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Cultural Speech -- Local Language

Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. My name is Karola and I am a Javanese who teach English.

I have two nephews, aged about 8 years old, who were born and raised in the land of Java, yet they cannot speak Javanese. They can speak English fluently though. I have another nephew who is younger than my other nephews, he called his aunt as “aunty” instead of “tante”. He was also born and raised here. I love seeing these kids learn English in such a young age, but I hate seeing them not being able to speak their mother’s language. Don’t get me wrong, mastering English since a child is a good thing, but when we cannot speak our own local language, is it a good thing or we are slowly forgetting who we are?

There are plenty important things of the local language. Yousefi on her article called ��The Importance of Children Learning their Native Languages” wrote, “Learning your native language also helps connect you to your ancestors and culture in a way that many other things don’t.” Cuevas on his article with similar topic also wrote that we can communicate with our own people without feeling rejected and the chance to get a deeper understanding in global issues is higher.

A Filipino writer, Jenie Gabriel, stated that our mother language can strengthen our cultural identity and family ties. A data from Intercultural Development Research Association (IDRA) showed that by remaining to learn the mother tongue after childhood can help us learn how to respect our roots. When we learn our mother language, it’s all about valuing the culture and the heritage we have, and it contributes to a positive self-concept. Without those two things, can we identify ourselves? Imagine if we cannot understand our mother tongue, we probably would not be able to speak to our ancestors and we can be lost knowing who we really are.

Learning international language, in this case it is English, also has its own importance. As I mentioned before, English is an international language that is used by many people around the world. I have been in a place where there was Indonesians, Japanese, Korean, Thai, Filipino, African, and Australians. The language we used to communicate was English. That was when I realized that English was that huge. English is use broadly, in science field, computers, tourism, and many more. Kim Renner, a writer who works for English New Zealand said that by mastering English, there is a higher chance for someone to be hired in a company, especially multinational company. When I opened the site of English New Zealand, I realized that it is one of many internet websites that is written in English. Meaning, if you can understand English, you can surf more, you can ask or take part in forums and discussion on the internet because English is also the language that is used the most there.

Since English is used by many people, it opens up the chance for someone to go abroad, to go big. Many scholarships offer great programs in English. Indonesia’s biggest scholarship giver, Lembaga Pengelola Dana Pendidikan (LPDP), has sent many people overseas. One of the terms to get a scholarship from them is you have to get at least 75 in TOEFL iBT/IELTS if you have letter of acceptance unconditional. If you do not have any letter of acceptance unconditional, you have to get at least 80 in TOEFL iBT/IELTS. It would be easier for you if you can speak in English to get the scholarship and to take the classes it offers.

So, how to overcome those two things? Here’s my suggestion, let children learn the mother tongue first to get the understanding about his or her identity, then let them learn English when they get a little bit older. English is now commonly spoken in school, so I think it would be better if the mother language is used at home. Not only it is cool to be able to speak more than one language, but it is also helpful and useful for the children’s later life.

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Playing Charades to Improve Students’ Vocabularies

Introduction

One night, just a few days after my sister got back from Japan for her study, she got an idea to play a game called Charades. She asked me to use English in the entire game because she felt like her English was downgrading. I agreed to do so. After downloading the game on her phone, we started playing it. My sister gave me the clues, I was the one who had to guess, and since we both love watching TV series, it was a theme that we picked. There were some titles that my sister was not familiar with, so she had to be very creative to make the clues. We had so much fun, we did not guess a lot, but we surely laughed a lot.  

There was one thing I noticed about the game. My sister was actually trying to use words in a language she had not used in the past year or so. Even though English is widely spoken and it can be referred as a global language (Graddol, 1997), the Japanese see English as a useful language for a selection of modern function, but it is not useful for domestic and local ones (Benson, 1991). That is why when she was away, she always spoke in Japanese because none of her friends really understood English and they preferred to use their local language. By using English through the entire game, it was her chance to be able to speak in the global language again. I realized that what she did was improving her English skill and she wanted to improve it in an informal way.  So, I thought, if my sister could learn English through this game, others might be able to do the same, especially in a classroom. Sometimes, the students can be bored in class because the material was not interesting or the material was not relevant for them and activities in which they learn with and from peers are the most exciting and engaging (Yazzie-Mintz, 2007).

Playing charades can be a new way for the students to learn vocabularies, speaking, listening, and teamwork. Also, according to DeVries & Edwards (1973), “using a game might create greater student peer tutoring, less perceived difficulty, and greater satisfaction with the class” (p. 307). Teachers should use this game in class so the students can improve their English and teamwork skills in a fun way.

 Literature Review

Vocabularies are very important in every language. Even when someone is travelling to new places, that person will bring a vocabulary book, not a grammar book. There is a myth that says that vocabulary is not as important as grammar especially in learning a foreign language. This myth was refuted by Folse (2004) who believes that “without vocabulary, comprehensible input is neither comprehensible nor input” (p. 2). Folse is not the only one who has such point of view. Alqahtani (2016) also sees it as a critical instrument for second language because when we have a limitation in vocabularies, a hurdle in communication will be faced.

The main goal of studying vocabulary is so the learners can communicate in the target language better since it is quite crucial in a foreign language environment and also because it can improve the capacity to learn more on other aspects (Leinonen, 2013). A study found that “word frequency is still an important criterion of vocabulary selection for language teaching” (Honeyfield, 1977, p. 35). Someone’s ability in vocabulary may differ on one towards another, it may also be an unpredictable specialized development, but it is still the best index to estimate the result in almost all of the other language skills (Schmitt, 2000). Hyso and Tabaku (2011) highlight that “the effectiveness in vocabulary learning depends on the strategies students use” (p. 61). Schmitt (2000) also indicates that:

Language contain huge numbers of words. Learning process is not an all-or-nothing process in which a word is suddenly and completely available for use. Knowledge of individual words grows over time, both in our ability to use them receptively and productively and in the different kinds of words knowledge we come to master. (p. 6)

Teachers can avoid a conventional and boring lesson by using games. Games can stimulate the students to learn more by making them competitive and by turning a boring class into an amusing one (Deesri, 2002).

By inviting intrinsic motivation, suspending one's social reality, reducing stress, and creating a state of relaxed alertness, fun can be seen as a powerful tool to enhance a motivating and safe learning environment (Bisson & Luckner, 1996, p. 111).

