星期日, 12月 25, 2016

華德福小六16(冬學季)

親愛的夥伴您好:

       我們這個禮拜進行了一個有趣的活動,為我們要上的熱現象做準備。因為之前孩子們協助做的菜園生態池系統有多的黏土,所以我們就要用那些黏土來焢窯,之後再將高溫燒過土弄碎,平均撒在水圳裡。我們要焢的食材有地瓜和雞蛋,有些有用錫箔包起來,有些用濕報紙包起來,再裹上泥土,這樣也可以比較食物在不同處理方式下的口感差異。

       我們搭窯的過程,孩子非常的投入與專注,但搭到要收頂的時候,窯就塌掉了。孩子們很洩氣,於是研究原因,並記取之前沒有做出足夠圓弧的基底的缺點再做調整。我們再次往上搭,孩子們很努力,更加的專心,但是我們開始要收頂的時候又塌掉了。這時候孩子們有些有了情緒,也有孩子冷靜地說出一些失敗很多次才成功的偉人例子,例如:愛迪生。也有孩子說出:「失敗為成功之母」這樣的格言,沒想到孩子們也很快的讓情緒平靜下來,繼續努力。這一次有很好的架構,但是因為我們的窯很大,所以收頂的難度真的很高,所以最後我跟孩子說就在上面放錫箔紙,再用紙壓住,讓熱不會散出去。

       在一旁的書法老師,其實是搭窯的高手,他很有智慧的陪伴著我們努力的過程。而我覺得最有收穫的地方是,孩子所經歷的挫折,因為這一群孩子很聰明,很容易一件事情很順利的做好。而有些孩子內在力量夠不夠成熟去面對挫折的這個問題,就在這些考驗中顯現出來。我很平靜的示範面對失敗,就是要把方向對準達成目標,繼續執行。而有正向心態的孩子,也在團體的學習中彼此給予力量與祝福。當火燒了一段時間後,書法老師很快的搭了一個可以收頂的在旁邊,孩子們看到之後,只有更欽佩老師了。

       在燒窯的過程中,孩子們發現竹子會發出爆炸聲,土窯在火的烘烤中慢慢的溫熱起來,土窯的頂部溫度也比較高,泥塊也很快的燒紅、燒黑,但底部仍是比較冷的。當溫度足夠之後,書法老師教我們技巧,並且小心的層層放入食物讓窯完全坍塌。這時候又開始聽到爆炸聲了,原來是雞蛋爆炸了!為了把熱都封在土裡,所以我們得加上很多的濕泥土在上面,而沒有被加到的地方會繼續冒煙,大家就一起檢查,哪裡冒煙就把土加在那邊。

       一個小時之後,我們就一起開挖,有些雞蛋雖然爆炸了,但是清理了之後,可以吃的部分仍然是非常美味。而熟透的地瓜也真的很香甜呢。沒有包鋁箔的地瓜味道是更好的,但是皮就沒有食用了。這些熱的現象成為了我們在熱的學習中的先備經驗,我們在這樣的基礎上做討論,也透過蠟燭的操作,做了許多的實驗,透過親手的操作學習火的特質,與熱的傳導,和熱脹冷縮的現象。最珍貴的時刻是孩子在實驗中很自然出現的驚嘆表情,對孩子來說,透過一些像科學魔術的方式,有意識的理解火在生活中的神奇現象其背後的原理,是很吸引他們的。

       這一週因為冬季慶典的排演、預備與呈現,所以我們將會在下一週才結束熱現象的探索。冬季慶典那一天,孩子有合奏、英文組曲與合唱的演出,而他們也有一個為學校建校與為畢業旅行籌費用的擺攤活動。孩子們學習著與家長及參訪的客人們互動,能夠介紹物品以及正確的收錢與記帳。孩子們賣的茶葉蛋很外就銷售一空,也在慶典的會場帶著一些小商品主動找客人出擊而能兜售出去。最後我們為學校的建校募集了九千元,也為自己的畢旅基金帶來了小小收入。

祝 冬至平安

明佑

星期三, 12月 21, 2016

華德福小六15(冬學季)

親愛的夥伴您好:

       色彩與視覺的探索上,我們也探索了互補色,黑色和白色、 紅色和綠色、黃色和紫色、橘色和藍色。當我們盯著看色塊很長一段時間之後,再看白色的背景,出現的是一樣的形狀,卻是不一樣的顏色,在特殊的顏色搭配下,就會看到形狀一致,但顏色相反的情況。而且有趣的是,把眼睛看著同學的臉,臉上的顏色就會改變而呈現各種不同的感覺,最有趣的是當臉變成綠色時,有一種陰森森的感覺。

       我們用紙板做了陀螺,在圓形的紙板上穿兩個洞,像是一個大鈕釦,在紙板上畫上顏色並穿上線,這時候孩子們發現交替的顏色在旋轉時會改變,如果是互補色,顏色會消失,變成一片白色。這樣的操作讓他們很興奮,因為就像變魔術一樣,實在是太神奇了。我也保留給他們自己設計樣式與搭配顏色的機會,他們做出了很多種設計,著迷於彼此呈現的不同的變化。孩子跟我很不一樣的地方是,他們對這些現象所投注的觀察時間非常的長,好像整個融入在現象之中,帶著一種驚奇,一種讚嘆。這讓我深深的反思,這樣的經驗在我自己的生命中似乎是很久遠很久遠以前的事了,反而是我發現自己比較不耐的希望他們告訴我發現的事物,但還好我當時看著他們的反應,決定給他更多的時間。孩子們的學習態度,對我自己的成長來說,是最好的提醒。

       我們在眼睛仔細觀察生活中光的各種現象之後,我們才進入三稜鏡的使用。先使用歌德的探索方式,再使用牛頓的操作方式。當把三稜鏡放在眼睛前面觀看著周圍的物品時,就會發現所有的物品都會有一邊出現黃色與對邊出現藍色。從物體在光的明暗條件下分析,會發現較亮的那邊會出現黃色,而較暗的那邊會出現藍色。如果在設計好的黑色與白色排列的紙張上,還能夠透過調動眼前的三稜鏡角度創造出綠色。最後我們也在陽光中,讓三稜鏡投射出七彩在牆壁上。

       當我們經歷了許多實際自然觀察,我們再進入設計好的人工教具操作與實驗,這時候孩子的心是能更靜下來探索的,因為他們習慣的不是透過老師所給予的答案,帶有預設立場的、有侷限的觀察,而是用更全然開放的視角,透過感官的接收訊息,自己進行推論與分析。而我帶他們做了光的三原色色光的投影,紅色的燈在左邊,中間是綠色的燈,右邊是藍色的燈。當光進行配對時,孩子就可以觀察到,操作能印証平時的觀察,也就是在清朗的天空下為何影子會有點藍藍色的。這在藍光與綠光同時亮起的條件下,當綠色光源被手指擋住,而藍色的光就會映照在手指頭的影子上,讓手指頭的影子變成藍色。讓孩子驚訝的是當三個顏色的燈一起亮起而交疊的時候,光的顏色就消失,但白光的影子卻呈現出各種不同的色彩。讓我覺得很厲害的是,孩子們能夠很有條理的分析與歸納出,現象背後的法則。
 
        我們下個禮拜會繼續探索光的現象,也會進入熱現象的觀察。

祝 喜樂平安

明佑

華德福小六14(冬學季)

親愛的夥伴您好:

       這個禮拜我們進入了光的現象探討。上個禮拜我們就用一天早上主課程的時間,趁著光與氣流很特別的條件,臨時的帶孩子外出觀察。因為天空很清澈,而且不同的氣流層都有雲在快速移動,所以可以觀察到很細緻的光影顏色變化。當天下午天空依然特別,所以我要同學們回家時觀察日落的變化,而當天的日落雲彩也真的是非常多彩與壯觀。 雖然已經進入冬天,但這陣子的天空卻仍有一種秋的質感,天候溫度也相當宜人,所以我們就決定星期一晚上住校,並且在星期二早起觀察日出前、日出時與日出後的天空變化。
   
