Evaluating Schools - False Leads and Secondary Factors

One of the most common mistakes that parents make when they choose a school for their child is to look at certain factors that are poor indicators of the quality of the school, such as the school's popularity and fame, whose children go there, the opinions of friends and family, the opinions of students, national test results, whether rich parents send their children there, the possibility of improved status or prestige, the school's facilities, an educational style that looks familiar, the extracurricular and/or co-curricular programs, and the school's appearance.  While these factors may sometimes give an indication of the quality of the school, in general, their value ranges from almost non-existent to secondary considerations.   Please read my separate article about trophies and other awards.

A School's Popularity and Fame

Popularity and fame are subjective perceptions that are easily manipulated through marketing strategies, the selective entry into contests that their students are sure to win, the display of trophies and other awards, making the school grounds look attractive, offering special programs and other tactics that are psychologically impressive but are generally nothing more than glitter in terms of evaluating quality.  Unless the school has significant attributes, such as a track record of years of students who have moved on to success in life; a reputation for students becoming very civic-minded; above average results even when using non-standard evaluation techniques through independent sources and even while accepting  students from a wide range of backgrounds and performance records; a curriculum that has been demonstrated through years of use at various schools  to get better-than-average results; a roster of teachers who have received accolades; etc., one should be wary of whether the popularity and/or fame of a school is just a passing trend or the result of clever marketing.

Whose Children Go There, Rich Parents Send Their Kids There, Status and Prestige

While it is certainly true that some schools are full of students from the upper class (such as Ivy League universities) and successful, most of the time deciding to enroll your child in a particular school because someone's child is there is a mistake.  Certainly, if the person in question is someone who is a famous, highly regarded leader in the reformation of education who is respected even by his or her adversaries, that might be an exception to the rule.

Similarly, choosing a school because it might make you look better is self-serving and egotistical and, while it may work as a strategy for you, it may be a disaster for your child.  You may accidentally put your child in a bad school, a bad situation, or drastically alter their future.

If, however, you're on a quest for improved status (reputation by association), then you are not concerned with your child's future, nor are you making a wise choice.  Education is not about what is best for you as the parent, but what is best for your child.  Put your child's needs first, and make an informed decision based on real facts.

If you send your child to a school that is famous (like Ivy League universities), please be aware that while it will provide an excellent education in many respects, there are pitfalls, especially if you are not wealthy.

Opinions

We often like to ask the people around us what they think about a particular school, or which school they think is best.   Yet, most of these people have never researched the schools in the area, let alone the city, and many know very little about education or how to choose a good school.  Asking the average person for advice on which school to go to, while it may yield some information that you can use in your search, will rarely lead you to the best choice.  It's like asking a grocer to perform surgery on you - the chances are very low that it'll go well.

Children are, on average, only good for a very limited variety of information unless you ask them questions.   The value of a student's answers will generally be greater the older the person is.  Usually, if you ask a child if they like their school, they base their answer on how many friends they have and, thus, how happy they are there.  You'll have to dig deeper with questions like:  "What do you think about your teachers?", "Are they fair, honest and respectful?", "Do they make learning interesting, enjoyable and challenging?", "Do they help you when you have trouble?", "Do they make students feel uncomfortable, embarrass them or bully them?", "How safe do you feel in your school?" and so on.

If you DO want to ask the average person, then you should go loaded with questions that will help you evaluate how much value their opinion has.  Of course, in order to be able to understand the value of the answers to some of these questions, you'd have to actually learn about education.  Here's a very short list.

How many schools have you evaluated?

How many of them did you visit?

What kind of curriculum does each us?

What teaching methodologies are employed, and which is/are preferred?

What subjects are offered and are they all required, or can students guide their own future by choosing?

What guidance does the school offer to students so that they make wise decisions for their future?

What is the school's strategy for testing and grading?

How does the school evaluate teachers?

Do teachers work as a members of a team and have routine sessions in which they sit  down and share their problems and offer solutions?

Test Results

First of all, it is obvious that if there are 20 schools that are reviewed and evaluate, and all 20 schools receive fairly poor scores, the best of the 20 is still poor.  With a consistent "benchmark", tests hold little meaning outside the environment within which they are used.

Second, many countries have problems with cheating on tests, not just by the teachers and their students but also by administrators and even testing companies.  There are numerous reasons for this, including government funding that is determined based on test results; administrator's fear of loss of funding, sanctions, loss of status, and embarrassment; teacher's fear of reprisals by administrators or the impact the results will have on their  position and/or salary; teacher's fear of embarrassment and loss of status; student's fear of loss of opportunities in societies that still over-estimate the value of test results; parents fear of loss of status, embarrassment, missed opportunities; and many other possible reasons.  In some countries, tests are the key to university, being able to study overseas, scholarships, funding and many other things and, thus, the stakes are big.  Sometimes, entire schools will cheat so that it looks like no one has failed because of these reasons, or even because passing the national exams is a requisite for graduation.  Even politicians have been involved in such corruption.

Third, many tests are geared toward testing knowledge, not ability, and thus are not only bad indicators of school quality, but also the chances of success of any given student.  Testing knowledge is a poor way of getting results that have more meaning for parents, teachers, students, administrators and the government.

Fourth, if a test is poorly designed; it is much more difficult or easier than the actual curriculum, the quality of the teachers is poor; or there is some other disparity between the test and the actual learning experience, then the validity of the test's results is highly suspect.

Fifth, the formatting of questions and answers can affect the student's ability to answer, making it easier or more difficult to answer, thus skewing the results for an individual, a grade level, a school, a city or even an entire country.  Therefore, if all schools do not use exactly the same format and questions, then the results of the test have far less value than is needed.  A poor-quality school that uses the easiest types of questions (such as multiple-choice, cloze with a word box, and matching) will appear to be competitive when compared to a high-quality school that designs tests that minimize the use of easy question types.  Conversely, an underachieving school with honest leadership may choose to use hard question types which may shine a light on the problems there, but which may be looked at the wrong way.