Furthermore, Sigurðardóttir (2010) writes that in teaching languages, games should be used as a method because students can become more energetic in the entire course. Games that involve activities which set goals, have clear rules, and bring fun can be important in English classroom even though there are still teachers who are not aware of them as a learning approach (Gozcu & Caganaga, 2016).

Even though games are meant to be exciting and relaxed, teachers still need to pay attention to certain stuff like making sure that every student has fun when they play the game, realising that not all games are suitable for certain students and/or the location (classroom), choosing a game that is not too difficult and/or too easy, and making sure that the details of the rules have been explained very well to the students (Sigurðardóttir, 2010). According to Bakhsh (2016) there are two things that should be considered in using games to teach vocabulary, “the first is grouping the students and the second is giving explanation and instruction about the game” (p. 123). Mubaslat (2012) states that unambiguous instructions and well-defined aims of the games are important, keep in mind that the game must be amusing as well. By using games in classroom, benefits may be received by both the students and the teacher who may also get the educational outcomes.

Hainey et al. (2013) claim that “playing a game becomes meaningful and supports learning when the relationships between actions and outcomes in a game are both discernible and integrated into the larger context of the game” (p. 476). A study done by Dewi et al. (2016) shows “that using communicative game as means of instruction improved the students’ achievement and results of speaking skill” (p. 69).

Bisson & Luckner (1996) declares that “when we are fully engaged in an experience, and having fun, we momentarily lose our social inhibitions” (p. 110). Five out of six studies that Randel et al. (1992) have done shows that “games can teach language arts effectively, particularly when specific objectives are targeted” (p. 269) and twelve out of fifteen studies shows that “simulations or games show greater retention over time than conventional classroom instruction” (p. 269)”

Games are very encouraging because they are entertaining and stimulating at the same time and it is essential in choosing what games must be used in the classroom so that they can match with what the students need and the learning style itself (Ersoz, 2011). Bisson & Luckner (1996) also believe that learners can turn a negativity into a positivity when they experience a fun moment.

In order to answer the questions of how often teachers use games in their classrooms, what kind of games they use, and how students react and learn vocabulary through charades, I will use a qualitative data by observing and doing interviews to teachers and students. Two teachers and three students will be the participants in this research.

 Methodology

           For this research, I will gain the data from a private Catholic junior high school that is located in a Special Region of Yogyakarta, Panji Budi (henceforth PB) Junior High School. There are about 259 students in each level and 3 English teachers in the school. One of the teachers has been teaching there for more than thirteen years and the others just recently work there.

           The data will be collected from two English teachers and three eighth grader students. One English teacher that will be picked will be the one who has a lot of experience in teaching and another will be a teacher that still has little experience in it. The students whom I will pick will be those whose English grades are high, average, and low. The reason why I select such participants is because I believe that each of them will be a representative to each of their level

A qualitative data will be used in this paper. Observations in class and interviews from all the participants will be conducted to gather the data. The teachers will be questioned on how often the use games in their classes and what kind of games they use and the students will be questioned on how they react and learn vocabulary through this game.

 Planning

a.      Time Plan

Below is the information of my seven-week plan for my research project. I need one week to prepare all the important things before I can start to conduct my research. I will spend four weeks in PB Junior High School to conduct the research and two weeks to collect all the data. The following table is the time plan and the actions I will do.

Table 1: Research Phases and Time Plan

b.      Risks and Contingency Plan

In this research, I am sure there will be some problems that might occur. Those problems can be caused by the participants or any other people who are involved in this research. Table 2 below contains the risks that might happen later in the process of doing this research.

Table 2: Research Risks and Provision for Alternatives

References

Alqahtani, M. (2015). The importance of vocabulary in language learning and how to be taught. International Journal of Teaching and Education, 3(3), 21-34.

Bakhsh, S. A. (2016). Using Games as a Tool in Teaching Vocabulary to Young Learners. English Language Teaching, 9(7), 120-128.

Benson, M. J. (1991). Attitudes and motivation towards English: A survey of Japanese freshmen. RELC journal, 22(1), 34-48.

Bisson, C., & Luckner, J. (1996). Fun in learning: The pedagogical role of fun in adventure education. Journal of Experiential Education, 19(2), 108-112.

Deesri, A. (2002). Games in the ESL and EFL class. The Internet TESL Journal, 8(9), 1-5.

DeVries, D. L., & Edwards, K. J. (1973). Learning games and student teams: Their effects on classroom process. American Educational Research Journal, 10(4), 307-318.

Dewi, R. S., Kultsum, U., & Armadi, A. (2016). Using Communicative Games in Improving Students’ Speaking Skills. English Language Teaching, 10(1), 63-71.

Ersoz, A. (2000). Six games for the EFL/ESL classroom. The Internet TESL Journal, 6(6), 22-30.

Folse, K. S. (2004). Myths about teaching and learning second language vocabulary: What recent research says. TESL reporter, 37(2), 1-13.

Graddol, D. (1997). The future of English?: A guide to forecasting the popularity of the English language in the 21st century. British Council.

Gozcu, E., & Caganaga, C. K. (2016). The Importance of Using Games in EFL Classrooms. Cypriot Journal of Educational Sciences, 11(3), 126-135.

Hainey, T., Westera, W., Connolly, T. M., Boyle, L., Baxter, G., Beeby, R. B., & Soflano, M. (2013). Students' attitudes toward playing games and using games in education: comparing Scotland and the Netherlands. Computers & Education, 69, 474-484.

Honeyfield, J. (1977). Word frequency and the importance of context in vocabulary learning. RELC journal, 8(2), 35-42.

Hyso, K., & Tabaku, E. (2011). IMPORTANCE OF VOCABULARY TEACHING TO ADVANCED FOREIGN LANGUAGE STUDENTS IN IMPROVING READING COMPREHENSION. Problems of Education in the 21st Century, 29. 53-62.

Mubaslat, M. M. (2012). The Effect of Using Educational Games on the Students' Achievement in English Language for the Primary Stage. Online Submission.

Randel, J. M., Morris, B. A., Wetzel, C. D., & Whitehill, B. V. (1992). The effectiveness of games for educational purposes: A review of recent research. Simulation & gaming, 23(3), 261-276.

