elementary school teachers' competencies of ...

Vol. 72 | No. 12 | Dec 2016

International Journal of Sciences and Research

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHERS’ COMPETENCIES OF CHARACTER EDUCATION ARITA MARINI (Department of Elementary School Teacher Education, Faculty of Education, The State University of Jakarta/Indonesia/+62214404328/[email protected]) ABSTRACT The purpose of this research is to find out the elementary school teachers’ competences of character education in the Province of DKI Jakarta in Indonesia. These competences are related to implementation of 2013 curriculum. This survey research was carried out at elementary schools using 2013 curriculum in Jakarta. Data collection about elementary school teachers’ competences of giving character education based on 2013 curriculum was done by observing 10 elementary schools using 2013 curriculum, distributing questionnaires to 222 respondents consisting elementary school teachers and students, and interviewing the teachers. Observations of character education implementation were done in teaching learning process, character values integration in school culture and extracurricular activities, and society involvement to promote character education. The result of study shows that the mean score of teachers competences to implement character education based on 2013 curriculum based on questionnaires distributed to 222 respondents consisting of teachers and students at elementary schools in Jakarta is 3.02 based on interval from 1 to 4 or achievement of theoretical maximum score is 75.5 % meaning that it is good enough. Furthermore, the mean score of teachers competences to implement character education based on 2013 curriculum in teaching learning process based on observation done to 15 teachers at 10 elementary schools in Jakarta is 2.87 based on interval from 1 to 3 or achievement of theoretical maximum score is 95.67 %. It means that score of teachers competences to implement character education based on 2013 curriculum in teaching learning process is 95.67 % based on observation done to 15 teachers at 10 elementary schools in Jakarta. It can be concluded that elementary school teachers’ competences of giving character education based on 2013 curriculum in the Province of DKI Jakarta in Indonesia are good. Keywords: teachers’ competences, character education and character values integration 1.

INTRODUCTION Character problem in Indonesia has to be paid attention seriously because of globalization era leading to multicultural civilization. This condition demands Indonesians’ competencies to adapt with surrounding environment selectively without loosing our identity. System of basic education in Indonesia is still not only focusing on cognitive aspect but also attitude and skill aspects. In fact, character value hasn’t been integrated systemically in teaching learning process, school culture, extracurricular, and community involvement at elementary schools. Many efforts have been done related to character building on the basis of scientific knowledge and evaluating the effect of character education on students (Berkowitz, M. W & Bier, M. C. ,2004). This study shows the general principles of effective practice for practitioners and policy makers at character building based elementary schools. However, effectiveness of character building depends on the teachers in implementing character education. Implementation of character education will be effective if it is given appropriately by teachers at elementary schools.

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The study done by Milson, A. J. and Mehlig, L. M. (2002) shows that teachers at elementary school believe about most of basic education aspects and have more efficacy feeling to character education. This study gives method to develop elementary school teachers’ competencies of character building at school. Furthermore, this study shows that elementary school teachers were not well trained, prepared, or competent in giving character education so that they were not sure what they have to do as character educator. The purpose of this research to find out the elementary school teachers’ competences of character education in the Province of DKI Jakarta in Indonesia. These competences are related to implementation of 2013 curriculum. This research is also done to know whether elementary school teachers have implemented character education optimally. 2.

