Character Education

“CHARACTER EDUCATION”

                        Nowadays, education in Indonesia gets bad image in abroad. It is caused by some cases which not bring good example for children, such as violation in Jakarta International School kindergarten, and many case in other school. I think all of that is responsible of government and also teachers to make that be better. Now, our government uses good program for all school in this country. It is Character Education. The definitions of character education based on opinion of Elkind & Sweet is the deliberate effort to help people understand, care about, and acts upon core ethical values. When we think about the kind of character we want for our children, it is clear that we want them to be able to judge what is right, care deeply about what is right, and then do what they believe to be right, even in the face of pressure from without and temptation from within. Character education is all of something which do by teacher who able to change behaviour or character of their students. Teacher helps to make character of students. It is about how the behaviour’s teacher, how teacher speaks or explains the material of subject, how teacher tolerances and all of behaviour which has relation with character education. Configuration of character in psychology process and cultural social are : (1) spiritual and emotional development, (2) intellectual development, (3) physical and kinaesthetic development, (4) affective and creativity development, all of these are can’t be separated one by one even these are completing each other. The meaning of character education can be identified by some opinion in society, such as:

1.      Character education    : Religion and Citizenship subject, because it is be responsible of religion and citizenship teacher.

2.      Character education    : Education which be responsible of family, not responsible of school.

3.      Character education    : It is addition subject in KTSP.

                        Character education is believed as important aspects to increase the human resources, because it can also develop the country. Thomas Lickona (professor from Cortland University) said that there are ten signs of world’s change which happen nowadays and we have to prevent that because it can destroy our country. These are:

1.         Increase of violation in society and also teenagers.

2.         Bad usage of language.

3.         Influence of peer-group in violation.

4.         Increase of bad behaviour which destroy themselves, like use drugs, alcohol and free sex.

5.         Lose of rule between good and bad behaviour.

6.         Decrease of hard work.

7.         Decrease of respect to parents and teacher.

8.         Decrease of responsibility of personal or group.

9.         Increase of lie (not tell the truth).

10.     There is suspicion to each other.

                        Because of that, so Indonesian government use Character Education program to prevent bad things in the future. Even the Minister of National Education has already plans (implementation) character education for all education grades, start from Elementary School until University.

                        So what is the purpose of character education in school? Character education in school setting has purpose, these are:

1.      To strengthen and develop some values of life which consider that is important and needed, so it can be characteristic behaviour of students.

2.      To correct some behaviour of students this not correlated with some values which taught in school.

3.      To build harmony connection with family and society in doing our responsibility of character education.

In Islamic reference, familiar value which present best behaviour of prophet Muhammad SAW, these are (1) Siddiq {Honest} (2) Amanah {Can be believed} (3) Fathonah {Smart} (4) Tabligh {Share}. In other opinion, there are some values which consider that is important in human’s life, these are honest, responsible, visionary, discipline, work in group, fair, care, patient, clear, pure (cheer up), independent, and many others.

                  There are method and to approach in implementation of character education. The definition of method usually means quick and right way. In Arabic, it is called thoriqoh which has meaning that some strategic steps to do something. In English, it means quick and right way to do something, or we can say that is effective and efficiency. Effective teaching is which can be understood by students excellently. Efficiency teaching is which not need much of time and energy. In education process, and also in character education is needed by education methods which able to increase and built good value and behaviour to students, so they are not only know about moral knowing, but also they can know and do moral action. Abdurrahman An-Nahwali offers some methods, such as:

1.      Hiwar method (dialogue)

Hiwar method is dialogue between two people or more by ask and answer about a topic, and it is purposed to one point which they want. If this method is success, and it is Islamic attitude, so way to dialogue, attitude of that person will influence someone else, so it means that it leaves influence about character education, way in speak, way n appreciate and respect some opinion of someone else.