      星期一的下午,我們一起參與一項任務,要把學校的農田的蓄水池用人工踩踏黏土的方式將底層晶化,以創造出鎖水的效果。孩子們愉快且賣力的工作,是我最欣賞的畫面,這個活動整合了我們之前在地質礦物上的學習,也會是孩子一輩子難忘的經驗。我總是相信,當孩子做的事情種類越多樣,他們帶在身上的智慧就越多元。

       傍晚我帶孩子去採買,憑藉著早上時孩子們自己開會協調好的預算額度與採購清單,孩子們很俐落快速的完成任務。晚餐交給孩子自行料理,他們自發的分成料理組與整理組,我在一旁注意活動的安全,讓我很讚賞的是,孩子們都會自己注意到細節,切菜、烹煮也都非常的流暢,而且食物非常美味。晚上我們在星空下跟七年級的孩子一起上天文課的觀星實作,晚上小小遊戲一番,因為隔天得很早起床,所以不能晚睡。

       星期二早上我們五點四十分起床,天空已經由黑轉為藍紫,但星星依舊閃亮。沿著學校外圍的小徑,我們一邊散步一邊觀察天空的變化,也看到清晨的飛機雲,在不同的高度有不同的顏色顯現。孩子們辨識出的顏色比我預期的還要多許多,即使是在光暗交界處的色彩細緻差異都能覺察。六點二十分太陽從地平面上升起,接下來的變化都非常細微,遠山陰暗處從深紫到墨綠,山巔的翠綠轉透出金黃,雲彩從黃到橘還有粉紅色,在雲沒有被光照到地方呈現藍灰與暗紫色,深深讚嘆上天是最美的水彩畫家!

       為了讓孩子對光有更多的體驗,我們也在學校創造出暗室,在伸手不見五指的空間中,我們仔細歡察從黑暗到微光顯現,再漸漸增加光度的視覺過程,以及整個過程程序反轉的視覺體驗。我們也在暗室中觀察在玻璃容器中倒入牛奶,變項為牛奶從稀到濃的過程中,專注於光在穿透介質時呈現出的色彩變化。這兩個模擬天空光色變化的過程,讓孩子們歸納出從黑色到藍色,與從黃色到橘紅的遞嬗過程,我們也在牛奶中看到了綠色,這樣的變化讓我們驚訝,讓經驗深刻的植入內心。這樣內在的驚奇與撼動,將在下週由三稜鏡的觀察,與光的三原色交疊投影學習做好準備。

祝 喜樂平安

明佑  

星期四, 12月 01, 2016

華德福小六13(冬學季)

親愛的夥伴您好:

這個禮拜我們繼續探索聲音,我透過不同的材質繼續引導他們,尖銳刺耳聲音,如同字面般可以讓人感覺不舒服。而有力如鼓般的聲響,甚至能讓人感覺驚心動魄。在活動之中,孩子的對聲音的描述讓我學習到更多,例如:他們說比較沉悶的聲音,感覺比較死;而能有迴盪的鳴響在空間之中的,是比較有生命力的。這樣的觀點,反而是我跟他們學習到的呢!

讓我很讚嘆的是,他們似乎可以用耳朵看見。例如:我在隱藏的幕後發出不同的聲響,在他們解析耳朵接收的訊息後,繪聲繪影的精準描述,讓我覺得欽佩!如果是我可能沒有辦法像他們一樣精明。我也漸漸領悟到,有些孩子在上課時並不看前面,但卻有很好的訊息接收。而班上聽覺最好孩子,擁有將接收的聲音訊息的時間軸反轉並輸出的能力!對我來說,我本來以為只有機器才做得到,深深的感到人類的潛能真是無限!

孩子在樂器的活動體驗中,歸納出聲音高低與物質結構的對應與關聯,笛音在比較長的空間中移動,音是低的;在比較短的空間中,音是高的。在比較長的銅片上,音是低的;而在比較短的銅片上,音是高的。弦長,聲音低;弦短,聲音高。弦粗,聲音低;弦細,聲音高。孩子們接收了一個在玻璃瓶中創造出音階並演奏出樂曲的挑戰,看他們熱情專注的在調整瓶中之水,並且在演奏出樂曲時充滿的喜悅與成就感。

為了瞭解聲音的震動與傳遞,我們也做了用線連結的傳聲筒,孩子驚喜的發現聲音傳遞時,線會震動。我們在體驗與討論中,認識了聲音轉變為震動,並且可以再從震動轉變為聲音。但對孩子來說最讓他們著迷的卻是聲音呈現為可以看得見的規律形狀。我們用金屬板和鹽巴,用貝殼的溝槽摩擦金屬板,貝殼最外圍溝槽較疏,所以聲音較低。越靠近貝殼底部,溝槽較密,聲音較高。我們看到鹽巴顆粒在上面規律的跳動,形成一種趨勢,並外顯為周圍一直變化的面。為了有多元的體驗,學大琴的孩子也帶來大提琴,我們讓紙盤中的鹽巴,在共鳴箱上舞動。而音叉的共鳴現象,讓我引導孩子們在每日的發聲練習中,更專注於我們彼此之間交替體驗的聲音與身體共鳴,並且能夠享受,那聲音創造出來的美麗排列與力量,在我們之間穿梭交織。而我們也更有意識的透過聲帶發出的聲音讓自己成為美的存在。

祝 喜樂平安

明佑

星期日, 11月 27, 2016

華德福小六12(冬學季)

親愛的夥伴您好:

這個禮拜開學第一天,我們參與了在承山種子樹舉辦的活動,這是食育教育的推廣活動。希望透過這個活動讓孩子在各種感官的體驗中,透過眼看、耳聽,體會友善大地的小農們如何辛苦的工作,並在操作中,也能反思家長平常養育的辛勞。在秋學季的礦物主課程中,我們推論出土壤如何形成,而在上食育課程的時候,我們也強調著健康的食物必須在健康的土壤中孕育,讓孩子不只對於生活中一切人的事付出更有覺知,並且能擴展到對於天地的恭敬與感恩。

這個食育課程是客家電視台-客家新聞雜誌的主題節目之一,我們班上的孩子很榮幸的成為了節目裡的角色,但是我們不是演員而是參與者,只是透過攝影鏡頭紀錄孩子們的行動,而我們從洗菜、切菜、烹調到唱歌謝飯的用餐過程,是孩子們平時培養的能力,也是呈現他們在學校被形塑已久的心靈姿態。整個過程孩子們很自然的分工合作,從熟練的洗菜切菜,我看到他們切出來的南瓜塊大小均勻、青蔥長短整齊...等。也有些孩子開始加入烹調的工作,能小心把食材放入鍋子,也能用鍋子炒菜、煎蛋。而且食物也很好吃,讓我感覺得內心好幸福與欣慰喔!

孩子們在開學當天早上一見面就互相討論著,想知道鹽寶寶變得如何了?而在他們下廚的時候,他們也發現有一道菜忘了加上鹽巴,所以味道不明顯,所以只好灑上鹽巴以平衡口感。下午我們回到教室後,孩子們看到鹽寶寶長大了許多,是邊長0.5公分的立方體。還有一顆結晶讓水的表面張力懸浮起來了,所以結晶的成長方向是向下的,本來孩子還以為沒結晶成功有些失望呢,但因為它的懸浮效果而可以透過光的折射看到閃動著不同的色彩。
這個禮拜我們開始上自然課程,預計要進行聲、光與熱現象的觀察與探討。第一次讓孩子閉眼睛聆聽,孩子就讓教室呈現完全寧靜的氛圍,他們說出來的聲音比我預期的還要多更多,短短三分鐘的時間,精於紀錄聲響次數的孩子,便記錄到85次的聲音出現,可見孩子們有多們的專注。我們也到戶外去蒐集聲音,並想說出聽到聲音的圖像,讓我很驚訝的是孩子描述聲音的圖像能力,不只結合內在感覺,甚至能用光的顏色和亮度來述,例如:樹枝折斷的聲音像黃色的光。當我試想盲人在空間中聽到這個聲音時,我覺得他們的描述很貼切呢!下個禮拜我們會繼續探索,並且往光的世界前進,也許孩子可以自行解答出為什麼鹽巴顆粒上會會有七彩的光芒喔!

