Friday, April 13, 2007

at school 1 / 學校裡的事 1

「學校生活很苦悶。」這句話道盡了不少學生的心聲,其實對老師而言,這更是說到我們的心坎裡,不過有一些埋頭努力的老師,默默地耕耘,用心營造美好的學習環境。今年春天,貝琳老師幫我準備一個很溫馨的小型畫展,我尤其喜歡她為我設計的海報,藍綠色小屋裡,養著我心愛的玫瑰花,很適合這個詩意的多雨春天,謝謝你貝琳!

"School life is so boring…" This sentence says exactly what's on most students' mind. For teachers, no one would object to that. However, there are some teachers committed to making schools a better learning environment. This spring, our art teacher Bei-ling curated a small-scale exhibit for me. I especially adore the poster she designed. In the turquoise little house lives my dear rose. I think it is a perfect image for this poetic yet rainy spring. Thank you Bei-ling!

雖然這次的畫展沒有太多主題說明,其實我在挑畫的時候,想著我的學生,每天就在學校補習班和家裡來來回回,放眼望去盡是教科書講義和考試,我想要讓她們看到自己生活以外的世界,可以多麼多采多姿。最近幾個女孩問我存在的意義是什麼,如果她們也能看到我走過的一切,也許就不會對生活提不起勁。

I did not mention anything about the choice of the theme for my exhibit. When I was selecting paintings, I thought of my students. They hardly go beyond school, bushibans and their apartments in their daily lives. They are weighed down by tests, textbooks and handouts. I want them to see the vast world they haven't explored and show to them how colorful it is. Lately I've been asked by some kids about the meaning of their existence. If they can take a glance at what I've experienced, perhaps they will have more passion for life.

這一年來在工作上的感觸很深刻,學生不再像從前天真地說出她們的夢想,因為有夢想的人寥寥可數。以前聽孩子們毫無顧慮地說大話,並不覺得有什麼了不起,現在倒覺得這是種奢求,大部分的人最多認命地說,現在都過不好,想什麼未來,但是沒有夢想,如何撐下去呢?我不杞人憂天,不過如果我的學生反映新世代的普遍狀況,我很擔心國家的前景。

This year I have felt much change between my current and past students. The former do not say out loud their dreams stupid as they may be. The reason is simple-they don't have any dream. I didn't find it remarkable at all when kids told me their great wishes innocently, but I do find it to be a merit now. Most people would say in a resigned tone that they can't even take good care of themselves in the present, let alone the future. Yet my question is, how do you survive without any dream? I am never a pessimistic person. Nevertheless, if my students are representative of the new generation, I am very worried about the future of this country.

我只是個很平凡的老師,可是我有很大的夢想,我不想只是個老師,我想成為插畫家,這個夢想讓我每天早上有起床的動力、有好好工作的慾望、想要抓住生活的每一刻,我沒有想過沒有夢想的人生。
這個春天,我們要一起作夢,而且要付諸實現。

I am a very ordinary teacher, but I have a big dream. I want to be more than a teacher, I want to become an illustrator. This dream motivates me to get up, work hard, and seize every moment in life. I have never thought about a dreamless life because that wouldn't be any life for me.
This spring, let's dream together and make our dreams come true step by step…


12 comments:

Marc said...

Wow. This is so touching. My eyes are all wet.

The situation with your students is not unique to your country. Young people sometimes need a little help from a person like you to light up their world and start dreaming!

Personally, what really helped me during my teenage years was a book: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens, by Sean Covey. I always recommend it to teenagers. If you're an adult, you should read The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, by Stephen Covey. Good stuff.

Cheers!

harlequinpan said...

好久沒有留言了,是情緒一直進不來;但是妳的作品我都仔細用心的在看,我必須提醒妳,妳已經是一位優秀的插畫家了,不一定要某些型式的商業化才算,妳的特殊風格也不同於時下插畫家彙集上,千篇一律的師承畫法,對於這份興趣的熱情及執著才是最大的本錢,台灣之光-許芳宜的成就,不也是打死不回頭的決心及熱情換來的嗎,(包括她回臺傳承的熱情)她絕對是所有臺灣人的光榮及典範了。

老師兼插畫家,我看是沒有比這份工作更棒了!既能有寒暑假的調節,又能與年輕人緊密互動.....看妳與學生們毫無隔閡的交流,怎麼會是平凡的老師呢?我自己也擔任過十年以上的教學生涯,目前早已退休,我相信妳會是很棒的孩子王。

另外,一點小建議:請妳回看妳的作品,也不一定定位在插畫,在純藝術創作的方向上妳也是深具潛力的,我曾經營畫廊十年以上,雖非科班出身,但是我相信我的感覺,我目前也還擔任公共藝術策劃人的工作,也希望有幸能推薦妳的作品,讓更多人欣賞妳的創意。

isay said...

"This spring, let's dream together and make our dreams come true step by step…" i like these sentences most especially....it shows how kind and generous and unselfish you are as a person. You are truly blessed Miragee!