2.      Qishah method (telling story)

Qishah method is substance method which has important role in education implementation, because in some story, there are some good example and education for students. The reasons why telling story is on of good method are:

a)      Story usually interesting because invite the reader or listener to follow that event and also think about the story meaning.

b)      Story can touch human heart, because that story shows some figure in all of context, so the reader or listener able to feel the content of story, like they are the figure of that story.

c)      Qurani story educates our faith with: increase some feeling, such as khauf, ridlo, and love (relationship), to direct all of feeling so all of that is in one point, it is conclusion of story, brings reader or listener to the story so they can be brought by emotional.

3.      Amtsal method (parable)

In educate and guide all of humans, Allah uses some parable (amtsal), such as in Al-Qur’an that Allah said which has meaning: “parable of kafir people are like people who put up the fire.” (Q.S. Al Baqarah 17). In other source, Allah said which has meaning: “parable of people who take protection to something not to Allah is like spider which built a house, and the weakest house is spider’s house.” (Q.S. Al Ankabut 41). The purposes of this method are:

a)      To bring closer meaning to understanding thing.

b)      To make impression and message which has relation with hidden meaning in that parable.

c)      To educate our mind to think logically and use qiyas (syllogism) logically.

d)     Parable is one way which can make someone’s feeling being desire to do good behaviour and avoid all of bad behaviour.

4.      Uswah method (giving example)

In build character to students in the school, giving example is method which more effective and efficiency. Because most of students especially student of elementary and junior high school usually imitate their teacher. Because students prefer imitate, not only about good thing, but sometimes they also imitate bad thing.

Teacher is someone who be an imitate sample for students. Firstly, children imitate their parents. All of their parent’s behaviour is imitated by them. Because of that, all of parents should give good example to their children. For example, when they will eat, the parents recite basmallah, and their children will recite it too. If their children have already in the school, so they will imitate anything that their teachers do. Because of that, all of teachers should give good example to their students, so good character will be built more effective and efficiency.

5.      Habituation method

Habituation is something which purposely does regularly so that can be habitual. Habituation method has an experience point. Something which is usual is something which is devotion.

Based on opinion of Mulyasa, there are some activities programs which can increase personal of students individually or group:

a)      To be accustomed students to do their assignment, find their creativity and new knowledge by themselves.

b)      To be accustomed students to ask in every teaching process.

c)      To be accustomed students to work in group for cooperative learning.

d)     To be accustomed do reflection in every last teaching.

e)      To be accustomed give real score, fair and transparency.

f)       To be accustomed students to share with their friends to make good relationship each other.

g)      To be accustomed students to think critically in all of material which taught by teachers.

h)      To be accustomed students to be brave to make decision and also brave to receive that risk of their decision.

i)        To be accustomed students to always open theirs in suggestion and critic which given by someone else.

j)        To be accustomed students to always make innovation and improvement in their studying to make it better someday.

There are also some activities, but it is not programmed which can increase personal of students individually or group:

a)      Routine activities, is habituation which has schedule, such as jama’ah prayer, dhuha prayer, flag ceremony, gymnastic, keep a clean of ourselves and school.

b)      Spontan activities, is habituation which has not schedule, such as give greeting, throw the rubbish in the dump, wait in queue, and many more.

c)      Example activities, such as neat clothes, use good languages, diligent to read, appreciate a kindness, come to school on time, and many others.

6.      ‘Ibrah and Mauidah method

It has different meaning. ‘Ibrah is psychic condition which shows human to something, and we can face that by mind set which caused heart to realize that.

Mauidah is soft advice which received by heart with explain about reward and that threat.

7.      Targhib and Tarhib method (appointment and threat)

Taghrib is an appointment to happiness, heaven happiness which followed by flattery. Tarhib is threat which caused by sin. Taghrib and Tarhib have purpose so all of people will obey Allah’s rule, but it has different point between Targhib and Tarhib. Targhib is have purpose to do kindness which commanded by Allah, and Tarhib is have purpose to avoid which forbidden by Allah.

I think, all of that methods are good, but actually character education will be success if the humans are realize to change their behaviour and character to be better than before by themselves.