LITERATURE REVIEW Study about character building done by Sarros, James C & Cooper, Brian K (2006) shows that character building has to be done through three phases. In the first phase, it is to know morally involving moral awareness and reason and to determine a series of appropriate action. In the second phase, it is moral feeling related to do the right things. Moral feeling consists of moral feeling about right and wrong action, self esteem, emphaty, and low profile. In the third phase, it is moral action related to the action together with competences and willingness. Character building is development of personal integrity consisting of belief and fundamental attitudes of individual. There are many efforts done related to the character building based on scientific knowledge and evaluating the effect of character education on students (Berkowitz, M. W & Bier, M. C. ,2004). This study shows that general principles of effective practice provided for practitioners and decision makers at character building based school. This study found that one of the critical factors in character education effectiveness is loyalty to implement it. Effective character education needs trust in implementing it so that educators are necessary to keep that trust. However, character building effectiveness really depends on the teacher in implementing character education. Character education will be effective if the teachers give it appropriately at elementary schools. Study conducted by Milson, A. J. and Mehlig, L. M. (2002) shows that elementary school teacher believes about most of basic education aspects and having more efficacy on character education. This study found the method to improve elementary school teachers’ competencies for character building at schools. This study shows that most of elementary school teachers has high efficacy level for character education. However, elementary school teachers have less training to teach character education so that they are not sure about whwat to do as character educators. Study carried out by W. G. Thompson (2002) found that there is a positive effect of character education on student behavior. This study recommends that character education should be implemented as an integral part of the curriculum at elementary schools. Teaching learning process should be on the basis of character education and the teachers play an important role as a good character model for the students. Students at elementary schools should be involved in hands-on service activities of the character contributing to the school and society in general. These character activities as a part of character education can help to improve the student behavior as a whole. The study conducted at 681 elementary schools in California by Benninga, J. S.,; Berkowitz, M. W.; Kuehn, P.; and Smith, K. (2003) found that schools implementing higher character education also have higher academic achievement. The character educations implemented were schools promoting positive social relationship between schools and 191

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parents, teachers giving moral development for students by modeling fairness, equity, caring, and respect, and finally schools ensuring safety and cleanliness continously. 3. METHODOLOGY This survey research was carried out at elementary schools using 2013 curriculum in Jakarta. Data collection about elementary school teachers’ competences of giving character education based on 2013 curriculum was done by observing 10 elementary schools using 2013 curriculum, distributing quesionnaires to 222 respondents consisting elementary school teachers and students, and interviewing the teachers. Observation of character education implementation in teaching learning process was done by observing character value integration in teaching learning process. Implementation of character education in teaching learning process was observed through: (1) lesson plan; (2) learning process; and (3) learning evaluation. Observation of the lesson plan was through indicators, objectives, teaching material, method, media, and evaluation instruments. Learning process was observed from preparation, beginning, core, and closing activities of learning consisting of cognitive, affective and psychomotor aspects. Learning evaluation was observed from procedure and type of evaluation involving character evaluation. Data about character education implementation of school culture was collected through observation and interviewing. Integration of character value in school culture was found out by observing the way of teachers implementing character value in educational climate through habit in daily activities in school culture. These integrations was observed through discipline, religion, honesty, school vision and mission, school program, clean and healthy lives, queueing culture, and saving culture. Discipline culture was found out by observing students’ precences, students’ participation in flag ceremony and students’ discipline in teaching learning process. Religious culture was found out by observing students doing greeting, smiling, saying hello, worship and doing prayer together with other students. Honesty attitude was found by observing activities at school to improve the students’ honesty by establishing honesty canteen, honesty watch, and self assesment. School vision and mission was observed about character value loaded. School program was observed about socialization of character education, symbolization of character load, and image building loaded by character value. Clean and healthy lives was observed about students littering in place and caring of school environment. Queueing culture was observed about students’ patience to queue in doing school activities. Saving culture was found out by observing saving culture of the students at schools so that they behaved economically. Observation was also done about teachers communicating and reporting of students’ character development to their parents. School self evaluation related to the character education done periodically and sustainably, strength, and weaknesses. Observation was done related to school reporting the result of development and implementation about character education at schools to educational office at district level. Data about character value integration in extracurricular activities was found out by observing the way of the teachers implementing character education in extracurricular activities through: (1) development; (2) social values; (3) recreative values; and (4) career preparation. Observation was done related to extracurricular activities developing students’ competences and creativity suitable with students’ potencies, talents, and interests. Observation was also found out related to extracurricular activities developing students’ competences and social responsibility. Recreative activities were done by observing extracurricular activities developing relax, fun, and happy situation for students encouraging