Sixth, how tests are graded can skew the results.  For example, if a test is graded on the so-called "bell curve", other schools that use a different curve,  that don't use a curve at all, or that revise scores based on non-test criteria can manipulate their results.

Seventh, how the results are collated and what statistical evaluations are used (including biases) can change the perception of the results.  It is well known that the manipulation of statistical analysis results can produce results that give a false impression of the facts.

Eighth, for a variety of reasons, including learning disabilities, test stress and other mental and emotional issues, some students are unable to perform well on tests.  They may do very well in all other aspects of schooling, but when it comes to tests, their results are startlingly bad.

There are other reasons as well, but I think this makes it clear enough.  While test results may give some kind of indication of quality, if you have no way to evaluate their value, then it is unlikely that they will be of significant use for you.

Finally, does the school do formative post-test assessments to identify problems with the test as well as areas students need more help with?

Facilities and Appearance

Actually, facilities are probably one of the best of the worst things to look at, but don't allow them to be the primary consideration because other factors (such as seen in the questions in the opinions section) are far more important.

From the bathrooms and the availability of soap, sprayers and toilet paper within them (and, if people wipe with their hands, soap should be in each stall, not just at the sink), lots of garbage cans, student lockers, and security measures to prevent theft, abduction, attacks, molestation, etc. to premium facilities like a swimming pool, fine arts room, outdoor activity area, indoor gym, performing arts room, choir/band room, stadium/sports field, track, fitness center, nurse's office, guidance counsellor, psychologist, special education experts, archery range, computer/AV lab, stage and auditorium, and science lab, these things should all be taken into consideration as part of the overall package, especially if they are needed for the path your child wants to follow later in life.

Nevertheless, lack of these things should only be a secondary factor, although those related to hygiene (be sure to investigate the bathrooms, cafeteria and kitchen!) are very important.

Some schools spend a great deal of attention on appearance.  There are two types of appearance - those that please the eyes of parents, and those that are purpose-driven to assist in the learning process.  Certainly, schools should be colorfully painted instead of looking like re-purposed prisons, and have interesting decorations to look at, because art is an important part of education.  However, if you are walking down the halls and looking into classrooms, you should see purpose-driven decoration or, more accurately, displays that support current and recent lessons by displaying material about the lessons, and/or those created by the students.  Cheerful and inspiring displays of students' work should be evident around the school, even in the lobby (but not only there or it is just for the benefit of parents).  Be careful to try to discern whether it is a marketing strategy or for the benefit of the students.  Note dates on materials - displays should be changed fairly often so as to always be relevant and give students motivation to do well so as to have their work displayed.  It is not the most beautiful work that should always be displayed because not everyone is able to produce beautiful work.

A Familiar Educational Style

Often parents expect that the style of teaching that is used at a school should be similar to the schooling they received.  They believe that what worked for them is the best choice because they were able to do well with it.  Most likely, unless you went to a school that employed a progressive or transformational methodology, this is not true.  Aside from the fact that each person is different, even from their parents, and thus has different needs, the traditional system of public education was not designed to help students to excel - it was helped to create workers.  It is, for some people, highly appropriate but, anyone who looks at a statistical analysis of the results over the last 200 years can clearly see that less than 50% really benefit from this system.  The rest get average, or worse, results.  That means that the educational system given to the public by Europe is a failure.

Do not look for a school that uses the traditional, teacher-focused, student-as-recorder, one-directional, boring style of education.  Look, instead, for a school where the students are frequently engaged in learning through doing: experiments, activities, research, discovery, games, debriefing and more; it is the practical application of knowledge that most benefits the largest number of students, not the passing on of theory that is rarely practiced.  Look for a place where students  are excited to get to class instead of just play and reticent to go home, where parents are involved with the learning experience because it is so enjoyable, and where there is such a positive environment that just stepping  into the school is like entering a better world.  This may sound utopian, but this is what you should seek out if you truly care for your child and want the best.

Extra-curricular/Co-curricular Programs

Extra- and co-curricular programs are a nice bonus.  They offer additional options, but they are not the same, and how valuable they are is partially dependent on what is offered.

Extra-curricular programs offer a free/inexpensive way for students to explore interests that may otherwise be inaccessible to them.  Some may just be a way for them to relax, while others may give them a chance to evaluate professions they may want to pursue, as well as provide a chance to acquire the necessary skills to do well in it.  While you should be sure to give your child a great deal of control over this, and you should encourage the child to try, you should also make sure that the child doesn't waste these opportunities.

Co-curriculars are often not free, and I am less inclined to value them because they are also required.  Unlike extra-curriculars, your child will be forced to enroll in a certain number of co-curriculars, and you will have to produce the money to pay for it (usually).  If the options are of a particular  type only (such as focusing only on the traditional "core" areas of language, science and math), or they are of a specific bent (such as religious or play-time), then this is something to ask questions about - a co-curricular program should  offer a wide variety of options since the students have to participate instead of trying  to force them to follow  a particular path that they may not even be suited for.

Carefully review the program offered at the schools you're considering and see if they align with your child's dreams and offer a wide variety of choices - even though some of those choices may seem unimportant to you (such as performing and fine arts, sports, debate, forensics, chess club, A/V club, etc.).  Again, these are there for your child, not you.  If they don't have anything of great interest to your child, and/or there is a lack of variety, but it is an extra-curricular program, then it's not a big problem.  If, however, it's a co-curricular program, then you may want to look at other schools.

