手在小学阶段的重要意义——第一期译文

手在小学阶段的重要意义

原著：凯·贝克

翻译：陆慧  校对：金璇  排版：陈思

The use of the hand is a physiological sequence. The prehensile nature of the human hand is an evolutionary feature as is the freeing of the hands due to bipedalism. Kay Baker outlines of the human hand’s significance to the mind as found in chapter 14 of the Absorbent Mind. In this article, she has created lists that break down the implication of the hand as an expression of the mind, the hand as a companion to the mind, the hand that creates the handiwork of civilization, the hand as a way to social life through manual division of labor. The article also discusses how Montessori pedagogy utilizes the hand and its related capacities to allow the student to understand the nature of human work through the ages, and to see how the hand is the basis of Cosmic Education.

手的使用是一个生理过程。人手的可抓取性是一种进化特征，两足行走使得双手得到了释放和自由。凯·贝克在《吸收性心智》的第14章中概述了人手对大脑的重要性。在其中，她列出并解析了手作为思想表达的意义，手作为思想的伴侣的意义，手创造了文明的劳动成果，以及手工劳动通过劳动分工的方式进入社会生活的意义。文章还讨论了蒙台梭利教学法如何利用手及其相关的能力，让学生理解人类工作的本质，并了解手如何成为宇宙教育的基础。

The topic under consideration is the significance of the hand during the elementary years. It is the hand of the human being that is under consideration. In particular, the significance of the human hand in relation to the child in the second stage of childhood, the years approximately from age six to adolescence.

此处要讨论的话题是手在小学阶段的意义。讨论的是人类的手。特别是人手对于处于童年第二阶段的儿童的重要性，即大约从6岁到青春期的这几年。

First, let us consider the hand itself. A hand is a prehensile, multi-fingered extremity located at the end of each of two arms of primates, such as human beings. Prehensile means that the hand is adapted for seizing, grasping, or holding, especially by wrapping around an object. Each hand is controlled by the opposite brain hemisphere and thus handedness is determined by individual brain functioning.

首先，我们来谈谈手的本身。手是灵长类动物(比如人类)的一种多指的、善于抓握的肢体部位，位于两只手臂的末端。可抓取性指的是手适合于抓取、抓紧或握住，特别是通过包裹物体的方式。每只手都由大脑对侧半球控制，因此左右手习惯是由大脑功能决定的。

The two hands of the human being are the main structures used for manipulating the environment, used both for gross motor skills (grasping large objects—power grip) and fine motor skills (picking up a tiny pebble—precision grip). The use of the hand for these purposes is possible because of the design of four fingers and the opposable thumb. The fingertips contain some of the densest areas of nerve endings on the body.

人类的两只手是用来操纵环境的主要身体结构，既用于粗大运动技能(抓大物体——力性抓握)，也用于精细运动技能(拿起小石子——精确抓握)。由于四指和拇指相对的设计，使得手有可能性用于这些目的。指尖（部分）含有着身体上神经末梢最为密集的区域。

Two additional features of the human being are the bipedal posture that free the hands for grasping and the location of the eyes in the front that allow the stereoscopic vision necessary for controlled grasping.

人类的另外两个特征是：两足姿势，使手可以自由抓取；以及眼睛的位置在前面，允许其控制抓取所需的立体视觉。

While other animals have hands, it seems that the neural mechanism guiding hand movement is a major factor in explaining the dexterity of the human hand. It seems that the central nervous system of the human being has evolved so that the hand is a direct tool of our consciousness. The hands are a precise working organ that enables gestures that express the individual personality. Hands also enable manipulation that externalizes the thought of the human mind.

其他的动物也有手，但似乎引导手运动的神经机制是解释人手灵巧性的主要因素。人类的中枢神经系统似乎已经进化到让手成为了我们意识的直接工具。手是精确的工作器官，能做出表达个人性格的手势。手也能外在呈现人的思想。

Montessori’s Thought on the Hand

蒙特梭利对于手的思考

What does Montessori say about the hand? In chapter 14, “Intelligence and the Hand” of The Absorbent Mind, she speaks about the hand and makes several points.

关于手，蒙特梭利说过些什么呢？在《吸收性心智》的第14章“智力与手”中，她谈到了手，并且提出了几点。

• The hand expresses the thought of the human mind.

  手表现出了人类的思想。

• The work of the hand expresses itself in the handiwork of the human being, which, over the years, becomes the expression of culture and civilization.

手的工作，表现于人类的手工艺之中，多年来，成为了文化与文明的表达。

• The hand is the companion to the mind.

  手是思想的伴侣。

• The work of the hand supports social development.

