        想不到男孩把花插到耳邊！ 今天居然還有小朋友想做筆記，我好感動！

     I am amused by how the big boy wears the flower behind his ear. More interestingly, some boys take notes today, which greatly moves me! 

        接著是美麗的鳳凰花，只可惜最近雨下不斷，大美阿姨只能採到幾朵完整的花朵給小朋友們觀察。

      Next we observe the flame flowers. However, because of the continuous torrential rain, Guei-mei finds only three to four intact flowers to show to everybody. 

        雖然這陣子看到阿勃勒和鳳凰花都開了，不這麼近看哪知道花朵果實的奧秘呢？

     I see the golden shower flowers and flame flowers only from far away, but without close observations, I would miss the mysteries of their flowers and fruits. 

        就是看起來普普通通的綠豆黃豆芽也很有趣，黃豆芽還有屁味呢！ 

     Even the ordinary-looking mung bean and soy bean sprouts are a lot of fun. The latter smell like farts! 

        我們也玩分組搶答，其實只是想黃豆製品，大家也都好投入！ 

     We play the brainstorming game: Each group has to think of as many soy bean products as possible. See how devoted everyone is! 

        最後玩沙包，大家不亦樂乎！ 

     We top off the day with the folk beanbag game. The kids enjoy it so much! 

        今年我們把活動頻率減少了，有時候做活動出門的路上也會想，如果不做多好，但每個下午結束的時候，就是會感受到一些溫暖和光亮，促使我繼續，而且在我完全不想界定教育這件事時，週六下午總是向我證明教育可以是有意義的。

     This year we have cut down on the times of the activities. On the Saturdays when there are workshops, I sometimes grumble and wonder how great it would be if there were no such thing on my way to the herbarium. But at the end of these Saturday afternoons, I feel there is always a small flame lit up in my heart, a glow of light that warms me and pushes me to continue. When I don't feel like defining the significance of education, these Saturday afternoons always prove to me that education can be fun and enjoyable. 

        活動結束之前，有個八歲男孩要我看他表演，雖然他一直失敗，我對他說：沒關係，在家練好下次再來！他要離開的時候說：謝謝你鼓勵我！有一天我們也許不再做這個活動，不做也不會少一塊肉，或許有些時候還會慶幸這樣的決定，但我會想念那些可愛純真的孩子和他們的話語。

     Before the end of the day, an eight-year-old boy asks me to watch his specially-prepared show. He keeps failing, so I tell him, "All it takes is practice. I believe you can do much better when you come next time." Before he leaves, he says to me, "Thank you for encouraging me." One day we might not go on with the activity, and it certainly won't kill me. Perhaps I might feel thankful for the decision, but I will certainly, definitely miss those lovely and innocent children and whatever they have said to me. 

Free World / 隨意世界

沒有作業的寒假，好久沒來畫畫的男孩終於有時間畫圖。剛開始他們問：「這樣畫可以嗎？」我回答：「你想怎樣就怎樣！」楷維冒出了一句：「這裡是隨意世界！」其實像我這樣在工作上一直在訂規矩的人，和得遵守規矩的人一樣，也很需要隨意世界！

The winter break without homework gives the boys time to draw again after a long lapse. In the beginning they aren't very sure, "Can I draw in this way?" I can't help brushing off the question by replying, "As long as you like it." Then Kai blurts out, "Here is the Free World!" To be honest, I am required to impose restrictions on others at work, but I don't take delight in it. Like my students, I am also in great need of a free world! 

        哥哥太久沒畫圖了，一下畫了七張，弄得楷維很有危機感，不過思維好像停不下來。

     Von draws one picture after another. By the time I am aware of how far he has gone, he has drawn seven pictures, which makes Kai very jealous. Yet he can't stop. 

        思維是歷史控，看來他找到了發揮自己所愛的方式，這真的比任何寒假作業都有意義啊！

     Von is a history buff, and he really has a blast drawing the famous figures in Chinese history. I admit that teachers tend to have a sense of insecurity when asked not to give any assignment, but seeing what Von do, I am reminded again that less is more, and not doing any assignment can be very significant! 