Evaluating Schools: Recreation Areas >>> Mengevaluasikan Sekolah – Tempat Bermain/Lapangan Sekolah

Every school from nursery to university needs an area for students  to play and unwind.  Recreation (eg:  games, activities, exercise, sports) plays an important role in developing social, physical and emotional skills, improving hand-eye coordination (gross and fine motor skills) and it gives the brain time to absorb and deal with new information learned.  Additionally, different physical activities actually stimulate specific parts of the brain and, thus, helps keep those areas active and healthy.  Thus, it is important to evaluate the play area of a prospective school.  There are certain things you should always inspect: size, function, safety, rules, and supervision.
>>>Setiap sekolah dari PAUD sampai universitas memerlukan daerah bermain dan menyantai buat para muridnya. Rekreasi (contoh: permainan, aktivitas, pelatihan fisik dan olah raga) merupakan kegiatan penting untuk perkembangan kemampuan sosial, fisik dan renjana, meningkatkan koordinasi diantara tangan dan mata (motorik kasar dan halus) dan itu juga memberikan waktu kepada otak untuk menyerap dan memproses informasi yang baru dipelajari.  Ditambah dengan, aktifitas fisik macam2 dapat menstimulasikan beberapa daerah otak dan itu berarti daerah2 tersebut tetap aktif dan sehat.  Demikian, pentinglah mengevaluasikan taman bermain setiap calon sekolah.   Ada beberapa hal yang harus kamu selalu memperhatikan:  keluasan, fungsi, keamanan, peraturan dan pengawasan.

 Size >>>Keluasan
One of the most important considerations is the size of the recreation area.  While a small area that has been well-designed to make maximum use of space can be good, especially a multi-leveled play gym for pre-primary or primary, children need space for many of the games they play, whether it is tag, hide and seek, or dodgeball, and for sports like soccer, baseball dan basketball.
>>>Salah satu pertimbangan yang sangat penting adalah luasnya tempat bermain.  Walaupun tempat bermain yang kecil tapi direncanakan untuk memakai tempatnya secara maksimal, terutama kalau ada ruang bermain yang bertingkat untuk pra-SD atau SD, anak2 membutuhkan tempat yang luas untuk kebanyakan permainan, baik kejar2an, petak umpet ataupun elak bola, dan untuk olah raga seperti sepak bola, bisbol dan basket.

But, honestly, a large play area is really what is best, unless perhaps  the school intends to have a very limited number of students.  If the school you’re looking at has a large rec area, then that is good.  Next,  you should look at how they make use of that area.   The only thing you have to do is make sure that the entire playground is viewable from the position of the adults who are on duty to in case of problems…The school does post adults to do that, right?
>>>Namun, sejujurnya, tempat bermain yang besar adalah pilihan terbaik, kecuali mungkin sekolahnya sengaja tidak ingin ada banyak murid.  Bila sekolah yang kamu sedang selidiki punya tempat bermain yang besar, itu bagus.  Kemudian, kamu harus lihat pemakaiannya.  Hanya saja desainnya harus membuat semau daerah terlihat dari posisi dewasa yang mengawasinya…Sekolahnya memang menugaskan dewasa untuk melakukan itu, kan?

Function >>>Fungsi
For the very young, a sleeping area or nap time is critical because sleeping after learning has been shown  to help toddlers to process what they learned about, and I suspect that it also plays a role for primary students and, certainly, when your brain and body feel tired from learning a lot of new things, you need sleep, prayer or meditation to recharge yourself.  Laying down mats on the floor of the classroom is a very common and easy solution, but do check to make sure the mats are kept clean – small children don’t just drool in their sleep, they also cough, sneeze, vomit, sweat, pee and poo.  Dirty mats are a breeding ground for germs.
>>>Untuk anak2 yang balita, tempat tidur atau waktu tidur sangatlah penting karena tidur habis belajar telah dibuktikan membantu balita memproses apa yang baru dipelajari, dan saya merasa bahwa itu juga berguna untuk murid di SD dan, jelas, ketika otak dan badanmu lelah karena belajar banyak hal2 baru, kamu perlu tidur, berdoa atau semadi agar kamu jadi segar lagi.  Menggelarkan tikar di lantai ruang kelas adalah solusi yang umum dan gampang, tapi jangan lupa mengecek kebersihan tikar2nya – anak2 kecil tidak hanya ngiler sambil tidur, mereka juga batuk, bersin, muntah, berkeringat, pipis dan berak.  Tikar yang kotor adalah rawan kuman.

A multi-leveled gym with lots of tunnels, climbing apparatus, slides and more can provide an excellent place for children to exert their bodies and imaginations, and the close quarters provides a natural breeding ground for the development of relationships – with some supervision.  Let’s be honest – as an adult, haven’t you ever felt like you wished they made them for us adults, too?   But, as with sleeping mats, these areas must be inspected to assure that they are clean, because they are even more likely than the mats to host germs and filth.
>>>Tempat bermain yang bertingkat dengan banyak  terowongan, alat2 memanjat, rosotan2 dan lain2 merupakan tempat yang istimewa untuk anak2 agar mereka dapat melatihkan motorik dan imaginasi, dan kesempitannya dapat mendorong perkembangan  sosial dan hubungan antar murid – dengan ada pengawasan.  Ayo kita jujur – sebagai seorang dewasa, bukankah kamu pernah ingin ada tempat seperti itu untuk kita juga?  Namun, sama dengan tikar tidur, tempat bermain seperti ini harus diperiksa untuk memastikannya bersih, karena ini rawan yang lebih sering mengandung kuman dan kotoran.