Sigurðardóttir, S. D. (2010). The use of game in the English language classroom. Retrieved from https://skemman.is/bitstream/1946/6467/1/Sigridurdogg2010.pdf

Schmitt, N. (2000). Vocabulary in Language Teaching. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press

Yazzie-Mintz, E. (2007). Voices of Students on Engagement: A Report on the 2006 High School Survey of Student Engagement. Center for Evaluation and Education Policy, Indiana University. 1-12.

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What We Can Do For Autistic Kids

Everybody is unique, we all know that. We have different needs and we have different way of life. Same thing goes with autistic kids, each of them do also have different needs. The thing about autistic kids is they cannot fully recovered, but we can make them to better ones. That is why each autism intervention plan should be tailored to address specific needs. The solutions for autistic kids involve behavioural treatments. The common ones are Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) and Early Start Denver Model. This solution is needed so they can to improve their social and motor skills and go on to live happy and normal lives. 

ABA or Applied Behaviour Analysis focuses on the principles that explain how learning takes places. Since the early 1960’s, ABA has been used by hundreds of therapists to teach communication, play, social, academic, self-care, work, and community living skills, and to reduce problems behaviours in learners with autism. ABA is a little bit difficult to understand but once you see it in action, you will get the idea of how it works. The therapy sessions involve one-on-one interaction between the behaviour analyst and the participant but group instruction can likewise prove useful too.

So what are the techniques of this therapy? Well, the instructor uses a variety of behaviour analytic procedures, some of which are directed by the instructor and others are initiated by the learner. Parents and/or other family members and caregivers also receive training so they can support learning and skill practice throughout the day. The learners receives an abundance of positive reinforcement for demonstrating useful skills and socially appropriate behaviours. The emphasis on positive social interactions and enjoyable learning. Besides that, he learner also receives no reinforcement for behaviours that pose harm or prevent learning. The consequence of this therapy depends on the behaviour which can include positive reinforcement of the desired behaviour or no reaction for incorrect responses.

All ABA programs have similar elements, those are discrete trial teaching, programming for generalization to the natural environment, reinforcement, prompting and fading strategies, and outcome-based decision-making. One of the examples is discrete trial teaching, this is technique is simple, the instructors break a task down into smaller and more teachable components, and teaching each component separately. Also, the kids get rewards for every correct response she/he makes. Another therapy for the autistic kids is the Early Start Denver Model (ESDM). This is a comprehensive behavioural early intervention approach for kids with autism ages 12-48 months. This early intervention program integrates a relationship-focused developmental model with the well-validated teaching practices of ABA.  It also incorporates some principles of ABA, like breaking down a task into small steps and teaching each step in sequence, but the method doesn’t use discrete trials. ESDM focuses more on the naturalistic that applies behavioural analytic, deep parental involvement, interpersonal exchange and positive affect, and shared engagement with joint activities. Language and communication are also taught inside a positive, affect-based relationship. It also stresses the therapist’s relationship with the autistic kids. A relationship that is built on play that capitalizes on the child’s interests. So instead of going through flashcards at a table, they lie on the floor and tap the ground with hands and feet instead. The difference between this therapy and ABA is the ESDM therapist has to have ESDM training and certification (e.g. psychologist, behaviourist, occupational therapist, speech and language pathologist, early intervention specialist, or developmental paediatrician). 

We may have heard the dolphin therapy for the kids with neurological disorders especially autism, but does it really work? Well, I have the answer. It does not work. Most of the claims that dolphins are medical miracle workers are based on anecdotes, self-reports, or poorly designed experiments conducted by researchers who have an economic interest in the results. In psychologytoday.com, I found an article where it’s said that a group of German researches carefully observed sessions in which dolphins interacted with groups of mentally and physically handicapped kids in a Florida dolphin therapy program. They found that most of the dolphins ignored the children and there was not much ultrasonic dolphin talk going on. In fact, the children were exposed to an average of only 10 seconds of dolphins ultrasonic during each sessions. This is not nearly enough to be beneficial.

Autistic kids need the therapy, whether it’s ABA or EDSM, so they can live in a happy and normal life.  Autistic kids don’t deserve to be a joke. They deserve to live independently, to work productively, develop meaningful and fulfilling relationships and enjoy life. With better interventions and supports available, those affected by autism are having better outcomes in all spheres of life. 

  Source: "Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA)" retrieved on 16th November 2016 at https://www.autismspeaks.org/what-autism/treatment/applied-behavior-analysis-aba 

"The Early Start Denver Model (ESDM)" retrieved on 16th November 2016 at https://www.autismspeaks.org/what-autism/treatment/early-start-denver-model-esdm 

Herzog, Hal. 2011. "Does Dolphin Therapy Work?" retrieved on 16th November 2016 at https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/animals-and-us/201110/does-dolphin-therapy-work 

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We Are Childfree

“You are not a woman until you have a child.” I often hear this quote, spoken by other women who feel more superior just because they already have children. Guess what? Women are still women whether we have a child or not. Some people choose to have children and some do not choose it and both choices are not wrong. We refuse to have a child because the world is overpopulated and simply because we feel like we are not capable of taking care of a child. So, I strongly believe that society have to respect people who do not want to have any children.

The majority of childfree people, including me, think that since the world is overpopulated, we should not bring more people in the world. As I am writing this, there are approximately 7.4 billion people in the world and it will always be increasing because the birth rate is higher than the death rate. According to Population Reference Bureau and CIA (2016), there are 131.4 million births per year and 55.3 million people die each year. That means there are 250 births each minute and only 105 people die each minute. UN statistics show that the population will reach 10 billion by 2100, if worldwide fertility converges to "replacement level" by that time — if people have only enough children to replace themselves (Wolchover, 2011). Wolchover (2011) also said that many scientists think Earth has a maximum carrying capacity of 9 billion-10 billion people. If we force every woman to give a birth, the earth would not be able to hold its population.

In order to have children, someone must be financially ready. Renter (2016) said that having a baby is expensive, even when you have health insurance. That statement is supported by Laponsie (2015) who said that having a child is a major commitment – a commitment that requires spending a significant amount of money. A data that was made in 2009, in order to have a child in Indonesia, you have to spend at least Rp 25.588.000 in a year or Rp 2.130.000 per month with a note that you do not buy formula milk and/or hiring a nanny. In 2016, you have to spend at least Rp 31.596.000 per year with the same note (Dhani, 2016). We realise that we need a proper job that pays us well in order to get what the children need. We do not want to risk their future by letting them live while their parents are in debt.