祝 喜樂平安
明佑

星期一, 11月 21, 2016

華德福小六11(秋學季)

親愛的夥伴您好:

這禮拜是秋學季的最後一週,雖然只有短短的三天上課,但足夠我們為礦物課程收尾,並且整理孩子紀錄的工作本。我們最後談到的是冰河與圈谷的形成,孩子們也能連結登山時看見的地貌。為了更理解礦石的晶體成型,我帶了我在家裡溶解食鹽養出的大顆正方形晶體,讓孩子觀察。而我們也一起做了四杯食鹽飽和溶液的調製,並且把我養的結晶放入,讓它們在孩子調製的飽和溶液中繼續成長。我們期待秋假回來之後,看看鹽寶寶會變成什麼模樣?而因為礦物主課程的工作本改成手工書的樣式,所以我們得整理再裝訂,而這個過程就是一個很好的回顧過程,幫助大家釐清整個主課程講述的脈絡。

開學時我們在菜圃種的蔬菜已經收成了幾次,因為一、二年級的孩子每個星期三自然日在戶外野炊需要新鮮的蔬菜,所以我們就會摘一些送給學弟妹,看起來鮮嫩有活力的葉子非常的美味,讓孩子意想不到的是收成的量還算豐富!對孩子來說,我們在礦物課程中,理解了石頭的誕生與演變,甚至在推論的圖像中,與曾經看過的泥沙放大照片的印證,知道土壤仍然是礦石,是細微的礦石,含有細碎的晶體,也呈現貝殼的螺紋。而它們蘊藏著滋養植物生長的力量,讓我們人類可以種植、可以收成,似乎還有好多大地的奧秘等待我們去探索!

之前我們在語文主課程結束後,讓孩子反思的許久的最喜歡與討厭的角色,還有角色跟自己個性相像的地方的問題,經過很長一段間的發酵,才讓孩子們分享心中精練的答案。孩子們喜歡角色中聰明、善良、會賺錢、幫助別人,甚至是能治理好國家,而有恩必還有仇必報的特質。這也是他們此時的生命階段,最讓他們讚賞的態度。而在討厭的角色上面,他們不喜歡嫉妒、陷害、亂做事、自私、殘暴...等。每一位孩子的想法都很有特色,在這個過程中我欣賞他們的表達,即便是單一角度,都呈現出生命的真誠。我不想在這個階段跟他們說明人生的大道理,因為我記得在自己小學的時候,正邪互不兩立的世界觀,而認為自己總是站在善的一方,卻意識不到自己的錯誤。我始終相信,孩提時內在單純的堅定評判,為自己的生命扎下了穩固的根基,承托著生命邁步開展的動力,才能在之後中學階段的思想開展中,看見多元、培養尊重。


祝 喜樂平安


明佑

星期一, 10月 31, 2016

華德福小六10(秋學季)

親愛的夥伴您好:

      這一週的礦物課程,我把我手邊有的礦石標本都帶來學校,基本上可以分成三大類:沉積岩、火成岩與變質岩。而教室裡也有天上隕石掉下來,把地球的物質燃燒之後,冷卻下來所形成的礦石,富有有各種顏色、紋理、甚至是結晶。這些來自宇宙贈與與地球物質相遇所形成的美麗石頭,在班上每天的晨圈中,我們都會為自己挑選出一顆石頭,並且做一些基本的觀察。這些觀察的的累積,也逐漸成為我們在課程中討論的實際基礎。

      教室中有我們班以前在獅頭山上採集下來的礦石,是鬆軟的沉積岩,但是裡面卻有著兩公分長的完整貝殼。我們可以輕輕地把它周圍的石頭弄出碎屑,而它也告訴我們,獅頭山曾經在海裡,山儲藏著久遠前地質變動事件的記憶。教室裡也有浮石,這麼輕的石頭,曾是火山熔岩上面的泡泡,就像煮火鍋時上面綿密的氣泡一樣。還有結晶的水晶、銻、鉍、瑪瑙、貓眼石、玉隨、鉑、黃金..等。加上也孩子自己帶來了收藏的石頭,讓我們可以有許多觀察的機會。

      當我們在介紹煤炭時,描述它是由植物的屍體累積轉化而成。高達三公尺的煤層與其他沉積岩交替有序的呈現在地底,這需要千萬年的累積與轉化。在教室裡面我們用鋁箔紙包住木材,簡單的做了碳化的實驗,這些操作讓孩子充滿興趣,本來是各組的操作,因著他們的期待重複,讓我決定隔天改為每人獨自操作重作一次,深入仔細觀察。當木質轉化為炭,並且被火點燃的時候,我們看到曾經被植物吸受封藏在內部的太陽熱量,在轉化為炭的形式時,仍能重新釋放出來。而可以創造更高溫的煤礦,可是以前打鐵必要的燃料呢!

      對孩子來說,石灰質的形成是來自於海底動物的殼這件事,是需要想像的,我帶著他們敲碎貝殼,讓貝殼成為不同層次的粉狀。也帶他們敲碎蛋殼,感覺它與貝殼之間的相似性,原來他們都是碳酸鈣所組成的。而超級大量的有殼類生物屍體的沉積,在時間的醞釀下形成了石灰質的石頭,甚至每天在教室的黑版上書寫的粉筆也是以此為原料製作而成。但當同學們聽到粉筆是屍體都覺得很噁心,還會回饋說之前拿彩色粉筆來塗手和腳做人體彩繪,是把屍體的粉末塗在身上。我了解他們的玩笑話,也覺得彼此的討論很開心呢!
       
       我們也談到了水的三態變化對於於岩石的影響,孩子們回想起自己將玻璃罐裝上果醬要變冰淇淋,因為太滿而讓玻璃罐爆裂...等實際例子。讓我們推論出水在結冰時會膨脹,所以我們可以知道寒冷的山上,在水與石縫的不斷互動之間,岩石將會碎裂。經過很長時間的沖刷滾動,到了溪河的下游,已經磨成了卵石狀。這些現象也需要很大的想像力才能理解,所以我帶孩子在教室做一些簡單的實驗讓他們觀察,讓他們看到水的蒸氣化與凝結,用凝結滴下來的水模擬下雨。而我們也真的到學校旁邊的霄里溪中,去觀察並採集卵石作為標本。
     
      六年級的孩子,對於這個世界的科學法則充滿了興趣,我們也有一天早上帶他們去參與用土礱碾米,土礱上面有夯實的黏土,那些技術也用在以前的土製房屋之中,是我們以前學習場所中孩子可以親眼看到親手摸到的「土角厝」。大地的材料經過人的巧思,還有機械的設計,運用省力的力學原理,讓人類的生活得以提升。這些孩子很幸運的在親身的體驗中,認識這個屬於電器設備化的上一個世代,不僅符合他們的心理意識,也為未來的數理與科學學習做了最好的準備。    

祝 喜樂平安

明佑

星期日, 10月 23, 2016

華德福小六9(秋學季)

親愛的夥伴您好:

      上個禮拜我們進入了礦物課程的學習。從可見的地景與人之間的關係作為開場,帶著孩子從各自旅行的經驗中分析與討論,我們發現了在台灣往南邊是炎熱的,往北邊是較冷的。這樣的法則其實只符合地球生態的一半,對孩子來說,他們理知上知道地球是圓的,而教室這個月的月曆也好好是一個地球儀的照片。所以我在黑板上畫了圓形,搭配著我旅遊的經驗,跟他們說明赤道地區的景致。而孩子們也都知道北極有北極熊,南極有企鵝,甚至很多孩子補充還有北回歸線。有些知識我們會在未來的天文主課程再做詳細的解釋,例如:要孩子理解澳洲的六月與十二月與台灣的氣候相反,對他們來說的確是會疑惑的。但孩子可以在推論上理解的是,靠近兩極的地方會比較冷,靠近赤道的地方會比較熱。

      在地景之上,台灣有的秀麗的山系,我們探討著山的古老,還有山的變與不變。當我們想像著,山在人類文明演進的過程中,超越人類個體百年的短暫生命而俯瞰歷史的洪流時,如果山能記憶,便是世上最博學多聞的存在。這時孩子回饋說,難怪孫悟空遇到事情都要問土地公和山神。但其實山的確有許多的記憶,藏在草地下,藏在樹林間,所以我們就一起探索地上與地下的岩石。

      對孩子來說,什麼是他們最熟悉的石頭呢?其實是他們腳底下踩過的花崗岩或大理石地磚。還記得我們在五年級的時候,有同學帶來高倍率的放大鏡,看著花崗岩地磚,驚奇的欣賞著花崗岩細緻的色彩與繽紛。那時我們沒有介紹花崗岩的成分,但這次我們就有介紹花崗岩的主要成分是石英、雲母與長石。雖然現在在新校區學習,沒有花崗岩地磚,但是我跟孩子說,下課時去找找看哪裡有花崗岩,孩子倒是很快地發現了,在我們教室的門檻、一樓的牆壁下面、還有電梯附近...等。而對礦石有興趣的孩子,迫不急待地想知道更多關於水晶、寶石的知識呢!

