監獄教育
在為期11週的課程期間，學生們與郭怡慧老師一同前往台北少年觀護所，帶領少女進行閱讀與創作。課程的靈感來自加拿大「Walls to Bridges」與美國「Inside-Out」等知名監所教育計畫，強調高等教育應超越空間限制，在監所中也能實現深度學習與彼此理解。在這些計畫中，獄內的學員被稱為「inside students」，大學學生則為「outside students」，象徵一種平等對話與互為主體的關係。同時，更以「We are one, not the other.」作為課程核心精神，期望透過詩歌、書本與交流，打破標籤與隔閡。
詩歌與繪本創作
“I didn’t know I could write a poem,” a NCCU student told me, after he turned in a ten-page poem imagining the experience of an Indonesian immigrant in Taiwan. There are few words that could make me happier as a teacher. In the course “Storytelling and the Law,” I hoped students would come to realize that every one of us can be a storyteller. This, in turn, can enable us to feel less helpless and more powerful—because stories are powerful. Stories can change our prejudices, inspire action, and connect us to the experiences of others. While law often legitimizes power, inequality, exclusion, and the stigmatization of migrants, stories invite us to see differently.
This poster showcases excerpts from students’ ten-page poems. For this midterm assignment, I asked students to construct their poems in the style of Violaine Schwartz’s Papers (tr. Christine Gutman), a collection of poems written from the perspectives of migrants and citizens in France. We also did mock trials on asylum law, preparing direct and cross examinations; read legal judgments, excerpts of Kafka and Pietro Bartolo’s memoir about being a doctor for refugees; and watched the film Io Capitano. Students were encouraged to write in free verse, reconstructing the journey of one person. I asked: Where does your person come from? Who or what do they love? I required them to include at least one encounter with the law and another with beauty. Every student brought their own unique sensibility to the work. It’s not easy to imagine the life of another, and yet students did it with curiosity, grace, and humility.
-Michelle Kuo,
Visiting Professor at International College of Innovation (ICI)
This poster showcases excerpts from students’ ten-page poems. For this midterm assignment, I asked students to construct their poems in the style of Violaine Schwartz’s Papers (tr. Christine Gutman), a collection of poems written from the perspectives of migrants and citizens in France. We also did mock trials on asylum law, preparing direct and cross examinations; read legal judgments, excerpts of Kafka and Pietro Bartolo’s memoir about being a doctor for refugees; and watched the film Io Capitano. Students were encouraged to write in free verse, reconstructing the journey of one person. I asked: Where does your person come from? Who or what do they love? I required them to include at least one encounter with the law and another with beauty. Every student brought their own unique sensibility to the work. It’s not easy to imagine the life of another, and yet students did it with curiosity, grace, and humility.
-Michelle Kuo,
Visiting Professor at International College of Innovation (ICI)
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在第五周邀請中央大學英美語文學系教授，透過詩歌講解與創作指導，引領少年進入詩與文字的世界，啟發其語言美感與表達能力。在第八周則邀請現任繪本插畫工作者進班，帶領少年以圖像與文本結合方式進行繪本創作，拓展其藝術視野與自我想像。課程安排從閱讀文本出發，帶領少年進行角色對話練習與情節推演，進而發展出屬於自己的劇本創作。活動分為上下兩週進行腳本構思與撰寫，過程中鼓勵少年從自身經驗出發，將生活中的觀察、情緒與掙扎轉化為故事素材，創作往往也成為他們探索自我認同、表達內在迷惘的出口。這些真誠的創作歷程，也深深打動了參與的學生，成為彼此學習與理解的重要時刻。
（郭怡慧老師及政大學生特別感謝土城少年觀護所對本計畫的支持與協助，使教學與實踐得以順利推動。）
（郭怡慧老師及政大學生特別感謝土城少年觀護所對本計畫的支持與協助，使教學與實踐得以順利推動。）
學生撰寫的詩
The last time I went back to see my family, I couldn’t meet their eyes.
Stuffed with envy, yearning, and jealousy.
And all I could do was look away, clumsily,
like a fat rat dodging glances,
bumping into the wall.
When they grabbed my hand,
the one that could no longer wear the jade bracelet,
they laughed and said,
“Taiwan is really a treasure island!”
But what is there to eat? The same greasy staff meals day after day.
The compromises, the humiliations
*
When will my husband come home tonight? I don’t know.
As I cook dinner, my thoughts flee quietly, back to a time long ago.
we held hands and walked beneath the banana tree,
past the cattle in front of the neighbor’s house,
past the white-walled mosque at the edge of the village.