Learning together / 有伴的學習

在寫今天的明信片時突然想到，如果連成年人學習時都需要友朋，那就更別提小孩或少年了，假如我們每天學的新知可以拿來當做寫信或設計問題給某個對話的對象，本來沒有意義或趣味的東西就會有個人的色彩了。想著想著，這個概念又變成上課可以用的練習。

When I am writing the postcard of the day, it occurs to me that if an adult needs company to make learning interesting, companionship will be even more important for children or teenagers. Suppose what we learn every day can be part of the mail in the form of a story or a question to a friend, we will learn it better because we impose personal significance on the knowledge that originally didn't mean a thing to us. I am definitely going to adopt the concept in my classes. 

        今天的報紙上說，十二年國教是令人最沒有幸福感的事之一，最近聽了太多太多雜音，不如先放下所有官僚性的語言，回到最基本的出發點︰學習本身是件快樂的事，如果沒有找回最原始的喜悅感，其他的目標都是白搭。

   I read from the newspaper that the yet-to-come 12-year obligatory education is one of the new policies that makes Taiwanese least happy. As a teacher, I have to admit that lately I've heard too much said, too much repeated. I think we should discard all the bureaucratic stuff and go back to the starting point: Learning itself is a happy thing. If we don't make children feel the joy of learning, then however much we try to give them, it's totally useless and pointless.

The Warrior and the Ladybug / 武士與小金龜

小亮是個很喜歡畫畫的孩子，但是有點缺乏秩序感，我先看了小亮的作品，非常欣賞他畫的動態人物。

Liang is a very talented little boy, but he seems to lack a sense of order. I took a look at his works. I couldn't stop wowing at his dynamic figures. 

這些戰士根本就是內心在飛翔啊！

To me these warriors are flying even inside! 

但小亮什麼都畫，而且相當潛心研究有興趣的主題。

Liang draws many things. Whenever he's into a subject, he will come up with hundreds of drawings centering around it. 

我不記得見過小亮本人，只是想如果可以用圖像和他對話，而且還是他的藝術語言，應該會很好玩，所以我花了好幾天練習小亮的風格。

I don't remember having seen Liang in person. I was just wondering if I could have a dialog with him through images in his art language, it should be fun. Thus, I spent a few days imitating his style. 

除此之外，我當然也得蒐集參考資料，畫了日本武士，也請小方和阿楷當我的模特兒拍了一系列打鬥的照片，最後也花了些心思決定表達的媒材，因為已經離開坎貝爾了，所以這一路的過程就不拉拉雜雜敘述。

Apart from that, I of course had to collect reference images. I was especially attracted to those of Japanese warriors. Also, I asked Von and Kai to be my models because I needed more exercise in drawing moving figures. In the end it took me some time and efforts to decide on the media. Since I am no longer in Camberwell, I would like to be brief about the whole process. 

我希望小亮看到每張圖都有驚喜的感覺，所以與其用手工書的形式，我把圖放在信封裡。

I hope Liang will be surprised upon seeing every image, so I put each picture in one envelope rather than adopt the form of a handmade book. 

The Warrior and the Ladybug 

written and illustrated by Wei-chuen You 

"I am a warrior! I want to make friends!" 

"Don't run! Be my friends!"

"Why are they silent? I want to be their friend!"

"Who are you?"

"I am the ladybug." 

"What are you doing?"

"I want to be your friend."

"So if you want to make friends, you tickle them?"

"Nope! How did you feel when I was crawling upon you?" 

"Your touch was as soft as the clouds." 

"It seems that you knew what I need."

"Most of all, I knew you really like me." 

"I am sometimes rude and upset people, but you are still willing to be my friend..." 

"Well said! But did you ever think of this when you were trying to make friends?"

"I'd like to apologize to them. Will you go with me?"

很多時候我不知道在小孩的心裡這些圖像究竟有怎樣的地位，但是起碼我因為這件事受惠了⋯

Often I don't have a clue what kind of role these images play in children's mind, but at least I benefit from the whole process...