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developing process. Career preparation was found out by observing extracurricular activities developing students’ career readiness. Observation and interview were done to find out character value by involving the society roles through: (1) identification and classification of the problem; (2) type of positive character maintained; (3) nurturing steps; (4) program socialization of society roles; (5) collaboration implementation of students’ character nurturing; (6) integrated students’ character reinforcement; and (7) monitoring and evaluation of character nurturing by society participation. Observation and interview were also done to know about: (1) supports of parents, family, and society to implement character education for students suitable with core values developed; (2) communication done intensively by parents, family, and society to develop character values suitable with school programs; (3) conducive situation created by parents, family, and society for students to give reinforcement based on learning experiences at schools; (4) examples given by parents, family, and society to implement character developed at school and at home; (5) supervision done by parents, family, and society about character education activities at schools and at home. 4.

RESULTS Descriptive statistics of questionnaires filled by 222 respondents consisting of teachers and students at 10 elementary schools (SDN Menteng 03, SDN Gondangdia 01, SDN Rawajati 08 Pagi, SD Islam Al Azhar 2 Pasar Minggu, SDS Tunas Karya I, SDN Cilincing 02 Pagi, SDS Al Azhar 13, SDN Rawamangun 12, SDN Cengkareng Timur 21 Pagi, SDN Cengkareng Barat 11) can be shown in Table 1. Table 1. Descriptive Statistics of Teachers Competences to Implement Character Education Based on 2013 Curriculum Types of Descriptive Statistics Scores Mean 3.02 Standard error of mean 0.010 Median 3 Mode 3 Standard Deviation 0.149 Sample Variance 0.022 Skewness 6.480 Standard errof of skewness 0.163 Range 1 Minimum 3 Maximum 4 Source : Data Survey (2013).

Table 1 shows the descriptive statistics of teachers competences to implement character education based on 2013 curriculum. In Table 1, it shows that mean score of teachers competences to implement character education based on 2013 curriculum based on questionnaires distributed to 222 respondents consisting of teachers and students at elementary schools in Jakarta is 3.02 based on interval from 1 to 4 or achievement of theoretical maximum score is 75.5 %. It means that score of teachers competences to implement character education based on 2013 curriculum is 75.5 % based on 222 respondents at 10 elementary schools in Jakarta. Scores of 222 respondents based on questionnaires distributed to 222 respondents at 10 elementary schools in Jakarta can be shown in frequency distribution in Table 2. Table 2 shows that 97.7 % of teachers competences to implement character education based on 2013 curriculum were good and 2.3 % were excellent.

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Table 2. Frequency Distribution of Teachers Competences to Implement Character Education Based on 2013 Curriculum No Scores Frequency (fi) Relative frequency Cumulative frequency (%) (%) 1. 3 217 97.7 97.7 2. 4 5 2.3 100 Total 45 100 Source : Data Survey (2013).

Descriptive statistics of teachers competences to implement character education based on 2013 curriculum in teaching learning process based on observation done to 15 teachers at 10 elementary schools in Jakarta shown in Table 3 Table 3. Descriptive Statistics of Teachers Competences to Implement Character Education Based on 2013 Curriculum in Teaching Learning Process Types of Descriptive Statistics Scores Mean 2.87 Standard error of mean 0.091 Median 3 Mode 3 Standard Deviation 0.352 Sample Variance 0.124 Skewness -2.405 Standard errof of skewness 0.580 Range 1 Minimum 2 Maximum 3 Source : Data Survey (2013).