We just kept walking, walking, walking,
no vows,
no promises,
no destination.
I remember how tightly that boy gripped my hand,
Like a master leading his dog, scared the dog to run away.
I turned to look at him, but his eyes never looked back.
It was always like that, as if we were two parallel lines.
No cross, no intersection.
Nothing to say.
More and more young faces, whose the color same as mine,
flows into the kitchen, as we were born to cook.
Hopeful, diligent, energetic.
Whenever they talk about money,
their smile blossomed like a flower,
their eyes sparkled like a star.
No one knows how heavy
the burden on the petite back.
They miss their countries, they miss their home,
just like I do.
But I’m luckier,
no need to worry about paying back to the broker,
no need to worry about being sent back by the boss.
All I have to do,
is to step into the grave of marriage.
What a bargain. What a bargain …
The Fish in the Kitchen / Jessica
This poem was inspired by a novel called 《死亡練習》"The Labor of Love". It’s a magical realist novel that focuses on Southeast Asian immigrant women, who used to be called “foreign brides.” I tried to follow the way the book describes these women’s lives and workplaces, to show how unfairly they’re often treated in transnational marriages, where marriage becomes a kind of transaction.
In my poem, I chose the kitchen as the main setting. The main character, who comes from Indonesia, works in a greasy, hot kitchen. She feels left out by her colleagues, distant from her husband, and misunderstood by her family. She starts to lose herself and her dreams. Eventually, she gives up herself and her dreams, just like an expired fish, waiting to be sliced on the cutting board.
I chose Indonesia because I also read some pieces from the Migrant Worker Literature Awards (especially from the 4th and 9th years), and a lot of the authors were Indonesian. Even though I didn’t talk much about Indonesia directly in the poem— I focused more on her life after moving to Taiwan—I found their writing about hopes and dreams really inspiring.
I also quoted a song in the poem. It’s called 〈日久他鄉是故鄉〉 by the band 交工樂隊. The song was written for literacy classes for immigrant women. I used part of the lyrics to show how confused and lost the main character felt after getting married and moving to Taiwan. At the end of the poem, I used the song’s name to show that she’s starting to accept her situation, even if it’s not perfect. A friend I worked with while studying "The Labor of Love" introduced me to the song, and it really helped me understand the emotions and struggles immigrant women go through.
Stuffed with envy, yearning, and jealousy.
And all I could do was look away, clumsily,
like a fat rat dodging glances,
bumping into the wall.
When they grabbed my hand,
the one that could no longer wear the jade bracelet,
they laughed and said,
“Taiwan is really a treasure island!”
But what is there to eat? The same greasy staff meals day after day.
The compromises, the humiliations
*
When will my husband come home tonight? I don’t know.
As I cook dinner, my thoughts flee quietly, back to a time long ago.
we held hands and walked beneath the banana tree,
past the cattle in front of the neighbor’s house,
past the white-walled mosque at the edge of the village.
We just kept walking, walking, walking,
no vows,
no promises,
no destination.
I remember how tightly that boy gripped my hand,
Like a master leading his dog, scared the dog to run away.
I turned to look at him, but his eyes never looked back.
It was always like that, as if we were two parallel lines.
No cross, no intersection.
Nothing to say.
More and more young faces, whose the color same as mine,
flows into the kitchen, as we were born to cook.
Hopeful, diligent, energetic.
Whenever they talk about money,
their smile blossomed like a flower,
their eyes sparkled like a star.
No one knows how heavy
the burden on the petite back.
They miss their countries, they miss their home,
just like I do.
But I’m luckier,
no need to worry about paying back to the broker,
no need to worry about being sent back by the boss.
All I have to do,
is to step into the grave of marriage.
What a bargain. What a bargain …
The Fish in the Kitchen / Jessica
This poem was inspired by a novel called 《死亡練習》"The Labor of Love". It’s a magical realist novel that focuses on Southeast Asian immigrant women, who used to be called “foreign brides.” I tried to follow the way the book describes these women’s lives and workplaces, to show how unfairly they’re often treated in transnational marriages, where marriage becomes a kind of transaction.
In my poem, I chose the kitchen as the main setting. The main character, who comes from Indonesia, works in a greasy, hot kitchen. She feels left out by her colleagues, distant from her husband, and misunderstood by her family. She starts to lose herself and her dreams. Eventually, she gives up herself and her dreams, just like an expired fish, waiting to be sliced on the cutting board.