The problem above can be solved by getting a job that pays well, but the next problem, which relates to mental health, might be a little difficult to be solved. Raising children also needs a good mental health. Our psychic surely affects how we behave, especially when it comes to parenting. Jaimie Byrne (2002), on his article entitled Children Living With A Mentally Ill Parents wrote that the majority of children who have a parent with a mental illness find it difficult to cope because they do not have the maturity and coping tools to deal with certain compels situations. Often children are faced with feelings of insecurity and anxiety due to the unstable relationship with their parents, maltreatment and abuse, not being properly looked after, and hearing unkind and upsetting things about their ill parent. Children do not deserve that, they deserve to live in a safe and happy environment.

Many people think that childfree is a selfish choice because all we care is about ourselves. Pope Francis (as cited in McElwee, 2015) stated that not having any children is a selfish choice. A society stingy in generation, that does not love to surround itself in children, that considers them overall a worry, a weight, a risk, is a depressed society. Yet, there are people who force themselves by having a child when they know that they are not ready be it emotionally or financially. There are also people who have children because they want their child to take care of them when they are older. “Not having kids does not interfere with the needs of any currently-living individual. If you choose to not have kids, sure, you're ignoring your non-existent children's need to be born — but luckily for you; they don't exist, so they can't complain about it very loudly.” (Moss, 2016). Spears (2014) also said, “Selfishness is morally deleterious because of an imbalance whereby the good of one is improperly subjugated to the good of another. But, in the case of whether or not to have kids, there is no other self to be accounted for.” Not having children because we know we are not capable is not selfish, forcing ourselves to have ones is.

In a nutshell, not everyone wants to have a child and that is fine because we have our own reasons. We realise that the world is overpopulated and we know that the earth will no longer able to hold more people in the future, we feel like we don’t have any skills in parenting, and simply because we do not really like children. Someone’s life is not valued on how many children we have but rather on how many goals we have reached and our goals just happen not to have any children.

    References:

Byrne, Jaimie, (2002) Children living with a mentally ill parent. Retrieved March 5, 2017 from http://www.asmfmh.org/resources/publications/children-living-with-a-mentally-ill-parent/

CIA, (2016). FIELD LISTING :: BIRTH RATE. Retrieved March 15, 2017 from https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2054.html

CIA, (2016). COUNTRY COMPARISON :: DEATH RATE. Retrieved March 15, 2017 from https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2066rank.html 

Dhani, Arman, (2016). Mahalnya Biaya Membesarkan Anak. Retrieved March 20, 2017 from https://tirto.id/mahalnya-biaya-membesarkan-anak-bofH 

LaPonsie, Maryalene, (2015). How to Make Raising Kids Less Expensive. Retrieved March 20, 2017 from http://money.usnews.com/money/personal-finance/articles/2015/11/12/how-to-make-raising-kids-less-expensive 

McElwee, Joshua J., (2015). Pope calls not having kids a 'selfish choice'. Retrieved March 23, 2017 from https://www.ncronline.org/news/vatican/pope-calls-not-having-kids-selfish-choice 

Moss, Gabrielle, (2016). 5 Reasons Choosing Not To Have Kids Isn’t Selfish. Retrieved March 24, 2017 from https://www.bustle.com/articles/140647-5-reasons-choosing-not-to-have-kids-isnt-selfish

Population Reference Bureau (PRB), (2016). PRB Projects World Population Rising 33 Percent by 2050 to Nearly 10 Billion. Retrieved March 15, 2017 from http://www.prb.org/Publications/Datasheets/2016/2016-world-population-data-sheet.aspx

Renter, Elizabeth, (2016). 15 Financial Must-Dos to Prepare for a New Baby. Retrieved March 14, 2017 from https://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/health/15-financial-must-dos-to-prepare-for-a-new-baby/

Spears, Bret, (2014). Is Not Wanting Kids Selfish? Retrieved March 24, 2017 from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bret-spears/is-not-wanting-kids-selfish_b_5597827.html 

Wolchover, Natalie, (2011). How Many People Can Earth Support? Retrieved March 24, 2017 from http://www.livescience.com/16493-people-planet-earth-support.html 

Wolchover, Natalie, (2011). How Do You Count 7 Billion People? Retrieved March 24, 2017 from  http://www.livescience.com/15656-counting-world-population.html 

[initulisanku]

School Uniform Could Raise Discipline

According to Indonesian law, students have the obligation to wear school uniform. For example, for the elementary school students must wear white shirt and red skirt or red short pants. The junior high school students must wear white shirt and blue skirt or blue short pants, and the senior high school students must wear white shirt and grey skirt or grey long pants. Many schools have addition school uniform as their identity. Yet, there are still many students who dislike wearing school uniform. Even though many students dislike wearing it, it has its own benefits such as teaching them discipline and preventing bullying.

One of the benefits of school uniform is it could teach students about discipline. In 2006, Youngstown State University found that school uniform policies improve rates of attendance and graduation in Ohio’s eight largest schools. Similar thing was found by University of Houston in 2010. They found that the average absence rate in middle and high school decreased by 7% after the introduction of uniforms. This thing could be a disaster for those who love fashion because their freedom and passion to express themselves would be suppressed. Well, they can express themselves outside the class. In addition, let’s say the students later want to be nurses or pilots, they can start learn how to wear a uniform in such a young age.

School uniforms are expensive and could create extra efforts, especially if a student attends school 6 days a week. There will be more uniforms to buy and extra efforts in washing and ironing them. Although they are expensive, school uniform can be an identity of a school and wearing it could enhance school pride, unity, and community spirit. In 2007, peer-reviewed study found that after uniforms were introduced, teachers perceived an increase in the level of respect, caring, and trust throughout the school. The students were also made to feel important and as if they are a part of a team by wearing a uniform.