      接下來我也為孩子介紹了火山,有些大火山的特色就是單獨一座,例如:龜山島與富士山。而台灣島上也有大屯火山與基隆火山群。在陽明山的硫磺谷可以聞到硫磺的味道,也是同學們印象深刻的記憶。火山的劇烈運動,與散發出的刺鼻味道,其實很像一個脾氣不好的人,讓人不想靠近,而呈現出孤獨的姿態。但是一般的山卻都是在山脈的系列之中,因為穩定反而好像有許多好朋友。這樣的比喻,對於正在適應新身體的前青春期孩子,在面對的強烈的情緒時,可以幫助他們提高自己的覺知意識,別讓自己變成火山了!

      每天都有回顧的時間,上課的時候我會邊講邊在黑板畫圖示意,現在孩子在回顧的時候,他們也會要求要使用黑板邊講邊畫圖。我很喜歡看著他們表達的樣子,除了清楚的說明,一邊畫圖一邊看著台下的反應,更是一種視覺與情感的交流!

祝 喜樂平安

明佑

華德福小六8(秋學季)


親愛的夥伴您好:

我們上個禮拜就開始教數學在商業上的應用,從利息的產生和換算開始。對孩子們來說,利息這一件事情,需要在心靈上得到一個意義,甚至可以與他們的心理意識共鳴,所以我跟孩子講了一些古代的人類互動模式,是關於施予恩惠,而得到回報。例如:受人點滴湧泉以報的為別人做牛做馬。這可以看到在受惠的一方,或是讓人損失的一方,得付出生活的時間甚至是人身自由來轉化為實際的作為才能平衡。但是利息制度的出現,在人類的文化演進上,可以看作是一種自由的表現,透過額外的支付利息,讓人本身可以跟之前的事件脫離,進而獨立出來。

對孩子們來說,比較沒有借錢的經驗,但是一般都有存錢的概念,錢存到銀行裡面之後,一段時間就會有利息。孩子們對於這一件事似乎也沒有太清楚的概念,所以我就讓孩子自己回家問父母,自己存款的“利率”是多少?我之後用個人的存款,還有學校的貸款、借款當作例子跟孩子們講解,於是孩子們似乎有一點點概念了。

為了讓利息這件事可以在孩子身上產生一些震撼,所以我解釋了一些慈善單位的財務運作,可以讓存款的利息變成禮物金,幫助需要的人。但是另一方面的借款,像是放高利貸,數字的躍升其實是有帶給孩子一些震撼的。我們還舉了政務官18%被取消後,每個月少了22萬的利息,這個即時的實際的新聞,讓孩子去推算,到底超過二百萬的存款限制,特殊的人士在帳戶裡面存多少錢?這樣的課程內容讓孩子感受到充滿興趣,似乎對於金錢也有了不一樣的觀點。

在利率的學習上,我們也延伸到匯率的換算,我以我旅行兌換外幣的經驗當作例子,讓孩子了解匯率的小數點變化造成的幣值改變。聰明的孩子很快想到可以用大筆金額買賣外幣,而得到更多的金錢。但我也跟孩子說明外幣買賣的相關法律常識,也提醒坐飛機時可以注意,入境台灣時有規定隨身超過十萬以上的台幣,是必須要申報的。

我們也在這個禮拜開始代數的學習,對我來說這是提早將下學期預計的教學內容帶入。考量原因是孩子的平常表現,有隱藏事物的現象。例如:把同學的東西放在另一個地方,提供線索讓同學去尋找。甚至上個星期孩子生日會時也有藏找東西的活動安排。看著他們愉快的在提示中破解。我覺得代數與一元一次聯立方程式的計算將會引起他們興趣。所以孩子們很開心地把自己擁有某些物品的數目變成題目,例如:擁有幾件外套,題目是100a-296=120a-356=外套數量。其實玩到後來,孩子們會故意將數值變很大,讓某些孩子以為有很多件,但其實只有4件而已。孩子們讓大家猜的有家裡的杯子、腳踏車、樂高人、鞋子...等的數量。既滿足了直接介紹自己的困窘,也讓同學可以對彼此的日常生活多一些好奇。

祝 喜樂平安

明佑

星期六, 10月 15, 2016

華德福小六7(秋學季)

親愛的夥伴您好:


在統計的學習上,我們繼續結合孩子內在對大人世界的興趣,讓學習的項目可以跟生活結合在一起。在進入前青春期的階段,對孩子來說,他們發現世界變得不一樣了,但其實是他們更清醒了,在原先如夢似幻的童年生活中,是用著良善看待大人的視角,但現在卻漸漸發現大人更深一層的面貌,並且帶著一種好奇想要了解他們。


我讓孩子們自己去設計問題,用匿名的方式以全班的孩子為對象來調查統計。他們提出的問題總共有十二個:


1.爸爸喜不喜歡吃辣?
2.爸爸喜不喜歡出門去玩?
3.爸媽有沒有白頭髮?
4.媽媽會不會打人?
5.媽媽有沒有在上班?
6.爸爸有沒有在下廚?
7.爸爸喜不喜歡看電視?
8.爸爸媽媽會不會吵架?
9.爸爸有沒有戴眼鏡?
10.爸爸有沒有看琅琊榜?
11.爸爸有沒有送過媽媽禮物?
12.爸爸喜不喜歡看雜誌?


雖然匿名統計比較程序比較複雜,還要開票與統計,但對孩子來說整個過程都是充滿驚奇。我可以在某些孩子提出問題時的表情與眼神中,看到一些細微的現象,也許帶著微微的情緒,也許帶著絲毫的疑惑,而卻在開票的結果出來時,有很不一樣的表情轉變。我一直在想這個數學統計活動,為孩子的內心帶來了什麼?為我帶來了什麼啟示?


設計這個活動,原先是為了讓孩子在打開眼睛,更深層的看到周圍親近的大人時,能夠不侷限在單一的家庭視角,而可以透過看到不同家庭的呈現,而發現家庭的多元性,進而可以帶來釋懷,可以學會包容,更期待能在未來能夠欣賞。孩子要問什麼題目,完全出於他們的自由意志,我只是很幸運的感覺到,孩子提的問題成為了彼此的祝福。


而讓我覺得訝異的是,針對媽媽的問題只有兩個。也就是跟爸爸有關的問題所佔的比例是83%。我也帶著這樣的現象跟帶過六年級的老師討論,我得到的回饋是這樣子的:「孩子在進入前青春期時,開始對父親的角色好奇,因為跟通常是主要照顧者的媽媽相比,爸爸這個角色神秘很久了。」這也印證了教育理論上所描述的,孩子在青少年時期,父親的榜樣會影響他們心理與自我的成長。


最後我把孩子的12張畫著長條圖與標上數字的統計圖表,全部貼在黑板上,讓這些訊息成為環境的一部份。我和孩子們都會看到這些訊息,最後我告訴自己,我也是孩子身邊的男性,我得要更覺知自己的言行舉止,希望在被他們彷彿是用望遠鏡的觀察與檢視下,能夠讓他們得到的是一種欣賞的感受,並且用一種:「孩子啊!這條路我曾經走過,讓我扶持著你」的心,讓他們在這生命階段的轉化時刻,可以得到被大人祝福的感受。

祝 喜樂平安


明佑

星期五, 10月 07, 2016

華德福小六6(秋學季)