Yet, such a place is costly to buy or make as well as install, and requires daily (or more often) clean-ups as small children are liable to have “accidents” often.  They have to be well-made in order to minimize risk factors such as bumped noggins, cuts and scrapes – or worse!  This means that most schools just cannot afford them.  If a school you’re considering has one, look at it carefully to make sure it’s designed to minimize the risks of injury from pointy corners, sharp edges, hard surfaces and more!  Even a small screw or nail sticking out can cause significant damage.  Also, don’t forget to be on the alert for dangerous materials, such as lead-based paint, plastic with a strong odor, rusting iron, rotten wood, etc.
>>>Namun, tempat seperti itu biasanya mahal kalau ingin beli atau bikin apalagi menginstalasikannya, dan wajib dibersihkan setiap hari (atau lebih sering) oleh karena anak2  yang kecil biasanya buang air sembarang.  Tempatnya harus dibikin dengan benar untuk meminimalisir resiko2 seperti kejedut, goresan dan lecet – atau yang lebih buruk lagi!  Ini berarti banyak sekolah tidak mampu membelinya.  Jika sekolah yang kamu mengunjungi mempunyai tempat seperti ini, memeriksanya dengan seksama untuk memastikan bahwa desainnya sangat aman dari resiko kecelakaan gara2 pojok dan pinggiran yang tajam, permukaan yang keras dan lain2!  Bahkan sekrup atau paku kecil yang menonjol dapat mengakibatkan luka yang buruk.  Terus, jangan lupa memerika untuk bahan2 yang berbahaya,  seperti cat dengan kandungan timah, plastik dengan bau keras, besi yang berkarat, kayu yang keropos, dll.

Another choice, would be to make a play house.  It would need to have multiple rooms, slides, ladders, bridges and other simple devices that don’t cost a lot to make but are durable, but the rooms would not need to be large.  It could have an interesting design and bright colors to stimulate the interest and imagination of the students, with paintings of people, animals and other things on it, too.  If you’re inspecting one, as with other designs, you should keep in mind safety, cleanliness and non-toxic materials.
>>>Salah satu pilihan lain adalah rumah bermain.  Tentu saja, harus ada beberapa ruang, rosotan2, tangga, jembatan dan alat2 lain yang cukup sederhana, kuat dan tidak mahal, dan ruang2nya tidak harus besar.  Bisakah desainnya menarik dan dicat warna-warni yang terang untuk memico ketertarikan dan imaginasi para murid2, dengan gambar2an orang2, binatang2 dan yang lain juga.  Jika kamu memerikanya, sama dengan desain lain  kamu harus memperhatikan keamanan, kebersihan dan juga bahan2 yang tidak beracun.

You should see at least one large open area for team games and sports, and other areas with playground equipment.   An area should be available for those students who want to sit and talk, be it tables and chairs or a clean spot under some trees.  There should be at least some (semi-)permanent sports equipment for popular sports, too, such as a goal or basket.  Easy access to bathrooms is a must, but kids shouldn’t be able to make use of the water to play.  Ideally, also, the nurse’s station should be nearby in case of accidents.  Even painted lines on a hard surface can serve as the foundation for a game, like a big square divided into 4 smaller squares can be used for the ball game “four square”.
>>>Setidaknya ada satu tempat terbuka yang luas untuk permainan dan olah raga, dan tempat2 lain dengan ada alat2 bermain.  Sebuah area harus bersedia untuk para murid yang ingin nongkrong, meja2 dan kursi2 atau tempat bersih dibawah pohon2.  Sebaiknya ada alat2 olah raga yang bersifat (semi)permanen untuk olah raga yang populer juga, seperti sebuah gol atau basket.  Kamar mandi harus dekat, tapi air yang ada tidak dapat dipakai untuk bermain.  Secara ideal, juga, ada kamar perawat yang dekat aba bila ada kecelakaan.  Bahkan garis2 yang dicat di permukaan keras dapat menjadi fondasi permainan, seperti satu kotak besar yang dibagi jadi 4 kotak dapat dipakai untuk permainan bola “4 kotak”.

In the event of rain, or dangerous weather conditions (e.g.:  extreme cold, lightning storms, hail, icy rain, etc.),  there should be an alternative available for students, such as a library, indoor rec area with individual and 2-to-4-person games and toys, an auditorium, or a physical education gym, or the school staff should be prepared to engage in fun, non-learning-oriented activities.  Students should be given access to the most popular ones on a rotating schedule to make sure that certain students don’t monopolize them.
>>>Ketika terjadi hujan, atau cuaca yang berbahaya (contoh: suhu dingin yang membahayakan, badai petir, hujan es, hujan beres, dll), harus ada kegiatan2 lain yang dapat dimanfaatkan oleh para siswa-siswi, seperti perpustakaan, tempat bermain dalam dengan permainan dan mainan untuk 1 atau beberapa murid, aula, atau ruang olah raga, atau staf sekolah harus mengadakan kegiatan2 yang menyenangkan dan tidak terkait belajar secara langsung.   Murid2 harus diberi akses ke tempat dan kegiatan yang paling disukai secara gonta-ganti supayanya dapat dipakai secara adil oleh semua.

One important area that may be overlooked in city schools is a natural area for children to explore and see nature. Living in the concrete jungle tends to isolate us from the environment that we depend on for life, and such a disconnect can cause us not to appreciate its value or how important it is to take care of it properly. Having an area where students can frolic in the dirt, sand, clay and grass, touch, view and smell the flowers, climb trees and see wild creatures adds an entirely new dimension for some of them, and can bring to life learning about the natural sciences, as well as be used for other purposes, like language acquisition, physical education, and gardening.
>>>Salah satu daerah yang penting yang mungkin terlupakan di sekolah2 di kota adalah tempat alami untuk dijelajahi dan melihat lingkungan hidup. Hidup di kota yang penuh dengan konkrit, semen dan besi cenderung memisahkan kita dari lingkungan hidup yang kita tergantung untuk bertahan hidup, dan pemisahan tersebut dapat menyebabkan kita tidak menghargai nilainya atau betapa pentingnya dikelola dengan benar. Mempunyai tempat dimana para murid dapat bermain di tanah, pasir, tanah liat dan rumput, menyentuh, melihat dan mencium bunga2, memanjat pohon dan melihat binatang liar menambahkan dimensi yang begitu baru untuk beberapa muridnya, dan dapat membuat pembelajaran tentang IPA jadi lebih nyata, dan just dapat dipakai untuk tujuan lain, seperti bahasa, PenJasORKes, dan berkebun.