In Indonesia, especially in Jakarta, there have been many fights (tawuran). One of the causes of this is school uniforms. By identifying other students’ school uniform, certain students could see that they are the target of the fights. We may have heard stories about how tawuran is hereditary. Students from School A never like students from School B and they would always fight whenever they meet. If they could identify the opponent, it would be easier to attack. This is of course a sad thing, but if we look further, wearing school uniform can actually prevent bullying. Many students who are unable to afford the newest fashions or name brand clothing are ostracized and made fun of. School uniforms put everyone on an even playing field and prevent this type of bullying from happening. In 2003, a survey by the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) and uniform manufacturer Land’s End, 86% of school leaders said that uniforms make a significant, positive impact on peer pressure. Arminta Jacobson, founder and director of the Center for Parent Education at the University of North Texas agrees on this. She stated that uniforms put all kids on the same playing field in terms of their appearance. She even thought that it gave them a sense of belonging and a feeling of being socially accepted.

Not only preventing bullying, but also preventing other bad things. A data that was made by M. Sue Stanley showed that in Long Beach, California, after two years of a mandatory uniform policy, reports of assault and battery in the district’s schools decreased by 34%, assault with a deadly weapon dropped by 50%, fighting incidents went down by 51%, sex offenses were cut by 74%, robbery dropped by 65%, possession of weapons (or weapon “look-alikes”) decreased by 52%, possession of drugs went down by 69%, and vandalism was lowered by 18%. 

In a nutshell, we have explained that wearing uniform brings many benefits to the students. Commonly, students do not like to wear uniform because of some factors such as limiting them to be creative and wasting their parent's money. Indeed, in this case of wearing uniform, without considering the purpose behind it, students think that it is better if they do not wear uniform. On the contrary, we found that a school which has policy to wear uniform is better not only in the class but also outside the class than a school which do not have that policy. Although wearing uniform has some benefits, the school still have to help students who do not have enough money to buy uniform. Besides, it will be better if the school make an option to the students about the design of the uniform. 

[initulisanku]

A Voice In My Head

I just lost a friend, but I’m not sad.

               I’m lying on a peaceful beach with a bottle of a cold beer on my right hand. The sky is blue and the birds are singing. The foam touches my toes once in a while, washing the white sands that stick to my feet. The sun isn’t shining too bright, it’s warm. This is too good to be true.

               I lost a friend, but I don’t miss her.

               The weight on my shoulders suddenly gone. The terrible thoughts on my mind disappear. I feel good. That’s all the adjective I can use right now. I don’t feel bad, I don’t feel sad. I feel good.

               I lost a friend. I remember when she held me when I wanted to do fun things. She said that those were dangerous and I could get hurt. I listened to her and I didn’t do the fun things. I remember when she told me that everyone was dangerous and I shouldn’t talk to them. I listened to her and I was afraid to ask someone for help when I needed it.

I called her Denise. She was loud and annoying but she was my closest friend. She went where I went. We slept together but no one knew about it. She was the voice in my head telling me I was not worth it.

She told me I was useless, I didn’t belong in anywhere with anyone. She forced me to stay in bed when the day was beautiful. She yelled when someone gave me a compliment. She thought that the scars on my hand would make me pretty. I stupidly listened to her.

One time when I was hanging out with my friend, when we were laughing at our jokes, when we were having a good time, she came. She said that they used me. She said they didn’t really want to be my friend. She said I should be away from them. I didn’t listen to her and I spent the next day with them again. She was mad and told me that I was crazy in her high voice.

People always tell me that my body is nice and they want body like mine but Denise doesn’t like it. She thought I was too skinny, I looked like a skeleton. I was afraid showing off my body because of her. On Christmas, I bought a new dress because it was cute and I want to look pretty in the dress. Denise didn’t like the colour, she said that I looked silly in bright colours. She told me to keep wearing black.

There was a moment where I had enough, I didn’t like her and I tried to escape from her. I went to the hill without her and found a peace there. I was happy for a day, but when I got back home at night, she was waiting for me in front of my house. I knew she didn’t like it when I went out without her. I didn’t care, but she did. She was mad and yelled at me.

Some nights, she hugged me tight when I was about to sleep. She hugged me tight I couldn’t breathe, I couldn’t sleep. I told her to sleep separately but she was asleep. There was no use talking to her.

Since high school, I prepared my future. I have plans, I have dreams. Denise didn’t agree on those dreams. She said there were too much, she didn’t believe I could reach them. She said that I should be realistic but when I followed her advice, people told me that I became pessimistic.

I learnt to stop listening to her, I learn to get rid of her. It was not easy but I made it. She’s gone now. She’s somewhere, clinging on someone else. There’s no more loud annoying voice in my head. I can finally do things on my own, I can finally reach my dreams and do my plans.

I lost a friend and I’m glad she’s away.

[initulisanku]

She Likes Her

Karen sits alone in a cafeteria. She looks a little bit messy but some says that it’s just her style. It’s midday now and she’s having her lunch. Across the table, Hayley, Karen’s classmate, sits with some of her friends. One of them is the popular guy in their campus. The girls would look at him on the sly, but it’s not him that Karen stares at. It’s Hayley that she stares at.

               Karen has known Hayley since they were in High School but the feeling started to appear few months ago. Hayley is not a popular girl that everyone idolise. She’s just a regular girl with medium pink hair and who doesn’t wear too much make up. She likes to wear short skirt and denim jacket. She always wears her Timberland boots wherever she goes. Unlike Hayley who pays attention to fashion, Karen barely gives a damn about what she wears. She would just wear any clothes she can grab from her closet. They may be different, but it doesn’t stop Karen to like Hayley.

               “Hey, dude.” A voice from Karen’s back startled her. It’s Alex, Karen’s best friend.

               “Still staring at the girl, huh?” Alex asked.

               “Yeah. I mean, what else can I do?” Karen asked a question that is supposed to be rhetorical.

               “Tell her. That’s something else you can do besides staring at her from distance, you coward.”

               “You kidding me? It’s not as simple as how it’s said. It was easy for you to ask Lily on a date because you knew that she liked you back,” said Karen.

               “Guess what? You never know if you never try. Maybe she likes you back. Maybe she has liked you since the first time you guys met. Or maybe she doesn’t even realise that you exist. The only way to get the answer is by telling her,” Alex said passionately.

               “I actually plan to do it. I just don’t know how and when,” Karen sounds desperate.

               “The sooner the better. There’s gonna be a party at Juan’s house this weekend. I’m sure Hayley will come. You should come. It’s the perfect chance to confess. I’ll make sure nobody would know it.”