親愛的夥伴您好:
       我們這禮拜繼續進行數學主課程,也進行統計的教學,對這個年紀的孩子來說,男生跟女生的性別議題是會讓他們很有興趣的。所以我就以班上孩子男女生的比例作為例子。我們為了讓數字圖表化、視覺化,所以也將統計結果呈現為長條圖,便可以從視覺上看到數值的差異。最後透過將分數轉換為小數,再進而轉為百分比,並標註在長條圖上。

       於是圖表上面有代表人數的數字刻度,有不同顏色的長條圖示,也有了百分比的數值。而視覺上的長條圖示差異,在之後其他班級的人數統計與圖示趨勢上,孩子們不只發現百分比例在兩個選項中的消長對比,更自己發現只要計算其中一個數值,另外一個就用100去減就能得到結果,在正確的推論中精簡了計算的程序。

       為了讓孩子可以更加熟悉,我們也統計學校老師在性別上的比例,甚至在每班人數的統計基礎下,我們了解了全校男童與女童的比例。孩子就有另一種寬廣的視野,清醒的意識到生活中的現象。為了讓孩子感受到百分比在生活中的運用,所以我也讓孩子自己去設計問題,詢問班上孩子一些問題做調查的練習,例如:誰喜歡跑步、誰喜歡看某部小說、誰喜歡睡覺、誰喜歡趴趴鼠、誰喜歡舊校區、誰喜歡吃拉麵、誰喜歡某位同學、誰有宗教信仰、甚至是誰喜歡上學....。

      孩子們在調查中,了解了他們的同學,也算出了喜歡與不喜歡這兩個項目之間的比例。甚至我們每一項調查結果都進一步去算出了個別項目中男生與女生的比例。誰喜歡上學這個問題,跟老師們有關,也讓我很期待答案,知到他們喜歡上學的比例是83%,心裡還蠻高興的呢!但其實我也知道,他們喜歡的原因,有很重要的一部分是可貴的友情!

祝 喜樂平安

明佑

星期三, 9月 28, 2016

華德福小六5(秋學季)



親愛的夥伴您好:


這禮拜我們在我們的小菜圃上種了高麗菜、白菜與萵苣菜...等。感謝學校的農耕隊,已經現做了一些前置作業,所以孩子們必須要做的是把菜苗從苗盤中搬移,用雙手好好的種進土讓裡,再用挖出的土將菜苗固定,讓菜苗可以好好的在土讓上站著。


班上的孩子動作非常的迅速,工作的成果也很有品質,聽著他們在這個過程中,聊起之前去農場實習的經驗,並且做一些比對。大致上是這次的工作實在是太輕鬆了,之前在農場要種很大的面積。而也有孩子提起當時學到的施肥以及生物防治的概念,聽他們生動地描述,知道之前的農場實習在他們的心中留下了深刻的印象。


結束語文主課程之後,我們進入了數學主課程。這一週先複習之前學過的概念,把焦點放在分數的四則運算,以及小數與百分數的轉換。為了讓孩子在學習時,能有內在的興趣,既照顧到精熟的孩子,以及還在努力理解的孩子,所以我讓孩子帶他們喜歡的樂高積木來作為教學的操作材料。果然在講述分數的四則運算概念時,很能吸引孩子的興趣。對他們來說,是發現了原來這項孩子熟悉的玩具,也有數學藏在裡面呢。其實分數最難的是理解除法,我每天輪流讓孩子當小老師用自己創造的例子講解分數的四則運算,發現已經有些孩子對於分數的除法有很高的理解度呢!

六年級一開學我們就開始進行太陽的觀測,每天會在固定的時間在教室的窗戶觀察太陽的位置,我們發現太陽每天的位置都會往南邊移動一些些,我們很簡單的依據太陽在屋簷的波浪位置進行記數。後來有連續幾天沒有太陽可以觀察,孩子可以從黑板上記錄的數值推論出,太陽大概會在第幾格,而之後我們再用實際觀察結果印證我們的預測是正確的。一直到星期四這一天,我跟孩子說今天是秋分,白天跟晚上的時間一樣長,而且太陽從正東方升起。孩子們也發現,這時的太陽的確是在開學時在教室裡定位出東南西北四個標示物的正東方。而從這一天起,我們改用透明的半圓形食物罩,在上面記錄太陽的路徑,這需要預備一段時間,希望這些前置作業能為之後的天文學主課程提供最有感覺的先備經驗。


祝 喜樂平安


明佑

星期一, 9月 19, 2016

The Evening Hours of a Hermit by Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi

The Evening Hours of a Hermit
by
Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi


The Evening Hours of a Hermit.
By Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi

— God’s feeling for human beings, human beings’ feeling
for God, a ruler’s fatherly feeling for his people, people’s
childlike feeling for the ruler — these are the source of all
happiness —