Anonymous said...

很幸運地,你可以用畫來提醒激勵學生, 這世界上還有許多值得追逐,值得用心品嘗的事物!
而我卻只能在趕課以及考試的壓力之下,挪出一小塊的時間與他們做言語上的溝通分享,但效果經常是出不來的!唉

Anonymous said...

我是無意間發現那塊地方的...
那個小角落
真的很不錯~~
(因為那裡有你的畫,我才願意在下課離開位置的!!)

Weichuen You said...

marc: Oh, I am touched by your reaction:-).

I was wondering if this phenomenon about young people's hopelessness has something to do with the educational system, but to be honest, I can't do anything to change the policies. So I figure the only thing I can do is to encourage kids to dream...

I'll try to look for the books you recommend. Thank you Marc!

Harlequin: 謝謝你,我當了老師好幾年才越來越喜歡這個工作,我想將來我也不會放棄,因為純藝術家的生活太辛苦了,我不適合。

其實我現在就是什麼都玩玩看,漫畫畫過了就試試壓克力,要不然就換拼貼,我必須靠這樣的轉換改變心情,不然很容易陷入同樣的風格,沒有進步。我唯一比較堅持的是,我喜歡敘事,至於為什麼老是用插畫概括我的夢想,就是因為插畫和說故事比較有關聯,但也不是說其他形式就沒有關啦!

之前有個編輯和我說過你說的話,我也不喜歡走主流路線,因為我有自己的風格,我只是希望自己可以一直進步,所以想用很謙遜的心看待我喜歡的這件事。

沒問題啊,哪一天你想要當我的策展人,就和我說吧!不過這半年來的東西都是以故事呈現居多,比較少大幅的作品。也許過一陣子我有會想做純藝術的東西了。謝謝你老是這麼鼓勵我!

isay: I don't think I am that good:-). It's easier to work with people who have vision and dreams. I have a whole heart of enthusiasm, but sometimes I feel very disappointed because I do not receive the same feedback from my students...

spookie: 我是最近這一兩年才學會和學生分享我做的東西,之前我一直覺得沒有辦法。大部分時候我還是用言語,你就想嘛,20個人裡有一個人聽進去,你就成功啦!我這幾年下來對自己和別人都越來越寬容了。

小金:下課出去動一動不是很好嗎?你要多出去走走。你看,去看畫順便去福利社,你每天可以設計不同行程和套餐,週一是熱狗美東套餐,週二是洋芋片植物園套餐,以此類推,這樣生活不是充滿樂趣嗎?

Anonymous said...

經過那麼多次老師在課堂上說關於"夢想"的事,
一直很想在這個春天做個夢,
可是好難喔...我想應該還要再經過一些時間,或者經歷吧!
這個春天我還是期望自己
努力過每一天: D

不知道游小淳是從哪一個春天才開始做這個美夢的咧!?

噢,每次經過那邊看畫時,都超想很搖擺的跟旁邊同學說:欸!那是我們班導XD

Anonymous said...

在這裡能看到你的真名, 真是好真實呀.
我們不是因為春天才會做夢的, 在孩子的心中更需要夢想來支撐未來, 學習就在勾勒夢想中進行.
願你畫展成功, 夢想成真!

Unknown said...

其實我並覺得主流的藝術風格有什麼不好!
純粹看個人的喜好!其實我喜歡的藝術多半是非主流的作品!不過卻在很主流商業的動畫公司上班!感覺一直滿足導演的喜好很累!
所以我堅信只有不斷的創作下去!才能接近這個世界!
miragee 小姐 請保持下去!你會發現在這個粗魯的世界!創作是一種優雅的姿態!

Anonymous said...

Thank you, miragee! We got the magazine yesterday! It is a nice magazine and we loved the article on your blog!

Callipygia said...

I love the poster too- And I have to say that you can never be an ordinary teacher! Your ultimate dream to be an illustrator is wonderful and you're obviously on your way there, but ironically I think in doing so you'll be teaching...about dreams and vision. It is sad to see people unable to look beyond survival towards creativity and hope.

Weichuen You said...

薛吉:大學畢業之後就開始有這個夢,一直到最近幾年覺得自己應該要好好正視它,才開始比較認真。我覺得自己是個很幸運的人,總是有想做的事情,要不然就像你說的,好好地過每一天才不辜負你有的生命。

不要太搖擺啦:─〉要不然會被打。

maki: 哇,我好喜歡你說的最後一句話,最近兩天腦海都會不自覺地浮上這句話呢!我想我不用迎合其他人的口味是真的很不錯。

謝謝你maki!

johnny: 我以為自己的作品比名字更真實呢!現在的孩子夢想都在課本裡瓦解了,學習帶給他們除了迷惘還是迷惘。

louis: I am glad you like it!

Calli: Well, I am ok with that. I am dreaming all the time, even in teaching:-). I made a pretty good self-adjustment. In some ways it's good to meet the world part of the time and then come home to create the rest of the time...