Older and younger students should be let out to play in separate areas.  This can either be done through having physically separate areas or by letting them out at different times of day.  At what age these divisions should occur depends largely on the culture and the behavior of students, which should be evident  through observation, but the culture and behavior can be modified by the creation of a school culture that fosters constructive interaction between students of different ages, increases tolerance and emotional understanding, and generally produces a more genuinely loving and harmonious environment.  Going strictly by the somewhat arbitrary designations  of major stages in schooling: pre-primary, primary, junior/middle and senior high should be separated.  From a formative psychological viewpoint, however, the line is blurred and one might argue that the lines  of division be based on major psychological stages of development instead, or that toddlers be separated from kindergarten to 3rd grade students, who are separated from upper elementary, and so on.
>>>Murid2 yang lebih tua seharusnya dipisah dari yang lebih muda.  Ini dapat dilakukan dengan ada tempat terpisah, atau dengan membiarkan mereka bermain pada waktu yang beda.  Pada umur berapa perpisahan ini harus terjadi sangat tergantung pada budaya dominan para murid dan juga perilakunya, yang akan jelas kalau diobservasikan, namun budaya dan sikap ini dapat dimodifikasi dengan membangun sebuah budaya sekolah yang mendukung interaksi yang membangun diantara murid dengan macam2 umur, meningkatkan toleransi dan pemahaman perasaan, dan secara umum menciptakan sebuah lingkungan yang penuh dengan kasih sayang dan keharmonisan yang tulus.  Secara menurut batasan2 tahap2 sekolah yang tradisional namun kurang tepat: pra-SD, SD, SMP dan SMA harus dipisahkan.  Dari sudut sikologi formatif, namun, garisnya tidak sejelas itu dan dapat diperdebatkan bahwa batasannya lebih tepat kalau didasarkan tahap2 sikologi perkembangan, atau balita harus dipisahkan dari TK sampai dengan kelas 3, yang dipisahkan dari SD atas, dan seterusnya.

Safety >>>Keamanan
An often-overlooked matter of great importance is safety.  It should be evident that the school has taken into consideration the safety needs of the students.  Pre-primary students, especially, need special safety equipment installed for multi-level jungle gyms and some playground equipment,  and if they will be playing on a hard surface supervision by adults should be more than adequate. Multi-level playing gyms should have foam rubber, especially on any sharp edges, and anywhere that a child could fall should either have a safety net or something soft to land on that takes up far more area than you’d think necessary.   Safety nets should be designed so that entanglement that could lead to injury or death is impossible, and anything that would otherwise be considered a wall because of the lack of a safe way to climb down and no retaining wall should be netted, as well.  There have been enough reports in the news of small children falling to their deaths in shopping malls and other buildings because of the lack of safe design that took into consideration the curiosity of children, and the same holds true in most play areas that are truly multi-level.  As students get older, there should be fewer safety issues, but some evidence of safety measures should be evident as recent studies have shown that a concussion often has after-effects that span years or even decades!   Safety equipment for games with hard objects moving at high speeds, such as helmets and gloves for baseball, are a must, and padding for rough sports like American football, boxing and other contact sports should be used.
>>>Salah satu hal yang sering tidak diperhatikan adalah pengamanan.  Seharusnya jelas bagi orang tua bahwa sekolahnya sudah mempertimbangkan dalam desain tempat2 bermain apa yang akan membuatnya amat bagi para murid.   Murid pra-SD, lebih dari yang lain, membutuhkan alat2 pengamanan untuk tempat bermain yang bertingkat dan beberapa macam wahana tempat bermain, dan apabila mereka akan bermain diatas lantai yang keras harus ada pengawasan yang lebih dari cukup.  Tempat bermain bertingkat harus pakai busa, terutama di mana ada ujung2 yang tajam, dan dimanapun anak2 dapat jatuh harus ada jaring pengaman atau sesuatu yang tebal dan lembut yang lebih besar daripada yang diperkirakan.  Jaring pengaman harus didesain agar anak2 tidak menjadi terkusut dengan akibat terluka atau meninggal dunia, dan juga dikasih dimana seharusnya ada dinding, terutama kalau tidak ada cara turun yang aman.  Sudah ada cukup banyak kejadian dimana anak kecil jatuh dan meninggal di mal atau gedung lain karena desainnya tidak aman karena anak2 kecil cendurung  sangat penasaran, dan masalah ini juga nyata di tempat bermain bertingkat.  Seiring dengan waktu, tingkat resiko akan turun, tetapi masih harus ada tindakan pengamanan karena sudah ada cukup banyak bukti bawa gejar otak mengganggu otaknya selama berbulan2 ataupun bertahun2! Alat2 pengamanan untuk permainan dengan barang keras yang gerak sangat cepat, seperti helm dan sarung tangan untuk bisbol, wajib, dan pakaian pengamanan untuk olah raga yang bersifat keras seperti football Amerika, tinju dan olah raga yang bersifat keras wajib dipakai.

