What a journey! / 好一趟旅行！

這周末做完週六的植標館兒少之旅之後，我們要休息兩個月，好好規劃明年的課程內容，雖然放手是我的人生課題，現在想起來很感謝做了這樣明智的決定。於是絲瓜為我們的2015年畫下了美麗的句點。

     This weekend we have our last workshop in the herbarium. Then, we will take a two-month long break to plan for next year's activities. In the beginning, I made some effort to accept the decision, but now when looking back, I really appreciate Guei-mei's wisdom in coming up with the suggestion. Thus, the luffa lesson draws a lovely period to 2015 for us.

        從大家擠在一起看我的小白蘋果螢幕，現在有博物館的劇院享受。

     It's hard to imagine that weeks ago kids were still crowding around the desk to watch a video clip on my tiny Apple screen. Now we have the luxury of a museum theater. 

Kay Lin 攝 / photo taken by Kay Lin

        我們用味覺感受植物的力量和國際化的下午茶：來自英國的唐寧茶─蘋果肉桂葡萄乾紅茶和印尼的佐迷迭香大蒜薯片。

     We feel the power of plants with our tastebuds. 

     Menu for our afternoon tea: Apple cinnamon raison black tea of Twinings and an array of chips seasoned with rosemary garlic. 

Kay Lin 攝 / photo taken by Kay Lin

        今天來的孩子不多，不過我們的VIP館友柏輝回來了，還說：「媽媽說你們要休息兩個月，所以我們趕著來。」他很興奮地和其他孩子分享：「這裡有吃又有玩！」

     Today we have less than ten kids. Among them is our VIP student Bo-huei. He tells me in excitement, "Mom said you will be taking a break for two months, so we feel we have to come." He also shares with the other kids his previous experiences, "Here, you can eat and play!" 

        貴美阿姨上菜：絲瓜蛤蠣湯！

     Guei-mei's cuisine: Oyster soup with luffa. 

Kay Lin 攝 / photo taken by Kay Lin

        我的私人貴客宥宥也來拜訪我！

     My personal VIP guest Yoyo comes as well! 

Kay Lin 攝 / photo taken by Kay Lin

        孩子在庭園裡奔跑很開心，還一窺因覺蕨展開放的溫室。

     The children have much fun running around in the gardens. Of course they do not miss the rarely-open greenhouse. 

Kay Lin 攝 / photo taken by Kay Lin

        這陣子一直在收上帝送我的年末禮物，而柏輝也帶來了一個很大的禮物，九月的時候企圖念我寫的故事給孩子們聽，當時因為帶錯了檔案，只念了開頭的一句，結果這個細心的男孩昨天問我：「上次你寫的故事呢？」我心裡瞬間流過一波暖流，還好我有認真改寫，我回答：「完全不一樣了！」也送出去比賽了！雖然離我的夢想還有一段距離，可是我知道這個巨大的城市的某個角落，有人認真地看待我的夢想。

    This week I have been receiving God's gifts for me as a reward of my hard work and good will throughout the whole year. Bo-huei brings an enormous one with him. I attempted to read a story I had written to the children back in September, but I had the wrong file with me. I wound up reading only the first sentence to them. However, this really thoughtful boy asks me three months later, "What about the story you wrote?" Upon hearing the question, I felt someone putting a warm palm upon my heart. Luckily, I  did rewrite it with full might. I answered, "Oh, it's totally different!" And more importantly, I sent it to the contest a few weeks ago. Though I have not reached my goal of having my story published, I know that in some corners in this vast city, some people take my dream as seriously as me. 

        今年因為植標館，不只長知識，也面對了沒有信心教自然科的恐懼，更遇到了很多好棒的孩子和大人，給我各方面的幫助，這真是很棒的一趟旅行！

     This year I have not only gained much knowledge but also the confidence to teach science from the herbarium workshops. Moreover, I've encountered many adults and children who benefit me in every way. I have to say that this is the best journey of the year. 

        雖然有爸爸媽媽已經急著為孩子報名明年的活動，我們要請大家有耐心地等一等，我們明年春天再見！到時候不只有新課程，我也多了神秘的新伙伴！

     Some parents are eager to sign up for their kids for the coming events, but we have to ask everyone to wait with patience. We will reopen in spring, and by then, we will surprise you with new topics as well as my new mysterious teaching partner! 