               “But what if it will not go well?” Karen seems very pessimistic.

               “Stop the what ifs and start to act. I’ll see you this Saturday at 9. At Juan’s house. You know where he lives.”

               “Alex, he’s my neighbour. Of course I know where he lives.” Karen rolls her eyes.

                 It’s Saturday and Juan’s house is full of people holding a plastic glass of cheap beer. His parents are away until the next Wednesday. Someone is playing EDM music loudly. This is not the kind of music Karen likes actually, but she stays just because she wants to say something to Hayley.

               “Hey, Karen. What a surprised you are here.” A girl in striped t-shirt and Timberland boots greeted Karen.

               “Hey..,” Karen seems to have a difficulty to talk. “Hayley. You are here.”

               “What a stupid statement,” Karen thought.

               “Haha yeah,” Hayley chuckled. “Let’s go outside. It’s too loud here I can barely hear your voice,” Hayley said in a loud voice, trying to sound louder than the music so Karen could hear her.

               “Yeah, sure.” Karen followed Hayley outside. She saw Alex in the crowd, winking at her like he wanted to say good luck.

               There were some people outside, one is playing a guitar, one is recording him with her phone, and the other just watch them. Hayley was about to take Karen to chill with them but then Karen says, “Hayley, why don’t we go to the back of the house? Juan got a tree house there.” Hayley didn’t say anything and just follows Karen to Juan’s tree house.

               “I always wanted to have a tree house but my parents never allow me to have one,” Hayley said, trying to start the conversation.

               “That sucks. It would be awesome, tho. The view from here is awesome,” Karen said.

               “Why did I say awesome twice? Stop being nervous, Karen!” Karen said to her brain who doesn’t work properly when she’s with Hayley.

               There is a silence in a moment and Karen decided to break it. “Hayley, what would you do if someone has a crush on you?”

               Hayley thinks for a moment. “I don’t know. I’d probably feel sorry for the person.” She smiled after saying it.

               “Why?” Karen wants to know. “Are you sorry for me?”

               “What do you mean?” Hayley looks at Karen, seems confused. Karen, on the other hand, looks scared but she just opened the hole and the only way to close it is if she tells the whole thing.

               “I have a crush on you. I think you are interesting, you are pretty, you are cute, you are clever. And I want to go on a date with you and...”

               “Karen,” Hayley stopped her. “I really don’t know what to say right now. I’m glad you find me interesting when the truth is I’m a mess. I can’t be in any relationship right now. Not with you, not with the guy who has nice biceps, not with a nerd who’s still wearing his braces. I don’t want to destroy anyone. I know I will hurt you if we are dating and I...”

               “I get it,” Karen said. “You don’t look like a mess but it’s yourself that you talk about so, you know yourself best. I’m sorry, this was stupid. Forget what I said.”

               “No, no. It wasn’t stupid. I appreciate it. I just don’t want to be in any relationship right now. I’m just not ready. We can be friends. We can hang out together. My mate’s band is playing tomorrow and I don’t wanna go alone. Why don’t you go with me?”

               Karen doesn’t think it’s a bad idea. Maybe she can’t have Hayley but at least she can be closer to her. That’s enough for her.

[initulisanku]

A & S

It’s nine in the morning and they just woke up. It’s weekend so they are allowed to wake up late. One of them is washing his face and the other is still lying in bed.

               “Good morning, honey. Did you have a good sleep?” asked the one who just washed his face.

               “Morning, darling. I did have a good sleep, yes. I was exhausted. Work was really stressful. Have I told you that my boss almost asked me to work today? I mean, it’s the weekend. It is my quality time with you.”

               “Your boss is a bitch, we know it,” he said as he kissed his partner. “What do you want to do today?”

               “Do you want to go to a park? I heard there would be a live music this afternoon.”

               “Hmm.. interesting.” He starts to spoon his partner. He kisses the neck then continue to the ear. He whispers, “What about this morning? Wanna do.. something fun?”

               His partner just smiles and kisses him back. “I’m still a little bit tired. So maybe later? If you do not mind.”

               “It’s okay,” he said and smiles. He seems disappointed but he can’t force what he wants to do. “Anyway, what do you want for a breakfast? I’m going to cook it for you. It’s your day.” He walks to the kitchen and is followed by his partner. “I think toast would be just fine.”

               They are having their breakfast in silence. The only sound they can hear is the clock ticking. One of them decides to break it by telling something they hear almost every day. They get used to it but it is still not an okay thing for them.

               “Our neighbour complained again last night.”

               “What do they care? They know nothing.”

               “That’s why. Because they know nothing, they complain. There’s nothing we can do though. Besides, we are legally married. So if they want to call the police or anything weird, it’d be useless.”

               His partner smiles and stares at him lovingly. “I love the fact that we are married.” Hi kisses his partner and says, “I love it too and I love you.” A second after this happened, the doorbell rings. He opens it and finds a postman standing in front of the door holding a bouquet and a card. He receives it then signs the paper.

               “What are those?” asked his partner.

               “Seems like Yellow Ribbon Foundation wants to thank us because of what we gave to them. Pretty flowers though. What’s the card says?”

               His partner takes the card and reads it to him. “It’s said here ‘Dear Adam and Steve, thank you so much for the donation. We can’t be happier because of it. We hope you have a good day.’ Oh my God they’re so sweet.”

               “I know right. And I heard one of the kids just beaten cancer. Isn’t it a relief?” Steve asked a rhetoric question. “Anyway, I think we should get ready now. I need to buy more toilet paper and shampoo. Also, let’s have lunch at Twig’s. I still can’t get away from their cowboy caviar.”

               “All right let’s go.”

[initulisanku]

My Day

Coming home and it feels like I've been climbing up the stairs from first floor to the fourth floor. I have never felt this blue. I have a lot of things to do but I don't have enough strength. I look in the mirror and all I see is the darkness that is coming from my eyes. I realise I’m no longer seventeen. I open a bottle of vodka and it tastes just like my day. I close the window because I smell a burning food from the restaurant next to my flat. The window is closed but I can still hear the traffic that begins to fade away because I'm going to  Wonderland.