Human beings, either on the throne or under a leafy shelter, are equal.  What is a human, in his nature?  Why do not wise men tell us what a human is?  Why do not high-ranking people tell us what a human is?  A farmer who needs oxen on the farm knows his cattle.  A shepherd studies the nature of his sheep.
You, who need the service of human beings and say that you protect and feed them—do you take the same trouble as a farmer for his oxen?  Do you worry in the same way as a shepherd about his sheep?  Is knowledge of human beings in your wisdom?  Is your kindness that of an enlightening shepherd of people?
What human nature is, what he needs, what improves him, what degrades him, what makes him strong or weak—these should be in the knowledge of a nation’s shepherd and even of a man who lives in a humble hut.
Far and wide mankind find the need to know.  Far and wide mankind endeavor to elevate themselves, with hardships, labor and ardor.  Nevertheless many generations of mankind come to their end without gratifying their ardent desire, so that many of them cry out on their deathbeds that their lives have not satisfied them.  Their ends are not any similar to so many fruit that fall on the ground in autumn, after having played their part, to leave a well deserving rest in winter.
Why does a human seek truth without order and ultimate objective?  Why does he study the need of his true nature?  Why does not he seek truth which is his comfort and joy in life, the truth that gives him the innermost satisfaction, develops his various faculties, consoles him in his everyday life and makes his years happy?
Driven by his need, a human finds the way to truth in the depth of his nature.
The way to truth for a satisfied suckling is to know what its mother means to it.  and the mother, before the baby is capable of pronouncing the words duty or gratitude, forms love in his heart, which is the true nature of gratitude.  And a son who eats bread given by his father and who keeps warm at the fireside together with the father finds the blessing of his life in his childlike duty in this Way of Nature.
Standpoint in life and individual mission of a human — these are the book of Nature and in the book lies the power and Order of the wise leader called Nature.  All schooling which is not based on this way of human education is misleading.
Human—father of your children—do not push the faculty of your children’s mind much too far ahead before their minds are stronger by raining through things real around them.  And, beware of severity and over exertion.
In the power of Nature, although it leads to truth with overwhelming power, there is nothing tense in its guidance.  When a nightingale sings in the dark, everything belonging to Nature stirs in refreshing freedom, and nowhere obtrudes the shadow of Order.
If, in Nature’s method of education, there existed forced and tensed order, then it would follow that Nature brought forth things one-sided and partial, and so Nature’s truth would not come out calm and free as the richness of the entire nature of mankind.
Vain desire for the mere phantom of truth, the kind of desire that exhausts people without purpose, the desire for the voice, sound or words about truth that have no interest to attract people at all nor are applicable for practical service; to subject a growing human with all his power to the stiff and one-sided opinion of a schoolmaster, or exchange of words that are the basis of human education as well as thousands of technics in education that are in fashion—there were all over laborious and lead a human away from the Way of Nature.
Bigoted advance of all these will fail in forming a true and calm servant to a human nor a sympathetic good mother whose delight and wisdom are her children’s delight, whereby their needs are met.
If a human is one-sidedly directed to or forced on a certain subject, he will lose balance or power of wisdom.  Therefore Nature’s method of education is never coercive.
Nevertheless, Nature’s education is firm, and its Order had the exactitude of a good housekeeper.
Wide knowledge in a confused and disorderly state is neither the Way of Nature.
A human who flutters about all kinds of knowledge without strengthening his recognition by calm and firm application will also lose his Way of Nature as well as his calm sense of truth and sound, fresh and attentive vision as well as serene sense of truth by which we may feel genuine joy.
Human, if you search for truth in this Order of Nature, you will find that truth is helpful to you in your position or in your course of life as needs be.
Human, as truth is necessary for your comfort and peace of mind, so is it the most trustworthy star to guide you in your immediate happiness.  As it supports you in your life, so it blesses you.
In your course of life, you are not allowed to make use of all truths.
The extent of knowledge that makes a human happy in his circumstances is limited.  And the extent, beginning from around him with his nearest relations, stretches wide.  However wide it may extend, it must be based on the very center of the power of all blessings of truth.
Pure sense of truth is formed in a limited extent.  And true human wisdom is firmly based on the knowledge of the relations nearest to a human and also on his faculty to decently dispose of matters nearest to him.
Human wisdom that results from the needs in our circumstances gives us energy to act and cultivates it.  And the intellect obtained from this kind of human wisdom tends to be simple and far-seeing.  Since wisdom is formed from the total and natural power of things established in their realistic relations, it may be directed to any form of truth.
Such wisdom may be expressed as power, emotion or firm faculty of application.
Noble Way of Nature—you lead us to truth as our ultimate objective, which is power, conduct, source of education and training, fulfillment and general condition of the whole nature of mankind.
It is true that you educate us human beings so that we do not grow too fast at a dazzling speed.  The faculty of your child is limited and his words are the expression and result of his whole knowledge.
However, if a human is too hasty in the course of your Order, he will by himself ruin his inner power and disturb the intrinsic peace and balance in the depth of human mind.
All the above is what happens when a human, before he educates his mind in accordance with truth and wisdom through objective recognition of reality, throws himself into various confusions of oral teachings or opinions and distracts his mind based on sound, talks or words as the means of initial training of various human faculties, without basing himself on truth from reality.
This artificial method adopted by schooling, which forces the order of words everywhere without waiting for free, calm and mild advance of Nature, trains a human in such a manner that the lack of his essential inner faculty be covered, by which a human becomes artificial and vain, as befits the shallow and superficial mode of living of this century.
It is true that loquacity is the case with extensive but confused knowledge, and loquacity will disturb the course of those who will sacrifice calm feeling of pure human wisdom.  When they, being haughty, keep clamorous even near the bright power of blessed wise men, in fact they are only in empty wilderness and darkness.
Education of a human toward truth trains us by guiding our essential human nature toward wisdom that gives us peace.
Nature’s power and true training of a human—where are we able to find them?
The lifeless and empty wilderness of dark ignorance also misleads us from the Way of Nature.  Lack of knowledge of human nature limits human knowledge and narrows it, which is thus made less than human nature requires.  Distortion of initial, basic concept of things related with a human, tyranny that suppresses people with deadly violence, restraint of joy of all truth and blessings as well as unnatural lack of general education of people in their initial essential needs and their relation to a human—how to heavy shadows of all these darken the earth!
Therefore the power of educated mankind, which is the source of their powerful action and calm delight, is never an imaginary desire or deceiving delusion.
Intrinsic, heartfelt satisfaction, true power or human nature and blessing of life—these are not dreams.  To seek these is the objective and also the mission of mankind, and I personally need them.  And my sincere desire to seek them is also the objective and mission of mankind.
Oh, truth, my savior, by which I may be elevated to accomplishment of my nature—how and where am I to find you?
In the depth of my nature lies the answer to this search for truth.
All mankind are equal in nature, so that the way to satisfy mankind is one.  Therefore the truth derived purely from the innermost of one’s intrinsic self will be the universal human truth.  And it is the truth that will pacify the contenders that are fighting for the mere shadow of truth.

***************

Pure power of mankind is never the gift of art or chance.  It lies in the innermost of all human beings, together with their basic qualities.  To accomplish the power of blessing of all these is the universal need of mankind.
Therefore the Way of Nature that expresses the power of blessing must be at once faire and facile.  Also, education of a human for him to acquire wisdom which is true and which offers peace of mind must be simple and universally applicable.
Nature develops all human faculties through practice and their power grows through exercise.
The Order of Nature in human education is the power to apply and exercise recognition, gift and talent of a human.
Therefore a person who is simple and innocent, by applying his recognition simply and honestly and also by practicing and exercising all his faculties through calm industry, is educated so as to attain true human wisdom through Nature.  However, a man who disturbs this Order of Nature in himself and weakens pure feeling of honesty of his recognition will fail to enjoy blessing of truth.
Exercise of an action which is contrary to the inner sense of justice ruins our power or recognition of truth and confuses pure feeling of noble simplicity of our basic concept and senses.
Therefore all human wisdom is based on the power of emotion which is good and honest to truth, and so are all human blessings based on this feeling of simplicity and innocence.
Human education toward this pure feeling of simplicity and innocence protects mankind like a father, as the incorruptible base of emotion protects and justly guides the process of formation of human mind.
To elevate these inner human faculties to the level of true human wisdom is also the general objective of education of the humblest populace
Practice, application and use of power and wisdom in specific circumstances and conditions of mankind are in fact occupational training, which must always go with the general objective human education.
Wisdom and power based on simplicity and innocence are the requirements that are vital to those in the highest social ladder.  Also in their inner faculties lack the basis to receive raining for their immediate missions and specific statuses.  To be of high standing, which is external, does not serve as excuse.
There is a gulf between a father and a ruler, between a poverty-stricken man and a rich man who sighs under an even greater agony, between an ignorant human and a knowledgeable person of unquestionable reputation, between an idle person and a genius whose eagle-like power is capable of influencing the whole world.
However, if a man of high social scale lacks true sense of humanity, he will be under dark clouds.  But a well-educated man of humanity, even living in a humble hut, will radiate pure, noble grandeur of a gratified human.
Therefore, if a ruler desires a wise and just law for his prisoner, he will probably only waste a purse full of gold as the expense for the purpose.  However, if he acts with full humanity at courts-martial and at offices of hunting and taxes, and if he behaves with true fatherly feeling at home, then he will be able to educate judges and guards of his prisoner in a wise, sincere and fatherly manner.
Without these, the text of the most excellent law does not differ much from the love of neighbors in the mouth of a pitiless man.
You rulers—you are probably far, far away from the blessing that you seek.
However, the number of fathers, who are in a far humbler state, handle their perverse sons very wisely.  Rulers, you must acquire wisdom in the tears of those fathers that are shed over their sleepless nights and in their pains of heavy burden in the daytime, and also for the sake of your prisoners.  And give your mighty power to those who seek wisdom in these ways of life.  Rulers, you must know that blessing in this world is none other than educated humanity and that only by humanity may function all the power of enlightenment, wisdom and all the inner blessing of the law.

***************

Human!  Yourself, your nature and inner feeling of your various faculties are the initial theme of Nature that educates men.
However, you do not live on the earth only for yourself.  Therefore Nature educated you for the sake of, and according to, your relation with the outer world.
Human!  This relation, the closer it is to a human, the more important it proves in educating your nature, in order for you to accomplish your mission.
The power attained from closer relation is always the source of human wisdom and power in contrast to the power from distant relation.
It is fatherly feeling that educates a ruler—and brotherly feeling educates the citizen.  The former produces order at home, and the later, in the state.
A human’s relation at home is the initial, most excellent relation with Nature.
A human, in order to enjoy pure blessing of happiness at home, works hard and bears the burden of the responsibility of civil rights.
Therefore education of a human in respect of his occupation and class distinction must be subordinated to the ultimate objective of the enjoyment of true happiness of a home.
Therefore a father’s home is the basis of all true and natural education of a human.
A father’s home is the school of moral and of the state.
A human, first, is a child and then an apprentice in an occupation.
A child’s virtue in his blessing during his apprenticeship, and it is also the initial training of his qualities in order to enjoy all blessings throughout his life.
A man who, apart from this Order of Nature, forces training in regard of class distinction, occupation, ruling or service unnaturally, is a man that leads mankind to the sea full of rocks away from the most natural enjoyment of blessings.
A human must be educated so as to be able to secure inner peace, to be satisfied with his status and attainable delights, to forbear whatever obstacle there may be, to be sincere and to believe in his father’s love.  These are the very education toward human wisdom.
Without inner peace, a human wanders in the path of wilderness.  Desire or aspiration for unattainable and distant objects deprives him of all delights that are close by and also of all power of a wise, forbearing and obedient mind.
When emotion is no longer active through inner peace, the power of emotion weakens a human in the innermost of himself, and makes him suffer with gloomy agony, even when wise men are cheerful and smiling.
A man who does not know the limit of satisfaction is angered even in the peace of his home, or because his dancing on a festive day, his violin performance at a concert or his lecture in an auditorium do not receive an applause.
Peace of mind and calm delights are the initial objective of human education and his lifelong treasures.  Human!  Your knowledge and sense of pride have to be subordinated to his high objective.  Otherwise, curiosity and pride will provide an unbearable affliction and misery.
Human beings, children of the earth!  Do not you see or feel how your upper classes have lost their inner power of education?  Do not you see how the fact that the upper classes keep at a distance from Nature’s wise Order brings forth vain and wild misery to them and down to the populace?  Earth! Do not you feel how a number of generations of mankind rush to the wild, dazzling stage of life in order to show off their knowledge and to satisfy their pride, away from pure blessings of their relation at home?
Far off, mankind wander astray.