  手的工作支持着社会性发展。

The Hand Expresses the Thought of the Human Mind

手表现出了人类的思想

The hand is in direct connection with man’s soul, and not only with the individual’s soul, but also with the different ways of life that men have adopted on the Earth in different places and at different times. The skill of man’s hand is bound up with the development of his mind, and in the light of history we see it connected with the development of civilization. The hands of man express his thought, and from the time of his first appearance upon the earth traces of his handiwork also appear in the records of history. (The Absorbent Mind 149)

手与人的灵魂有直接的联系，不仅与个人的灵魂有直接的联系，还与人在地球上不同地方、不同时期所采取的不同的生活方式有直接的联系。手的技能与思想的发展密切相关，从历史的角度来看，手的技能与文明的发展是有联系的。人类的双手表达着他的思想，从他在地球上出现的那一刻起，他的手工作品的痕迹便出现在了历史记录之中。（《吸收性心智》-- 第149页）

In this passage, Montessori expresses the idea that the hands are a reflection of the human personality. The hands of the human being can express in gesture what the mind is thinking. Furthermore, the hands express thought realized, that is, abstract thought made visible in concrete form.

    在这段话中，蒙台梭利表达了这样一种观点，即手是人类性格的反映。人类的双手可以用手势表达自己的思想。此外，手表示的是已实现的思想，即把抽象的思想给具体化了。

The Hand Expresses Itself in the Handiwork of the Human Being, Which, Over the Years, Becomes the Expression of Culture and Civilization

手的工作，表现于人类的手工艺之中，多年来，成为了文化与文明的表达

Everywhere we find traces of men’s handiwork, and through these we can catch a glimpse of his spirit and the thoughts of his time. (The Absorbent Mind 150)

通过我们发现的每一处人类手工作品的痕迹，我们可以一睹当时他（们）的精神与思想。（《吸收性心智 -- 第150页》）

If we want to follow the thoughts of human beings over the ages, we have only to look at their handiwork. People have always found it interesting to look back and investigate what has come before. Exhibitions of an artist’s work are presented by museums. Many history books have been written. Scientists investigate natural phenomena by dating rock formations and tracing the evolution of various forms of life. Such investigation also uncovers the influences of the past on a person’s knowledge or work.

如果我们想要追溯人类的思想，我们只要看他们的手工艺品。人们总是觉得回顾和调查过去发生的事情很有趣。艺术家的作品展览由博物馆举办。人们写了许多历史书。科学家通过测定岩层年代和追踪各种生命形式的进化来研究自然现象。这样的调查也揭示了历史对一个人的知识或工作的影响。

The Hand Is the Companion to the Mind

手是思想的伴侣

Montessori elaborates on the significance of man’s handiwork in the history of human beings. She speculates on this point. Imagine if the mind of the human being were to only think, the thoughts would remain within the mind. If the thoughts were only expressed orally, the thoughts would vanish with the spoken word. She comments:

蒙特梭利阐述了人类手工制品在人类历史上的重要性。对此，她进行了推测。想象一下，如果人类的头脑只会思考，那么思想就会停留在头脑中。如果思想只是通过口头表达，那么思想就会随着口头语言而消失。她评论道：

We can see that all the changes in man’s environment are brought about by his hands. Really, it might seem as if the whole business of intelligence is to guide their work. For if men had only used speech to communicate their thought, if their wisdom had been expressed in words alone, no traces would remain of past generations. It is thanks to the hand, the companion of the mind, that civilization has arisen. The hand has been the organ of this great gift that we inherit. (The Absorbent Mind 150)

我们可以看到，人类环境的所有变化都是由他的双手带来的。真的，看起来似乎智力的全部工作就是指导他们的工作。因为如果人们仅仅用语言来表达他们的思想，如果他们的智慧仅仅用语言来表达，那么上一代人就不会留下任何痕迹。正是由于手，思想的伴侣，文明才得以出现。手是我们继承的伟大礼物的器官。（《吸收性心智》 -- 第150页）

The fruits of the imagination are available to all human beings, over space and time, because of the work of the hand.

    正因为手的工作，人们在空间和时间上都能获得想象力的成果

Hence, the development of manual skill keeps pace with mental development. (The Absorbent Mind 149)

因此，手工技能的发展与心理发展是同步的。（吸收性心智 -- 第149页）

The hands, therefore, are connected with mental life. (151)

因此，双手与精神生活是息息相关的。

The intelligence manifests in the work of the hand. Further, in the act of work, the human intelligence is further developed. If one is interested in the development of the intelligence of the human being, one must be interested in the hand. As the mind develops, the hand acts and as the hand acts, the mind further develops.

智力表现于手的工作中。而且，在工作中，人的智力得到了进一步的发展。如果有人对于人的智力发展感兴趣，这个人也一定对手感兴趣。头脑的发展，通过双手工作表现出来；而动手的活动，使得头脑得到进一步发展。

The Work of the Hand Supports Social Development

手的工作支持着社会性发展

There is another aspect of the human being that Montessori discusses in relation to the work of the hand.