[initulisanku]

Gender Equality

Many people mistaken feminism as a belief that women should have more rights than men do. Feminism actually means a belief that men and women should have equal rights and opportunities. Being equal seems peaceful but to make it happen seems rather difficult. We have to face a lot of different hurdles such as people with lack of education and of course the patriarchist culture.

Feminism is not only for women, believe me, it is also for the men. I often see that men are getting mocked for crying in public or wearing the colour pink. Society would degrade them or saying that they are not “man enough” for doing so. Of course there is nothing wrong with expressing your feeling in public or being sensitive and pink is just a colour. A man is a man because he has a penis, what he does doesn’t define his gender. Those are just simple examples of why feminism is also for men.

I have been told that men and women are different. This is true, we have different genitals and we have different needs, but we do have the same rights. We all have the rights to get paid according to our job and not according to our gender. According to the International Labor Organization (ILO)’s Global Wage Report 2014/2015, women’s average wages are between 4-36% less than men’s. In Indonesia, in 2012, the pay gap was still approximately 19%.

We also have the rights to vote—which we have acomplished, to express our opinion, to choose our own lover be it the same or different gender from us. We do also have the same rights to decide our own future.

I’ve seen some women are forced to be a stay home mom. There is nothing wrong being a stay home mom actually, but forcing someone to be one is wrong. Let the woman decide. If she wants to be a stay home mom, let her, but if she wants to get a degree and work, then let her. She knows what she’s doing. I want people to remember this: women were not created to be a stay home mom, we were created to be ourselves. You can’t expect that every woman will get married, have a kid, always please the husband, cook for the family every day, clean up the house, or obey the husband all the time; we have our own choices.

We have the rights to decide whether we want to get married or not, same thing goes with having a kid. Those are choices, not obligations. If a woman decides not to get married and/or not to have a kid, then appreciate her choice. In the end, she’s the one who has the womb and she has the right on what to do with it. A woman is not a baby machine.

Another right that we also have is the right to be respected. It’s not that we want to be hailed or praised, we just want to be respected. Respect our opinion, respect our decision, respect our body, and respect ourselves. We wear mini skirt not because we ask to get raped but simply because we like it. We have our voices that should be heard. We have our plans ahead us and nothing should stop it. We matter too.

Through this speech, I want to tell other people especially the women that we have to stand up for ourselves. Stand up if your rights are taken away. Speak up if you need to state something. Don’t be afraid telling the police that you are abused. Make a change if you want a change, because everything has to begin from ourselves.

[initulisanku]

Abortion

Abortion is no longer a sensitive thing, at least it is not as taboo as decades ago, and it can be a positive thing. Yes, I am writing this in a clear mind and I am 100% sober. I do know what abortion is, how it works, and anything else about it. I know this is going to sound insane, but I just want to explain why I think abortion should be legalised.

               I know that there are more people who are against abortion, they think that it is wrong. I keep asking why it is wrong and they say that you kill a human being and according to a bible, killing is a sin therefore you are a sinner. They keep saying that I should be grateful if I have a baby in my womb, it is a gift from god, but by only writing about this, my stomach feels uncomfortable. Well, let’s put the bible and god aside and I let you pretend that there is no such thing as god so we will see this without any religion view.

Some says that the fetus can’t be considered as a human being because they haven’t been born, so they don’t have any rights yet. The others even say that since the sperm reaches the egg, they already have their rights so if you take their lives away, you also take their rights away. I would personally say that a fetus is not a human being yet, so if you are not ready to have a child, it is very okay to abort it, but once the baby is born, they are completely a human and they already have their own rights to live.

Having a kid can be a wonderful thing if you are ready and you have been waiting for it, but it is a disaster for those who are not ready or who don’t want to have kids. You may question why there are people who don’t want to have kids. Oh believe me, we can write 50 pages about why we don’t want to have a kid and for us, being pregnant is definitely a scary thing.

Here’s what I believe, having a kid takes a lot of efforts, it is expensive, and you have to be emotionally and financially ready to have one. If you’re not, you better postpone it. If you somehow get pregnant when you are not emotionally and financially ready, it is better if you abort it. Abortion may not be cheap (fun fact: you can abort your baby for free in Canada), but at least it is much cheaper than taking care of a kid for at least 18 years.

Do not force yourself. Having a kid is not as easy as it seems. You have to give all of your times to them, you have to make sure that they are in a safe environment, you have to make sure that they behave well without giving them too much pressure, and not to mention about the costs of education that gets more expensive.

Now, to the point where I explain about why abortion shouldn’t be illegal. In Indonesia, according to Kitab Undang-Undang Hukum Pidana (KUHP), abortion is a crime. This law is stated in KUHP article 299, 341, 342, 343, 346, 347, 348, and 349. In our constitution about Health in 2009 and government regulations number 61 in 2014 also state about abortion and reproduction health. Abortion is not permitted unless the mother or the baby have serious health issue and/or the pregnant woman is a victim of rape.

According to the leader of Perkumpulan Keluarga Berencana Indonesia (PKBI), dr. Sarsanto W. Sarwono, SpOG, because of the legality of abortion in Indonesia, people who want to get abortion would do it in an unsafe way. This may cause more danger to the mothers. I am sure you have heard about shaman (in Indonesian we call it as “dukun”) who does the job in abortion. They are not doctors, they don’t know anything about giving a surgery, and yet they are the one who remove the baby from the womb.

If abortion is legal, horrible things like shaman removing the baby from the womb will no longer exist. If abortion is legal, it will be done by professional doctors in a clean and safe way in a hospitals or even in health centres. Sarsanto said that safe abortion could reduce death rate. In this case, I am on the same page as Sarsanto.

According to Survei Demografi dan Kesehatan Indonesia (SDKI), there are 1,5 – 2 million of abortion case and abortion contributes 30% of death rate to mothers. The main cause of this is because of the unsafe abortion.

Of course we have to talk about the unmarried teens who are pregnant because they didn’t do safe sex or forgot to take the pill. They would go to the shaman because they can’t abort the baby in a legal and safe way. I think it’d be better if they don’t risk their health by doing so. If you think that abortion is only done by the unmarried teens, you are wrong. PKBI has legal abortion clinic and so far, 80% of the patients are married women.

So, I think abortion should be legalised so there won’t be any unsafe thing happens and even though it sounds silly for you, but legal abortion could save lives.