***************

God is the nearest relation to mankind.
Human!  Your home, or the wisest delight in there, do not always give you peace of mind.
In order to forbear merciless violence, the grave and death, your tender, good and sensitively educated nature has no power as yet.
God is the father of your home, the source of your blessings and you own father—in such belief you will be able to find peace, power and wisdom that no violence nor a grave is capable of giving shock to you.
Belief in God is the highest human emotion in his nature, and it is mankind’s childlike feeling in contrast to God’s fatherly feeling.
Faith in God—the source of comfort in life—comfort in life is the source of inner order—inner order is the source of orderly application of our various faculties.  The order in applying our faculties is the source of development and training of various faculties toward wisdom.  Wisdom is the source of blessings of all mankind.
Faith in God is the source of all wisdom and blessings and also the Way of Nature toward true education of mankind.
Faith in God lies in the nature of mankind.  Same as the feeling of good and evil and the undeniable feeling of just and unjust, faith in God lies firm in our nature.
Faith in God is shared by people, however low their lives may be, wherever they are, and it is the power of mankind however high in rank, and it gives strength to mankind, however low their lives.
Faith in God is not the result nor the solution of educated wisdom.  It is pure feeling of simplicity and the innocent ear that listens to the call of Nature that God—the Father—is there.
Childlike feeling and obedience are not the result of accomplished education nor the solution that follows, but they must form earlier and initial basis of human education.
Neither wise men’s astonishment at the profundity of Creation nor their search for the depth of the Creator educates mankind toward this faith.  It may be that a searcher goes astray in the profound Creation or wanders about in the water of the depth, far away from the source of unfathomable oceans.
The fact that God is there as the father to a human in his humble hut—God that is in the innermost of my nature—God—the giver of my gifts and the delight of my life—He is the very educator of mankind toward faith and the very power of Nature that builds all faiths on delights and experience.
Will you be moved, you human beings!—I call to the nation—the theory that good dominates—will it move you?  The moral that happiness dominates over unhappiness—does it comfort you or give you peace of mind?  When the flames of agony burn over your head and destroy you, will these words in the mouth of wise men comfort you?

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However, if your father strengthens your nature in your innermost heart, brightens your daily life, reinforce your power to resist grief and show you the dominant delight of blessing in the depth of your heart, then you will enjoy Nature’s education that leads to faith in God.
The bread that my child eats from my hand educates his feelings as a child, and it is not his surprise to see my anxiety over sleepless nights about his future that educates his feeling.  Many judgments of my conducts are so indiscreet as to mislead his mind away from me.
Simplicity and innocence, purely humanistic feeling of gratitude and love, are the source of faith.
From true childlike feeling of mankind arises the hope for eternal life.  And yet, without the hope, mankind’s pure faith in God will not be alive in them.
A tyrant treating on his brothers or God’s children, gives a shudder to mankind.  Many that are stricken dead by him, their windows and their children howl, tremble, starve and die, taking all as granted as fortune.
If God is the father of a human, the day when a human dies is not the day when his nature is accomplished.
Human!  Do you have sense for truth in you?  Tell me!  Does it not go contrary to your innermost feeling to believe that God is the father of a human—and yet that the nature of a human with all his misery be accomplished?
Then it is that either God is not the father of mankind, or that death is not the accomplishment of our nature.
Human!  Your inner feeling is the trustworthy star that guides you toward truth and duty.  And yet, when the feeling tells you so mightily about immortality, do you doubt it?
Human!  Believe in yourself.  Believe in the inner feeling of your nature.  And then you will be able to believe in God and immortality.
God is the father of a human, and God’s children are immortal.
Human!  Deep in your nature is the will to listen to the voice of truth, innocence and simplicity with faith and respect.
However, simplicity and innocence are not shared by all human beings.
For many people, inner feeling of humanity is a mere play in a dream.  And faith in God and immortality built on inner feeling are often the subject of ridicule in their art.
God—that teaches me in my nature so mightily truth, wisdom, blessing, faith and immortality, to whose voice all children of God listen.  God—that is taken all equally by all tender-hearted, sensitive, pure and loving mankind—God—should not I listen, in the innermost of myself, to the teaching that is true to myself and my nature, and that cannot be other than truth?  Should I not believe in what I am or what I do?
Faith in God parts mankind into God’s children and worldly ones.  Faith in God’s goodwill as the father is the faith in immortality.
God as the father of mankind and human beings as God’s children are the true subject of faith.
Such faith in God is the emotion that mankind feel in relation to their blessing.
Fatherly and childlike feelings—such blessings at your home are the result of a human’s faith.
If you are a father of a family, enjoyment of your rights, your wife’s joyful obedience and your children’s heartfelt and moving gratitude are the result of your faith in God.
Faith in my father who is the son of God educates my faith in God.
My faith in God is the assurance of my faith in my father and all the duties at my home.