I chose Indonesia because I also read some pieces from the Migrant Worker Literature Awards (especially from the 4th and 9th years), and a lot of the authors were Indonesian. Even though I didn’t talk much about Indonesia directly in the poem— I focused more on her life after moving to Taiwan—I found their writing about hopes and dreams really inspiring.
I also quoted a song in the poem. It’s called 〈日久他鄉是故鄉〉 by the band 交工樂隊. The song was written for literacy classes for immigrant women. I used part of the lyrics to show how confused and lost the main character felt after getting married and moving to Taiwan. At the end of the poem, I used the song’s name to show that she’s starting to accept her situation, even if it’s not perfect. A friend I worked with while studying "The Labor of Love" introduced me to the song, and it really helped me understand the emotions and struggles immigrant women go through.
Let's start the journey to Italy
For the much better job opportunity
For the much better living environment
For the much better social welfare
For the much better future
Hey, my best bro, Moussa
Time for us
to start the adventure
Though I have to leave my family forever
Though I have to leave my friends forever
Though maybe I'll be arrested for illegal
immigration
Though maybe I'll be dead due to the extremely dangerous journey
I still want to see the broader world
I still want to have a chance to be rich
I still want to make more money for my family
I have extremely strong will to change, change, change
In order not to be narrow-minded
In order not to be poor
In order not to be
weak anymore
In order to be an independent man
*
Don't believe that Law will protect us
anymore
Law won't stand for justice anymore
Law becomes tool that other governments
use so as to
Rob our all money
Send us to the prison
Despise us like filth
But no longer consider us to be human
Torture us inhumanely
Ignore our life
Trade us in order to increase their money
Io Capitano / Victor
After watching the movie "Io Capitano" that Teacher Michelle showed us in class, I was deeply moved by the brothers, the protagonists. Even though they had to endure the ravages of nature and the inhumane torture of illegal immigrants by other governments in a society ruled by man, they still insisted on going to their destination, Italy. Moussa was originally timid and did not dare to drive the boat. When faced with the cruel reality that others would only say "I am willing to help you" but not actually take action, Moussa's state of mind changed and he became a captain who could take charge of heavy responsibilities. I admire him very much. Therefore, I chose this movie as the theme, and looked at the current immigration legal, survival, economic and other difficulties from the narrative perspectives of the two brothers, and also let readers appreciate the strong and growing will of the two brothers.
In addition, I would also like to thank the teacher for providing us
with the opportunity to appreciate other students' poems in class, from which I benefited a lot. I would also like to thank my classmate Grace Allen for patiently providing me with many good suggestions on writing poems. I am very grateful to Grace and I would also like to strongly recommend Grace's works!!!
For the much better job opportunity
For the much better living environment
For the much better social welfare
For the much better future
Hey, my best bro, Moussa
Time for us
to start the adventure
Though I have to leave my family forever
Though I have to leave my friends forever
Though maybe I'll be arrested for illegal
immigration
Though maybe I'll be dead due to the extremely dangerous journey
I still want to see the broader world
I still want to have a chance to be rich
I still want to make more money for my family
I have extremely strong will to change, change, change
In order not to be narrow-minded
In order not to be poor
In order not to be
weak anymore
In order to be an independent man
*
Don't believe that Law will protect us
anymore
Law won't stand for justice anymore
Law becomes tool that other governments
use so as to
Rob our all money
Send us to the prison
Despise us like filth
But no longer consider us to be human
Torture us inhumanely
Ignore our life
Trade us in order to increase their money
Io Capitano / Victor
After watching the movie "Io Capitano" that Teacher Michelle showed us in class, I was deeply moved by the brothers, the protagonists. Even though they had to endure the ravages of nature and the inhumane torture of illegal immigrants by other governments in a society ruled by man, they still insisted on going to their destination, Italy. Moussa was originally timid and did not dare to drive the boat. When faced with the cruel reality that others would only say "I am willing to help you" but not actually take action, Moussa's state of mind changed and he became a captain who could take charge of heavy responsibilities. I admire him very much. Therefore, I chose this movie as the theme, and looked at the current immigration legal, survival, economic and other difficulties from the narrative perspectives of the two brothers, and also let readers appreciate the strong and growing will of the two brothers.
In addition, I would also like to thank the teacher for providing us
with the opportunity to appreciate other students' poems in class, from which I benefited a lot. I would also like to thank my classmate Grace Allen for patiently providing me with many good suggestions on writing poems. I am very grateful to Grace and I would also like to strongly recommend Grace's works!!!