[initulisanku]

Margo In Space

Once upon a time, there was a little girl named Margo. She liked the night sky more than anything. Every night before she went to bed, she always looked up to the sky and imagine what her life would be if she lived in another planet. Her mother said it’s impossible for her to leave this planet.

               One night, she woke up from her sleep because of the bright light that appeared in her room. The next second, she saw two strange men standing in front of her. Those two men had wide face, big round eyes, wide lips, and pointed ears. Their bodies were slim and they only had four fingers. The men and Margo looked at each other for a moment until one of the strange men decided to break the silence.

               “Margo?” he asked.

               “Who are you?” Margo asked without fear. The men introduced themselves as Ge-Uz and Yah-Ee and they said that they were from another planet named Kuiper.

               “I thought Kuiper was the belt,” said Margo. Ge-Uz said that Kuiper was a belt in Margo’s solar system but in theirs, it was a planet that they lived in. Margo was curious on what they were doing in her room, she was a bit scared but she didn’t let the fright ruined herself. Ge-Uz explained that they wanted Margo to come to their planet with them if she didn’t mind. Even Margo was not sure at first, but she decided to brave herself and go with them. A bright light appeared again and the next thing Margo knew was Margo, Ge-Uz, and Yah-Ee were in different place.

The sky looked brighter, the grass was greener, and the air was fresher than what Margo usually saw or felt on Earth. Margo did know that she was not in her solar system anymore. She even thought that maybe she was in another galaxy. Whatever that was, Margo loved the place and some part of herself didn’t want her to go back to Earth.

Her new friends invited her to their home to have bjor time. They said it’s like tea time in Earth but what they had were different. Instead of tea, they drank this drink that tasted like butterbeer. Margo loved butterbeer.

“Isn’t it good?” asked Yah-Ee to Margo. Margo nodded then continue drinking her bjor. After having their bjor time, Yah-Ee and Ge-Uz took Margo on a tour. They told her that Earth used to be like their planet, even better. The humans were the one who made it worse. Margo was confused. She thought the humans were the ones who protect the planet.

“Yes, Margo. That is also true, but not every human in your planet do the same thing. There are more people who rape your planet, destroy it, and yet, they keep breeding,” said Yah-Ee. “If they keep doing that, your Earth will be dying. There won’t be rooms for new human, there won’t be forests for animals to live, clear and fresh air will be rare.”

Margo giggled because it was true. Margo was mad for what her people had done to her planet but there wasn’t much she could do. She had tried many things but things remained the same. She even felt that what she’d done was useless, but she didn’t want to stop. She had to continue those useless things and was hoping that the useless things she did would turn into useful things later.

Suddenly, a loud voice growled, but there was nobody in sight. The voice found Margo and it was mad at Ge-Uz and Yah-Ee for bringing her there because she shouldn’t be there, she shouldn’t see any of those.

“It is The Al-Mit. It found us. Margo, you’re actually forbidden here but we have to tell someone from Earth. We’re really sorry for this, we should’ve told you earlier,” said Ge-Uz. Of course this made Margo panic. She suddenly wanted to go home, hugged her mother who told her that everything would be okay, but she wasn’t there.

The Al-Mit created a loud thunder and sent a lightning. Ge-Uz, Yah-Ee and Margo ran away but the lightning kept chasing them. There was a small rock in front of Margo but she didn’t see it and she couldn’t control her speed so she fell. A lightning struck her, it left a burnt mark on her left foot. Luckily, Ge-Uz and Yah-Ee helped her to stand up, but before she opened her eyes, a very bright light appeared again.

 “Good morning, dear. How was your sleep?” asked Margo’s mother.

Margo yawned and said, “It wasn’t so good. I got a nightmare, mother. I went to another planet with two strange men and—“

“That dream again?” Her mother cut before Margo finished her story.

“Yes, that dream again but this time, it felt so real, mother.”

Margo’s mother smiled and said, “It’s fine, Honey. Now, get up because your breakfast is ready.”

Margo got up excitingly, but before she went to the dining room, her mother asked her again, “Margo, what is that mark on your left foot?”

[initulisanku]

Favourite Landscape

I’ve been to places and I’ve seen so many beautiful scenery but nothing beats starry nights. I like sunrise, sunset, blue sky, and any other thing that nature gives. But what I love the most is the night sky with a lot of stars above me.

               Last Valentine, my partner and I went to Kukup Beach. The first reason why we went there was because my partner wanted to take photos of the night sky. By the way, we both love stars. We arrived at 4 p.m. so we had to wait few hours to see the night sky. And it was worth it. I got really excited when I saw the first star that appeared that night.

               Around 7 p.m., more stars were seen. And it was beyond beautiful. I couldn’t be happier. The sound of the wave scared me a little bit that night. But I could easily forget about it when I looked up to the sky.

               I could stare at it all night. The reason why I love star-gazing is because it makes me think about a lot of stuff. Like, about the stars themselves (how far are they from Earth? How big are they? Is it a star or a planet? Is that star still really shinning or not?) and about my existence. Or our existence because I like to think that we are not alone. Somewhere out there, there’s another solar system and one of those stars I see is the centre of it. And there are living things in at least one of the planets from that solar system.

               Outer space is crazy, I know. But I freaking love it.

[initulisanku]

My Love Life

My love life isn’t always between me and my lover. As I always say, love is universal. This time I don’t want to bore you about my story with my partner. This is my love life between me and four dudes who call themselves “All Time Low”. No, they are not a boy-band. They are a pop-punk band from Baltimore, Maryland.

               I was in 8th grade when the first time I knew about them. An online friend of mine recommended me to listen to them so I did. I went to their myspace (echm, it was 2008 or something) and my first thought after seeing their profile picture was, “They look like posers”. That doesn’t mean their music is bad, never judge a band by the members’ appearances. I gave it a try, I listened to their music and I loved it. I became a fan since then. I went to their concerts and it was one of the best moments in my entire life. Their perfomances were very great and it became one of the things I love about them.

               I love them because their songs cheer me up, I love them because they love and care about their fans, I love them because they are who they are. They don’t need to be somebody else on the media or when they’re in the stage. They are just buch of men who keep making music and have fun with it.

               Even though they’ve made 2 bad albums, I still love them and I would definitely go if they come and play here again. I would support them after those nude pics, after those rumours about them, after all the mean things people say, because they’ve given me more days to live.