Fern forests / 蕨類森林

今天我們的挑戰是畫巨大的蕨類森林。看小朋友的畫姿真是視覺上的享受。

Today our challenge is to draw a gigantic fern forest. It's a feast for the eyes to see the kids draw. 

        我一直很著迷於訪客在博物館裡的姿態，孩子們帶來好多可能性。

     I have been fascinated with how visitors make use of the space in a museum. The children have always surprised me with new possibilities. 

        還帶來了一隻恐龍！ 

     Haha, they even bring a dinosaur with them! 

Fern and papaya / 蕨和木瓜

我在植標館放了一些圖書，讓早來的小朋友們可以自行閱讀，有些孩子真真切切地接受了我的心意。

I prepared a bookshelf in the herbarium so that the kids that come early can do some reading on their own. Some of them do get my message. 

        湘芸還折起紙，是第一個這麼做的孩子！

     Yun is the first kid to try origami! 

        看完蕨類展之後，孩子們迫不及待地回展示室畫圖。

     After the guided tour of ferns, the children can't wait to go back to the exhibit room to draw. 

        今天來的小朋友都很有藝術氣息，給我們很大的視覺饗宴。

     The children today are all very artistic. I feel like being in an art museum. 

        畫完圖之後去庭園找木瓜樹！

     Then we go look for the papaya trees in the gardens! 

        木瓜的鄰居是耀眼的楊桃，我無法不注意到它的光芒。

     The papaya tree's neighbor--the star fruits, are so dazzling that I can't but notice them. 

        我好喜歡這個小女孩看影片的姿態！

     I love how the girl concentrates on the clip. 

        我配合今天主題木瓜做的百香果涼拌青木瓜絲。

     I made shredded green papaya seasoned with passion fruit for the afternoon tea. 

        觀察和品嚐青木瓜和熟木瓜。

     We observe a green papaya and taste a ripe papaya.

        左邊的小木瓜是庭園裡的木瓜樹掉下來的。

     The small green papaya on the left is from one papaya tree in the garden. 

        貴美阿姨的木瓜教室開講！

     Time for Auntie Guei-mei's papaya lesson! 

School away from school / 學校以外的學校

暑假就要結束了，回想一下這兩個月做了什麼，除了工作、畫圖外，有一些時間泡在植物標本館。做了四個月的周六午後兒童工作坊，雖然要花時間念書準備，但我慢慢上手了，也很享受和孩子們度過的兩個小時，每週六出了植標館的心情，多是一片清新美好。

My summer break is about to end. When I think back on the past two months, I realized that apart from work and drawing, I also spent some time on the preparation of activities in the herbarium. We've been offering workshops every Saturday afternoon for four months. Though I have to make effort and study hard, I am gradually getting used to the pattern. Most of the time I really enjoy the two hours spent with the children. In fact, I usually leave the herbarium feeling positive and fresh. 

        如果要說為什麼喜歡，我在執行和學校完全相反的理念，與其傳授大量知識，我讓孩子在館裡自己探索，想要問問題再來問，我回答不出來的問題，有其他專家幫忙回答，而那便成為我那天學到的新東西。今天因為下雨天只來了三個孩子，我們完全不在意，即使只有一個人，開開心心的，我們也會提供和十個人一樣的服務，甚至更周到。今天的其中一位男孩知識淵博，還教了我們好多事情，我給了他很多機會介紹他認識的動植物，貴美還和他分享之前覺得對小朋友有點難度的章節。

     If asked why I like the job, I'd say here I am offered an opportunity to do everything contrary to what is being done at work. Instead of cramming kids with knowledge, I make them explore the museum in their own ways. They can come to me or the staff if they feel like asking questions. If they do and ask a question that I can't answer, I won't feel flustered because I can learn something new with the help of the staff. 

     Today there came only three kids due to the rain. Different from my response at school, we are totally ok with that. In fact, even if there is only one child, we still provide the same service, well, even better. We had a knowledgeable boy who taught us tons of stuff today. I made him introduce and share what he knew with us. Guei-mei even explained to him what she had thought was too difficult before today. 

        這個月做了好幾次穗花棋盤腳的介紹，也親眼看了很多次，可是今天因為小男孩又注意到新細節，因此認識到新昆蟲。

     Although I'd introduced and checked out small-leaved Barringtonia in the garden several times this month, today the boy noticed transparent sticky liquid attached to the surface of the fruit. Because of that, we got to learn a new kind of insect. 

