七歲 SEVEN-YEAR-OLDS

One student, a Grade 2 person, specifically left behind to tell me something. He looked shy, but his eyes were shining.

一個小二的學生，課後遲遲沒有離開，他看來有點靦腆，雖然我不知道他想說什麼，但他那種真摯的眼神和平和的表情，讓我特別想等候他想跟我說的話，能夠順利說得出口。

外面很吵，因為下課時間的學生們，通常進入一種失序的狀態。

It was the break time. Every student was very high, making the entire campus noisy. 

 

「請問你想和老師說什麼?」我彎下腰，把自己的高度弄到和他一樣，如此詢問著他。

Bending myself to his level, eye to eye, I said "What would you like to say to me? What is it?"

他嚥了一口口水，看來非常緊張，但他誠懇的眼神，使我份外專心於他接下來要講的話：

「老師，大家應該要知道妳非常非常多的作品……老師妳要讓別人知道妳的創作，我覺得老師妳的每個創作都很神奇……」

He swallowed hard, looked a bit anxious; however, his sincerety made me quite mindful about what had made it hard for him to express. 

"Teacher Hope, I believe people should know about your creative works which play magics. All of them are so special and so magical. You must let people know about your works!"

這件事，發生在他們已經聽過我所創作的兩、三個有點長度的故事，以及兩、三首歌謠之後。

This incidence took place after all my younger learners have learned about two to three of the stories I have created, as well as two to three songs I have created. 

It blew my mind away, for quite a few a lot older ones, my students or friends of different skin colors from different nationalities, have mentioned this to me at other stages of my life, but this would be the first time a person as young as a 7-year-old telling me that. So, do people's appreciation for beautiful things appear to be the same despite of their age and gender or whatever background? 

我完全進入驚異的另一個世界，因為，雖然有為數不少的中外友人、學生們和我提過雷同的事情，但是這樣的話從一個七歲的學生口中說出，是破天荒第一次……

我不禁揣想：對於所謂美的物事，是否有不受心智或者年齡限制的審美標準……

Following are feedback from my students after they have listened to the Story of a Seed. 98% or so of them express they love the story very much. Even when they are only Grade Two, they have noted that the story is therapeutic and warm. I believe that the drawings from them also explain a lot of their inner world, which can be so soothing for me to discover. 

下方所示為針對「種子故事」學生的創作作品反饋。當絕大多數小學低年級我所授課的學生甚至可以表示作品給他們帶來的舒緩時，我認為從他們的圖文創作中，似乎又看到了另一個嶄新的、全然不同的世界。

 

To spend time with my small students is a treat which I have discovered that they have a lot to offer artistically, philosophically, and creatively. 

能夠和一些年紀小的學生們相處，是一件令我自己悠然適意的事，因為他們的創造力、對生命的熱力、以及在藝術上面的可能。

Based on their reflections and my interactions with them, I have even discovered that these seven-year-olds are very much at ease and peace while sitting in my classroom, spending time with me: this is quite comforting as I know they truly are learning new things by revolutionizing their existing knowledge. 

從他們的反饋當中，而且從這樣不算短的時間的相處之下，我發現這些七歲的小朋友們可以悠然自在地在我的教室裡面，透過學習而開發自己、擁有找尋自己的可能。

I am very honored that I can absorb the know-how and knowledge form such pupils so that my meaningful and lengthy humanitarian journey can be filled with even more inspirations. 

很榮幸能夠從他們身上汲取許多有益身心發展的知識，邁向我自己本身更加長遠而充滿意涵的服務之旅。

Before I pushed myself for this kind of experiment, I never would have predicted that they can welcome me up to this level. What a very precious gift that I am given all over yet again!

在我把自己逼到再與為數甚多的幼年兒童相處前，我並不知道上天會給我這樣的大禮，讓這許許多多兒童把我視為他們在學習、在生活中的一個亮點。

我想，我的幸運，確實無以復加…… 

註：關於「種子故事」，是為本文作者自己在課程設計過程裡所創作，包含歌謠、故事等。

擬稍作統整後一併發表。

PS...About this "Story of A Seed" that touches the students so much, there are a song and a story based on the curriculum I've been teaching. Once I can make every single element go hand in hand with one another, I will make them public for every person to enjoy ^^