If there is a pool, toddlers should be supplied with floatation devices, all edges should be rounded, preferably with foam rubber on the most dangerous ones, and the tiles and cement should be non-slip.  Even for primary students, a pool that doesn’t meet safety standards can be a risk, and the presence of sharp edges is bad at any age.  Slippery tiles are often used in pools for their  walls, but slippery tiles along the sides of the pool or the bottom are risky because of the increased chance of a student being unable to gain his/her footing, especially a panicking one.  Although grit/sand embedded in the floor’s paint may not feel pleasant to the feet, it is better than drowning, and less expensive than non-slip tiles.  If you see a pool surrounded by slick tiles, and the floor uses slick tiles, that is a dangerous sign, and/or if the edges of steps and the pool itself are not rounded or padded, too, that is a very bad sign.
>>>Apabila ada kolam renang,  balita wajib dikenakan pelampung, semua tepi/pinggir bulat, lebih baik lagi kalau dikasih busa pada yang paling berbahaya, dan keramiknya dan cat wajib anti-selip.  Bahkan untuk murid  SD, kolamnya yang tidak memenuhi standart pengamanan dapat beresiko, dan keberadaan tepi yang tajam selalu tanda buruk untuk semua umur.   Keramik yang licin untuk dindingnya, tetapi kalau dipakai untuk lantainya sangat beresiko karena tingkat resiko anak tidak dapat berdiri dengan gampang, terutama ketika ketakutan.   Walaupun pasi di dalam cat lantainya mungkin tidak terasa enak untuk kaki, itu lebih baik daripada tenggelam, dan lebih murah daripada keramik anti-selip.  Jika kamu melihat kolam yang dikelilingi oleh keramik yang licin, dan lantai kolamnya juga memakainya, itu tanda bahayanya; dan/atau apabila pinggir tangga dan tepi kolamnya tidak dibuat bulat atau dikasih busa, juga, itu sangat buruk.

Although not required, a dark-colored pool will increase the water temperature and make swimmers feel more comfortable due to the increased temperature, which may reduce catching a cold or flu.  But the sides and walking areas around the pool should be lightly colored so that children don’t burn their  feet and, thus they won’t feel the need to run, which could lead to slipping and injuries.  Poolside materials should  be a bit rough but not sharp or painful to walk on, and/or non-slip, too.  Natural rock is not necessarily a good choice, because some natural rock is rather slippery when wet, and cement that’s not well-cared for can have algae grow on it, making it slippery.
>>>Meskipun tidak wajib, kolam yang berwarna  gelap akan membuat suhu airnya lebih hangat dan itu berarti perenang akan terasa lebih nyaman, dengan akibat mungkin mengurangi resiko masuk angin dan flu.  Namun, tepi dan daerah jalan2 disekitar kolamnya seharusnya berwarna muda agar kaki2 anak2 tidak terbakar dan mereka tidak mereka tidak merasa harus lari, karena itu dapat menimbulkan anak jatuh dan luka.  Bahan tepi kolam seharusnya sedikit kasar tapi tidak tajam atau menyakitkan kalau diinjak, dan/atau anti-selip juga.  Batu alam tidak tentu pilihan yang tepat, karena ada beberapa batu yang menjadi licin kalua basah, dan semen pun dapat menjadi licin karena lumut.

If how to ride a bicycle  is taught, the school should insist that parents provide their  kids with appropriate gear – helmets, and elbow and knee pads.  This will both reduce the child’s likelihood of injury and their  fear, which will speed up learning.  It is probably not feasible for the school to provide such equipment without generous financial support.
>>>Jika ada pelatihan naik sepeda, sekolahnya harus mewajibkan para ortu menyediakan alat2 pengamanan yang cocok – helm dan alat pengaman sendi.  Ini akan mengurangi resiko anakmu terluka dan juga rasa takutnya akan hilang, dan itu akan mempermudahkan proses belajar naik sepeda.  Kemungkinan besar sekolahnya tidak mampu menyediakan alat seperti ini tanpa ada donator uang.

The surface of the play area, especially in areas designed for special activities like skate-boarding, should be flat and well-maintained, with no holes or protruding objects so as to minimize the danger of tripping and falling.  The best choice for play areas is to use materials like rubber, sand, loam or chipped bark to deaden falls and minimize serious injuries.   Garden areas, which add a pleasant appearance, should not contain dangerous plants (such as those with poison, large thorns or pointed/sharp leaves), and they should not be bordered with anything that a student could be critically hurt by if s/he fell on it, such as stakes, upright bricks, or other sharp or pointy objects.  Fences and gates should be in good repair without rust, crumbling sections or sharp edges.  If the fence’s function is to keep people out with barbed wire or sharp objects embedded in them, the fence should be tall enough that no student can somehow touch that part.  Small drainage ditches should be covered with grating so that students’ feet can’t fall in, and large ones should be fenced off.
>>>Permukaan tempat bermain, terutama tempat yang dirancang untuk aktifitas khusus seperti papan seluncur, harus rata dan dirawat dengan baik, tanpa ada lubang atau barang yang menonjol agar resiko terpeleset dan jatuh minim.  Pilihannya terbaik untuk dipakai di tempat bermain adalah bahan yang mengurangi dampak anak kejatuhan, seperti karet, pasir, tanah empuk atau potongan2 kulit pohon. Kebun yang memperindahkan tempatnya tidak boleh ada tanaman yang berbahaya  (seperti yang beracun, berduri besar atau dengan daun burujung tajam), dan tidak boleh ada pinggiran yang dibuat dari bahan yang dapat melukai parah seorang murid ketika jatuh, seperti pancang, batu merah yang berdiri, atau obyek lain yang tajam.  Pagar dan pintu gerbang harus dalam kondisi prima tanpa karat, bagian runtuh atau pinggiran tajam.  Jika funginya adalah mencegah orang masuk dengan kawat berduri atau benda tajam ditanam dalamnya, pagarnya harus begitu tinggi sampai para murid tidak dapat meraihnya.   Got kecil harus dilindungi dengan teralis agar kaki para muridnya tidak masuk, dan yang besar harus dilingkari pagar.