        今天我也放鬆了，我們學了桃子蘋果的知識之後，慢慢地感受這兩種水果的氣味，讀了很棒的水果詩，從自然的主題又提到了文字創作，再說到家裡的生活，再讓孩子吃水果，我忘了平常要一直管控時間的習慣，真好。

     I relaxed without my awareness this afternoon. We learned the structure of the peach and the apple. Then we made the kids smell and touch the fruits. We even read really great poems about them. We talked about not only science but also writing techniques. In the end, I asked them who peels fruits at home before they ate the fruits. It was such a luxury not to care about time, which is the instinct of a teacher. How nice it is to be un-teacher-like in an un-school-like place. 

        最後都是畫圖的行程，但是今天的孩子不想畫圖，我很豁達地說：「那就不要畫啦！」大家收收書包，但是男孩已經等不及再回來，請媽媽趕快報名下個月的活動了。

     Our activity usually ends with an art assignment. However, the kids today didn't feel like drawing, so I just said, "Then let's NOT draw!" They packed their bags in a good mood while the boy couldn't wait to sign up for our workshop next month. 

        之前讀到芬蘭的教室介紹，我很幸運每週我可以執行這樣的理想，而也許慢慢地，我會相信體制裡的學校也有這樣的可能。

     I read about the introduction to a Finnish classroom. I am glad to have a chance to carry out my ideal on a weekly basis. Maybe, maybe one day, however faint it is, there is still the possibility of taking a similar try inside a traditional school.

Saturday afternoons / 週六午後

每週六午後得泡在植標館，與其自己一個人，不如找大家來同歡。我們把假日兒童博物館變成長期的計畫，所以小朋友和爸爸媽媽可以電洽(02)3366-2463，看哪個週六下午方便，來和我們一同玩耍。

I spend my Saturday afternoons working as a volunteer in the TAI herbarium. Unlike the past, I am no longer alone now. We have turned the weekend children's museum project into a long-term activity, which means that there are fun games every Saturday. The project is open to the public, so for those who are interested, you can call (02)3366-2463. 

        第一週來了一群好可愛的小學三年級生，我請孩子們先畫工藤祐舜教授的肖像，令人驚奇的是，他們都好喜歡畫畫。

     On the first Saturday came a group of third-graders. I made them draw the portrait of Dr. Kudo, the first   curator of the herbarium. To my surprise, they are all into drawing. 

        整理照片的同時不禁想到之前在坎貝爾上的畫肖像課。因為是週六，也不是在學校，我不想給孩子時間的壓力，他們也慢慢來，很投入地畫圖。

     While I am sorting the photos, I recall the portrait lessons in Camberwell. Since it was a Saturday and neither were we in school, I didn't feel like pressure the kids by constantly reminding them of the passing of time. They really took their time and seemed so involved. 

        這些孩子們很有自己的繪畫風格呢！

     Each of these kids has their own artistic style!

        畫完之後，我讓大家把圖畫隨意剪成塊狀，再做不規則組合。這應該是立體畫派的練習。

     After they were done with drawing, I asked them to cut the portraits into pieces and piece them together again randomly. This should be the introductory lesson to Cubism. 

        雖然男孩們過程中不免打打鬧鬧，不過他們真的好可愛！後排的胖男孩很不想離開，每次看到某些孩子們依依不捨，就是一種很窩心的鼓勵！

     The boys couldn't help making fun of each other along the way, but they are an adorable bunch. The chubby boy in the back didn't feel like leaving at all. It always warms my heart whenever I encounter kids that enjoy the short stay in the herbarium. 

        孩子們走了之後，大人自己來玩！今天由心慧教我們做鳥紙偶。

     After the kids left, it was time for the adults to have fun. Today Xin-huei told us to make puppet birds. 

        我的老鷹。

     My eagle. 

        天空因此變得好繽紛！

     The sky would become so colorful because of the birds! 

        上週六參加了一天的工作坊，早上先上蓪草和台灣一葉蘭的課程，下午用蓪草紙做台灣一葉蘭（只有花瓣是用蓪草做的），非常盡興的一天呢！

     Last Saturday we attended a one-day workshop. In the morning we learned about the rice paper plant and Taiwan Pleione. In the afternoon we made Taiwan Pleione with pith paper (only the petals). Though it was quite chaotic, it was a fantastic day!