蒙特梭利还讨论了与手的工作相关的另一个方面。

We may put it like this: The child’s intelligence can develop to a certain level without the help of his hand. But if it develops with his hand, then the level it reaches is higher, and the child’s character is stronger.... Those children who have been able to work with their hands make headway in their development and reach a strength of character which is conspicuous. (The Absorbent Mind 151)

我们可以这样说：在没有手的帮助下，孩子的智力能够发展到某一水平。但如果在双手（的帮助下），那么会发展到一个更高的水平，孩子的性格也会更坚强……那些已经有能力用自己的双手工作的孩子们，他们的发展取得了进步，并形成了一种引人注目的性格力量。（《吸收性心智 -- 第151页》）

The human being is social and associates with other human beings, including human groups such as families, tribes, and nations. As a result of social interactions, human society has developed having a wide variety of values and rituals. There are patterns of behavior governing such social interactions and together these patterns such as language, beliefs, ceremonies, and social norms, form the way of life for the social human being.

人类是有社交性的，与其他人也有关联，包括家庭、部落和国家等人类群体。作为社会互动的结果，人类社会发展出了各种各样的价值观和仪式。有一些行为模式支配着这种社会互动，比如：语言、信仰、庆祝仪式和社会规范，共同形成了社会人的生活方式。

But to us the children have themselves revealed that discipline is the result of an entire development only, of mental functioning aided by manual activity.... Tribes, groups, nations are the results of such spontaneous discipline and association. (To Educate the Human Potential 13)

孩子们已经向我们表明，纪律是通过手工劳作辅助心理功能从而带来全面发展的结果。部落、团体、民族，就是这种自发的纪律和联合起来产生的结果。（《教育人类的潜能 -- 第13页》）

A child born into a culture adapts to that culture. Montessori’s comment is that if “a child has been unable to use his hands, his character remains at a low stage in its formation: he is incapable of obedience, has no initiative, and seems lazy and sad” (The Absorbent Mind 151). 

出生在一种文化中的孩子会适应这种文化。蒙台梭利的评论是，如果“一个孩子已经不能使用他的双手，他的性格则会处于比较低的层次，他不能服从，没有主动性，而且看起来懒惰和不快乐”(《吸收性心智》-- 第151页)。

These traits would be deemed negative traits in a person. Such a person would not be as acceptable to the group and hence may suffer from shunning by the group, would not work and therefore could not work, and would have a depressing effect on others. Not only would there be loss for the individual but there would be a loss to human society.

这些特质会被认为是一个人的负面特质。这样的人不会被群体所接受，也因此可能遭受群体的排斥，不去工作；因此不能工作，并会对他人产生负面的影响。这不仅是对个人的损失，也是对人类社会的损失。

If his hand wishes to work we must provide him with things on which he can exercise an intelligent activity. (The Absorbent Mind 154)

如果他的手愿意工作，我们则一定要提供给他能让他进行智力活动的东西。（《吸收性心智》-- 第154页）

It would seem from these thoughts regarding the human being and the hand that the child must have the opportunity to prepare the self for the work of the hand that stimulates the development of intelligence which in turn allows for further intelligent work of the hand.

从这些关于人类和手的想法看来，孩子必须要有机会去为手的工作做好自我准备，这将刺激智力的发展，反过来，这又允许手进一步做智能的工作。

The significance of the work of the hand is twofold: The hand is the instrument of the mind and, when used, allows the intelligence to develop; and the work of the hand allows the character of the child to develop. Both developments are necessary for the adaptation of the child to life as a human being, an individual who lives as part of a social group.

手的工作的意义有两方面：手是脑的工具，动手时，智力得到发展；手的工作，也使孩子的性格得以发展。这两种发展对于孩子适应作为一个人、社群中的一份子而生活是必要的。

Implications of the Work of the Hand on Child Development

手的工作对于儿童发展的影响

In the pedagogical tradition of Maria Montessori, we speak about aiding the life of the child and assisting the development of the child. We use many technical terms to explicate and implement this pedagogy: human needs and tendencies, self-construction, the absorbent mind, the reasoning mind, sensitive periods, psychological characteristics, sensorial, imagination, independence, materialized abstractions, isolation of difficulty, freedom and responsibility. There are specific material objects designed to provide children with sensorial experience of abstractions such as geometric shapes, letter sounds, and numbers. All of these ideas are important to the ability of the adult to assist the development of the child.

在玛丽亚·蒙特梭利的教育传统中，我们谈论的是辅助孩子的生活和辅助孩子的发展。我们使用了许多专业术语来阐述和实施这一教学方法：人的需求和倾向、自我建构、吸收性心智、推理性思维、敏感期、心理特征、感官的、想象力、独立性、抽象具体化、孤立难点、自由和责任。有专门的向儿童提供抽象概念的感官经验的教具，如几何形状、字母的声音、和数字。对成年人具备的帮助儿童发展的能力来说，这些概念都很重要。

These ideas have come from the thought of Maria Montessori and her thought realized. They form part of our culture. For these thoughts, we give thanks and then turn our attention to how these thoughts can help us to assist the adaptation of the child. What can the adult do to truly assist the development of the child?

这些概念都来源于蒙特梭利的思想，并且她的思想也得以实现了。它们是我们文化的一部分。对于这些概念，我们表示感谢，然后我们将注意力转向这些概念如何帮助我们去辅助孩子的适应。成年人能做些什么来真正帮助到孩子的发展呢?