Cleanliness is an important aspect of safety.  Obviously, we would never expect to see things like broken glass or rusting metal in the facility, but neither should we see garbage lying about as it encourages the presence of  animals like cockroaches, mice, rats, and other pests, as well as providing breeding places for mosquitos.  Poor cleanliness also reflects negatively on the school, as it indicates that the school is not concerned with safety and health, and doesn’t attempt to imbue in the students proper character that values the importance of a clean environment.  After all, our environment gives us everything we need to live, right?
>>>Kebersihan adalah bagian penting dari keamanan.  Jelas, kami tidak pernah berharap melihat benda seperti kaca yang pecah atau logam berkarat di tempatnya, namun juga kami seharusnya tidak menemukan sampah dibuang kemana karena itu menjadi rawan untuk hama seperti kecoa, tikus, tikus besar dan lain2, dan juga dapat menjadi tempat berkembangbiak untuk nyamuk.  Kebersihan yang jelek juga mencerminkan buruk untuk sekolahnya, karena itu menunjukkan bahwa pengurusnya tidak mempedulikan keamanan dan kesehatan, dan tidak berusaha menanam dalam setiap murid watak yang bagus yang menhargai kepentingan lingkungan hidup yang bersih.  Bukankah lingkungan kita yang memberikan semua yang dibutuhkan untuk hidup?

We shouldn’t forget legal concerns that make the acquisition of insurance a necessity.  Sometimes compliance with insurance regulations themselves causes schools to have to remove damaged equipment due to lack of funding, resulting in fewer facilities for students, but this is preferable to serious injury!
>>>Kami tidak boleh lupa hal terkait dengan hukum yang mewajibkan asuransi.  Terkadang kewajiban dari perusahaan asuransi memaksa sekolah2 mencabut alat2 yang rusak karena tidak ada dana untuk memperbaikinya, dengan akibat ada lebih sedikit fasilitas untuk para murid, namun ini lebih bagus daripada luka2 serius!

Of great importance is the presence of facilities for the care of injured and sick people.  You should find out if the teachers are trained in first aid, where first aid supplies are stored and how close they are to areas where accidents are most likely to happen (e.g.: shop classroom, playground, gymasium), whether there is an on-site clinic and if there is a full-time nurse stationed there, and what the SOPs are to deal with sick and injured individuals.  Do they have a back-up plan in case of trouble?  How will they handle true emergencies that cannot be dealt with at school?  Do they have a doctor on call, is there a nearby doctor’s office, clinic or hospital?  At the very least, first-aid boxes should be stationed strategically around the school near high-risk areas, and teachers and staff  - and even students! - should have been trained in how to use them.  Finally, who is the point of contact in the case of an emergency, especially if the health specialist is away?
>>>Sangatlah penting adalah keberadaan perlengkapan untuk perawatan orang yang terluka dan sakit.  Kamu sebaiknya cari tahu apakah para guru telah terlatih dalam pemakaian P3K, dimana P3K disimpan dan berapa dekat dengan tempat2 yang tingkat resiko kecelakaan tinggi (contoh: ruang kerajinan, tempat bermain, ruang olah raga), apakah ada klinik di kampus dan apakah ada perawat terlatih yang salalu siap membantu, dan prosedur standart apa yang ada untuk keperawatan yang sakit dan terluka.  Apakah ada rencana cadangan kalau ada situasi gawat?  Apa rencananya kalau memang ada situasi darurat yang tidak dapat ditangani di sekolahnya?  Apakah ada dokter yang dapat dipanggil, atau akankah mereka ke klinik, kantor dokter atau rumah sakit?  Setidaknya, ada kotak P3K harus ditempatkan secara strategis di rawan kecelakaan, dan para staf dan guru – bahkan murid2 - harus terlatih. Terakhir, siapa yang harus dihubungkan dalam keadaan darurat, terutama kalau ahli medisnya sedang tidak ada?

Rules & Supervision >>>Peraturan & Pengawasan
Rules and supervision of the students are an important part of a recreation area that go hand in hand.  This is especially true of small children who haven’t been socialized or taught by their families, and older students in high-risk areas.  An initial period of adjustment is to be expected, and guidance from a caring person will help to make the transition easier – both in the rules and in the possible uses of unfamiliar equipment.  They should be fairly and consistently enforced.
>>>Peraturan dan pengawasan murid2 adalah bagian penting dari tempat bermain yang terkait.  Ini sangat nyata dengan anak2 kecil yang belum diajarkan peraturan2nya oleh keluarga, apalagi murid yang lebih gede dari daerah kumuh.  Sebuah waktu awal untuk penyesuaian harus terantisipasikan, dan bimbingan dari seseorang yang kasih sayang akan membantu membuat transisinya lebih gampang – baik peraturan maupun pemakaian alat2 yang belum diketahui.  Peraturannya seharusnnya ditegaskan dengan adil dan konsisten.

One great resource that schools should be making use of is their physical education and health teachers – these people generally have a great deal of understanding about safety and rules and can thus play an important role on the school’s committee for said affairs.  They can even be given responsibility for oversight of construction and maintenance of school facilities to ensure quality and safety.
>>>Salah satu sumber daya manusia yang sebaiknya dipergunakan oleh sekolahnya adalah guru JasOrKes – orang2 ini biasanya mempunyai banyak pemahaman tentang pengamanan dan peraturan dan itu berarti mereka dapat berperan penting  dalam panitia tentang hal2 tersebut.  Mereka bahkan dapat diberikan tanggung jawab atas pengawasan pembangunan dan perbaikan fasilitas sekolah untuk memastikan mutu dan pengamanannya.