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Noble Nature—thus in the course of education it unites my duty and pleasure, and by its guidance a human makes his pilgrimage from blessings already enjoyed to new duties.
All mankind, ruler and subjects, master and servants, are educated toward special duties of their respective status by enjoyment of their first relation with Nature.
A ruler, who is God’s son, is a son of a father.
A ruler, who is a father’s son, is the father of a nation.
Subjects, that are God’s children, are a father’s children.
Subjects, that are father’s children, are ruler’s children.
The status of a ruler is the symbol of God and also the fatherhood of a nation.  The position of subjects is that children of a ruler, who is, same as his subjects, God’s child.  How soft in texture, strong and noble the fabric of mankind’s relation is woven with Nature!
Oh, how noble it is to be a member of mankind!
However, the sense of being noble does not contribute anything whatever to a depressed nation.  The knowledge that the ancient Greeks did not kill their oxen does not help it.
Father of a home—should not I call your status that of an ox by the side of a manger?  you are the master of your house and the ruler in your humble hut.  Oh, mankind in its lowest!  Oh, master and father of all!
Even in his lowest status, a servant is equal to his master in nature, and the master is responsible for gratifying the requirements of the servant’s nature.
It is none other than to educate a nation so that it may enjoy the blessing in its nature that there exists the father as its leader.
And all the nation rests by enjoying the blessing of home in true childlike trust in the ruler’s fatherly feeling for his children, and expects the ruler to fulfill his duty as a father in educating and mentally elevating his children so as to have them enjoy all blessing of mankind.
Such expectations of mankind—are they dreams?  And are their childish hopes just fancies from a slumber and exhaustion in their lowest status?
Faith in God is the very power of the hope.
Rulers who believe in God and who recognize the position of mankind as brothers find themselves responsible for all duties related to their status.  They are the men, with power of God, that are educated to give blessing to their nations.
Rulers who deny the state of God as the father and that of mankind as brothers find in their disbelief the most frightful source of destruction of faith in their duties.  Where the supreme dignity of God as the father is recognized, rulers secure their nation’s obedience as God’s deed.
And rulers who are not willing to find the source of their rights and duties in their obedience to God sit on the throne under which is the unstable base of sand that signifies the nation’s distrust in their power.
Faith in God is the bond that ties the ruler to his nation.  It is also an inner union of things related to blessing of mankind.
Disbelief is the denial of the position and duty of brotherhood in mankind.  It is identical to misjudgment and ridicule of the right of God as the father, defiant boldness in the use of violence and breach of all true bonds of what are related to the blessing of mankind.
Priests pronounce God’s position as the father and that of mankind as brothers.  Their status is the central point that unites mankind’s relation to Nature with its blessing through belief in God.
Faith in God is the source of all true fatherly and brotherly feelings of mankind and of all justice.
Justice void of fatherly and brotherly feeling is nothing but an empty theory.
Insolent justice or verdicts under the influence of devices by criminals with many years of experience, that are only to the advantage of those well-versed in the law or judges, are a mere dummy of justice and is not for the blessing of a nation.
Assurance, innocence and safety are the source of true virtue of a nation.  These are the results of wise and fatherly justice, and they come from faith.
Rush, bold courage that opposes innocence, justice and truth lacks true power of strong faith of justice in a state and it proves to be the result of disbelief.
Violent and impudent presumption that opposes justice and innocence in a nation’s spirit are the source of all weaknesses of the nation and so belief is their source.
On the contrary, fatherly feelings in a nation’s spirit are the source of all true blessings of a nation.
Therefore, a nation’s faith in God is the source of all its true virtue, blessing and power.
Crime is the cause and also the result of disbelief.  Crime is a human action that goes contrary to the inner witness of a human as regards just and unjust.  Crime is the source of confusion of our primary basic concept and pure sense of Nature, and it is loss of faith in a human himself and in his inner feeling, of his faith in God and of his childlike feeling for God.
A public crime is mankind’s defiance to God.
Hatred of crime is one of pure childlike feelings of mankind for God, and is the expression as well as the result of mankind’s faith in God’s revelation which lies in the nature of mankind.
Hatred of a public crime is a childlike feeling toward those who scoff at one’s father and mother.
A nation’s total hatred of a public criminal is the pledge and seal of a nation’s faith in, and childlike feeling for, its ruler.
A nation’s hatred of its ruler’s public insolence to God testifies to its virtue.  Its weakened virtue signifies its weakening faith in and obedience to its ruler.
Disbelief breaks all the inner ties of a society.
Disbelief of those high in social scale is the source of disobedience of the law.
Fatherly mind and natural gift of those in high ranks encourage and ensure the sense of obedience of the law.
Disbelief ruins the source of obedience.
Under a ruler who is not fatherly, a nation is not able to be encouraged to have truly grateful feeling blessed in its childlike obedience.
The results of disbelief such as daily aggravating malice, daily retreating fatherly qualities, arbitrary violence whose objective is not blessing, bizarre and unnatural political absurdities, oppressive and intrusive violence, exploitation of the nation and its weakening power to fight the intrusive violence—these are inevitable in an unfaithful reign that makes light of God and the rights of mankind.
If a nation finds a ruler using unnaturally his rights as the father, then the natural and true ties of the ruler and his nation will be broken.
The power of such ties or the good motherly human nature form the bond of citizen’s relations through mutually enjoyed blessing.
And it is the nation’s sense and feeling for the blessing of delights that purify and sanctify these relations through its gratitude to, love of and trust in, the ruler.
I touch the strings that are out of tune and do that do not play fashionable tune.  Mock me, if you would—whatever dance music or trilling songs of slander may clamor to suppress the sound from my strings, human feeling of truth and purity has no fear.
All the power of mankind brings forth blessing alone by its faith in divinity.  And a ruler’s fatherly feeling, which is the only source of blessing of all his nation, is the result of his faith in God.
Human!  However low in position you may be, if your ruler is the son of your God, his power is the father’s power.
A ruler’s cruel and presumptuous use of his power is neither out of fatherly feeling nor of his faith in God, but it ruins the ruler himself and the highest affairs of his state and also the nation’s true childlike feeling for the ruler.
Therefore may I not call it a guilt that the prejudiced courtiers behave in that manner almost as their habit?
Moreover, if that habit is taken as the right of a ruler as a father regarding good and evil, or regarding just and unjust, then it is nothing but a guilt.
If the habit disturbs family peace in the name of a ruler, without protecting the right to private possessions and disgrace the innocent, again it is nothing but a guilt.
The bond that ties mankind to its blessing and a ruler’s and his nation’s faith in God as their highest Master are mankind’s only guardian that protects them from falling off cliffs of degradation.
All disbeliefs are insolent, however faith in God and childlike feeling of mankind toward divinity add calm nobility to every power in the activities of mankind.
Fierce waste of the nature of mankind, or the courage to laugh in the face of danger or destruction, are the power of mankind that is apart from its childlike feeling for God.
The use of every smallest quality honestly and modestly, or the desire to strengthen one’s power, are Way of Nature that educates and strengthens all power.  And the Way of Nature lies in the direction of pure childlike feeling for God, however low in status of however weak in power one may be.
Disposition toward base vanity or the impulse to cover one’s weakness by the display of one’s quality or power are tendencies that may be found in the basest and weakest human, and such dispositions deviate from the Way of Nature.
Inner and outer human wisdom that is guided by the true Way of Nature signifies the status of father and a fatherly feeling.
Human in high status—you must exercise your powers for this purpose.
Fatherly feeling toward undeveloped and weak flocks of mankind—
Oh, a ruler in his high status!  Oh, powerful Goethe!
Is not fatherly feeling your duty?  Of, Goethe, I regret that your way is not always that of Nature!
Kind attention for the weak—fatherly heart in the use of one’s power—father’s objective and father’s sacrifice—these are the nobleness of mankind.
Oh, Goethe in your high status!  I look up at you from my lowest position, shudder, am silenced and sigh.
Your power is like the pressure of those big rulers who sacrifice happiness of millions of people for the glory of their states.
True blessing of mankind—it is the power, and the result of , faith.
Oh, my small room—the joy that fills it!  It is also the result of faith.
Blessed be myself and my humble hut.
It is because mankind believes in God that I am at peace in this hut.
The nation’s faith in divine priests gives peace to my life.
The divine priests are in the true state of the father of mankind.
Those are sacred—your power is God’s Light.
God’s Light is love, wisdom and fatherly feelings.
Oh, those who wander toward my hut, if only I could be even a shadow of divine power for them!
The sun—Oh, the symbol of divinity, your day is over!  You go down at the edge of my mountains.  Oh, the day of my end—Oh, the hope for the morning to come, Oh, the power of my faith.


Notes

The author of The Evening Hours of a Hermit, while writing a certain political article, in a letter, has made public similar ideas that may throw light on twenty-three passages of the above essay.  He says as follows.  Although I build all freedom on justice same as you all, nevertheless I do not know of any assured justice in this world except in case of mankind that accord with simplicity, piety and love, and that are enlightened in this accord.
The greatest, purest and most widely enjoyed justice at home in all the world has only love at its source—and yet, of all simplicities of a nation, justice at home alone brings forth blessing in the world in general.
As all justice is based on love, so is freedom based on it.  True childlike feeling is the true source of freedom based on justice, and true fatherly feeling is the source of all political power that is noble enough to do justice and to love freedom.
And yet, justice and the source of all blessings of this world and the source of love of mankind and brotherly feeling—these are based on great religious thought that we are children of God and that faith in this truth is the firm basis of all blessings of this world.  In this great religious thought is the inner spirit of all true wisdom of the state that seeks pure blessing of the nation.  Thus all inner power of moral, enlightenment and worldly wisdom is based on mankind’s faith in God.
And, to forget God or to misunderstand mankind’s relation to God as children are the source of destruction of all power of blessing such as moral, enlightenment and wisdom.  Therefore for mankind to lose their childlike feeling for God to give them education as their father.  And, to recover the lost childlike feeling is to save God’s children that are lost on the earth.
The man-God, that recovered, with agony and death, the childlike feeling for God that is lost far and wide is the Savior of the world.  he is the priest that became our Master’s sacrifice.  He is the Mediator between God and mankind that have forgotten God.  His teaching is not national philosophy of education or justice, but revelation of God as the Father to the species of God’s children that are being lost.

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[English translation by Nobuko Ui, from “Ephemeriden der Menschhiet” (erster band, Fünftes Stück. Mai 1780)]