Small children need rules to help them learn how to interact appropriately, but they also need gentle guidance from caring adults because safety is something  children have to learn.  There are many children who come from environments in which they have learned appropriate behavior, but there are also many who come from environments where there are problems, or where they are mollycoddled and/or abusive behavior is either tolerated or found amusing.  These children, especially,  will need the loving help of adults so that they will be accepted by other children and be able to integrate.  This may even be true of older students, if they are coming from schools with inferior  integration programs and a lack of the development of character, social and emotional skills.  If you believe your child may come from a background that is less supportive, too supportive, or even abusive, or if you have noticed that your child has trouble socializing or often gets into trouble for one reason or another, you should take care to ascertain that the school has a great integration and support program.
>>>Anak2 kecil membutuhkan peraturan untuk membantu mereka belajar cara interaksi yang cocok, tapi mereka juga butuh bimbingan yang baik dari dewasa yang peduli karena keamanan adalah sesuatu yang anak2 harus belajar.  Ada banyak anak2 yang berasal dari lingkungan yang membimbing mereka dengan benar, tapi juga ada banyak  yang dari lingkungan yang bermasalah, atau dimana mereka dimanjakan dan/atau dimana perlakuan kejam olehnya diterima atau dianggap lucu.  Anak2 seperti ini, lebih dari yang lain,  akan membutuhkan bantuan yang penuh kasih sayang dari dewasa agar mereka dapat disukai dan diterima oleh anak2 lain.  Ini juga benar untuk murid2 yang lebih dewasa, bila mereka dari sekolah dengan program integrasi yang tidak bagus dan ketidakadaan pengembangan watak dan kemampuan sosial dan perasaan.  Jika kamu percaya bahwa anakmu berasal dari lingkungan yang kurang mendukung, memanjakan atau keras, ataupun kalau kamu lihat bahwa anakmu susah bersosialisasi atau sering dalam masalah dengan alasan apa2, kamu dianjurkan untuk memastikan sekolah yang kamu selidiki punya program hebat integrasi dan bimbingan.

Rules with pictures should be written so that the students can easily understand them, and should be constructively oriented (i.e.: “Play nicely”, “Ask for what you want to use”, and “Use your words, not your fists”).  Periodic sessions in which the rules are talked about and demonstrated through role-playing are a good idea.  A colorful, permanent display of the rules can serve as a reminder for students.
>>>Peraturan dengan gambar2 harus ditulis dengan cara yang gampang dipahami murid, dan seharusnya bersifat baik (maksudnya: “Bermain dengan baik,” Minta izin kalau ingin memakai sesuatu,” dan “Pakailah kata2mu, bukan tanganmu”).  Sesi yang terkadang diadakan untuk membicarakan dan mempertunjukkan peraturan melalui berperan adalah gagasan yang bagus.   Pameran peraturan yang permanen dan berwarna menarik dapat mengingatkan para murid2nya.

There are reports of schools dropping all playground rules with great success.  However, this doesn’t take into consideration the facts that (1) the rules have been so fully impressed on the older students over the years prior to the abolition of the rules that (2) they have become part of their social interactions and are thus (3) passed on daily to the younger and even new students.  In addition, if the school has a strong program to create a supportive, harmonious and unified environment within the school, this will naturally spill over into the play area and help to minimize problems.  I suspect that there will be times when problems will occur in schools without play area rules, but appropriately applied reinforcement should help.  Especially if the school doesn’t have rules, you should be sure to go there during school hours to observe the behavior of the students while playing.  If you see a shortage of teachers, teachers who are too busy socializing to notice what’s going on, or there are frequent problems, those are bad signs.
>>>Ada laporan2 tentang sekolah yang telah menghapus semua peraturan dengan sukses yang tidak dapat dibayangkan.  Namun, ini tidak mempertimbangkan fakta bahwa (1) peraturan2nya sudah didorong sampai jadi kebiasaan murid yang lebih tua pada tahun2 sebelum peraturannya dibuang sampai (2) peraturannya menjadi bagian pokok dari interaksi sosial mereka  dan demikian (3) diwariskan kepada murid2 yang muda dan baru.  Apalagi, jika di sekolah ada program kuat untuk menciptakan sebuah lingkungan yang mendukung, penuh harmoni dan kebersamaan, ini akan berakibat baik di lingkungan bermain dan akan mengurangi masalah2. Saya menyangka bahwa akan ada titik bermasalah di sekolah tanpa peraturan, namun pengawasan dan pembimbingan yang cocok dapat menyelesaikannya.  Terutam di sekolah tanpa peraturan, kamu harus ke sana pada jam sekolah untuk mengawasi perilaku murid2nya saat bermain.  Jika ada kekurangan guru2, gurunya terlalu sibuk bersosialisasi sampai tidak memperhatikan apa yang terjadi di tempat main, atau sering ada masalah, itu semua tanda buruk.

In either situation – with or without explicit rules – there should be supervision by adults in sufficient numbers to minimize problems, like bullying and fighting, not to mention outside interference by criminals.  It is a sad fact that abduction of children for the worldwide sex and slave markets is on the rise, as is the abuse of children by infantophiles, pedophiles, psychopaths and other deviants, so school staff must be vigilant and, preferably, there should be a gated fence around the property.
>>>Dalam kedua keadaan – dengan atau tanpa peraturan – harus ada pengawasan oleh dewasa2 dalam jumlah yang cukup agar masalah dapat diminimalisirkan, seperti penggertakan oleh bully dan perkelahian, apalagi gangguan dari luar oleh penjahat.  Sayang sekali, penculikan anak2 untuk pasar gelap budak seks dan budak sedang meningkat, juga dengan penyiksaan dan pelecehan balita, anak2 dan remaja oleh orang2 yang menyimpang, seperti pencabul dan sikopat, jadi staf sekolah harus was2 dan, lebih baik lagi, harus ada pagar dengan pintu gerbang yang mengelilingi tempat bermain dan sekolahnya.

Conclusion  >>>Penutup
So, when you are looking at a school’s recreation area, you should see a recreation area that is large, safe, well-planned and has some equipment; rules should be clear and supervision performed by an adequate number of adults.  Also, don’t forget to observe cleanliness!
>>>Jadi, ketika kamu melihat tempat bermain sekolah, seharusnya terlihat besar, aman, direncanakan dengan baik dan ada beberapa alat2 olah raga; peraturan harus jelas dan pengawasan dilakukan oleh dewasa dalam jumlah yang cukup.  Juga, jangan lupa  memperhatikan kebersihan!