Table 3 shows the descriptive statistics of teachers competences to implement character education based on 2013 curriculum in teaching learning process. In Table 3, it shows that mean score of teachers competences to implement character education based on 2013 curriculum in teaching learning process based on observation done to 15 teachers at 10 elementary schools in Jakarta is 2.87 based on interval from 1 to 3 or achievement of theoretical maximum score is 95.67 %. It means that score of teachers competences to implement character education based on 2013 curriculum in teaching learning process is 95.67 % based on observation done to 15 teachers at 10 elementary schools in Jakarta. Scores of observation done to 15 teachers at 10 elementary schools in Jakarta can be shown in frequency distribution in Table 4. Table 4 shows that 13.3 % teachers competences to implement character education based on 2013 curriculum in teaching learning process were very good and 86.7 % were excellent. Table 4. Frequency Distribution of Teachers Competences to Implement Character Education Based on 2013 Curriculum in Teaching Learning Process No Scores Frequency (fi) Relative Cumulative frequency (%) frequency (%) 1. 2 2 13.3 13.3 2. 3 13 86.7 100 Total 15 100 Source : Data Survey (2013).

Based on the observation done to 15 teachers at 10 elementary schools using 2013 curriculum in Jakarta, teaching style of the teachers, class situation, teaching material or learning sources used to give character values had the lowest mean as many as 2.47. Some of the teaching styles observed were monotonous, less fun class situation, only one learning source used, less feedback, and less display of students’ works. 194

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Most of students observed at 10 elementary schools using 2013 curriculum in Jakarta were present, suitable with code of conduct, and participated at flag ceremony. Students’ discipline at schools was recorded in journal by the teachers. Students come to school with good time discipline because school gate is closed when flag ceremony and teaching learning process are carried out. 5. DISCUSSION Observation about religious activities found that most of students did greeting, smiling, saying hello, and praying together with other students. Religious behaviours are shown by some of the teachers give greetings to the students at the school fence as habit activities. Before starting the teaching learning process, the students lead the prayer in front of the class. The slogan of ‘5S’ (Sapa, Salam, Senyum, Sopan, Santun) shown in figure 1 is displayed at school.

Source : Data Survey (2013). Fig.1 The slogan of ‘5 S’

Honesty attitudes were observed by school programs held to improve the students’ honesty. Some schools build honesty canteen where the students take what they want and pay by themselves without supervision. Honesty watch in class done by some schools where the students rotate the clockwise by themselves according to their time presence. Students’ honesty was also observed when the exam lasting. Some schools also build the place ‘lost and found’ to improve the students’ habit to give everything back if they found them accidentally. Honest friday was usually done by some schools that cooperation with self service. Observation was done related to the school vision and mission involving character values developed by schools. The vision and mission of some schools have already involved character values. Some schools observed have already carried out programs with socialization of character education inside class and outside class, symbolization of character values at schools, and develop school image based on character values. Clean and healthy lives were found out by observing the students littering in place showing the students taking care of school environment. Some schools have developed clean lives education through symbolization, differentiating organic and inorganic trash, providing 195

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trash can and wash stand, and community service once a week. The students were trained to do the cleanliness at schools and live healthily. Some schools got the predicate of healthy school. Queueing culture at most of the schools was shown that the students queueing to pray, buy food at canteen, washing hands at wash stand, enter the class, and go back from schools. Saving culture of students at some school was done by cooperating with government or private banks, promoting economical lives and provision food from home. Some schools give report of students’ character development to their parents. Some schools pray together every Friday. All of school never report the character education implementation to education office in Jakarta. Extracurricular activities at some schools were done suitable with students’ potencies, talents, and interests. Every student in these activities helps each other, is tolerant, and works as teams. These activities were done with relax situation, fun, an happy for students. The students did all of these activities with responsibility. Some schools carried out development of career readiness. Observation of society involvement at school to implement character education shows that there is no character education success indicators as school target. Types of positive characters promoted at schools are social responsibility and care. Profession of society at some schools is to give counseling about character building to the students. Each month, society give counseling about the danger of drugs. Society at some schools did reinforcement of integrated students’ character in teaching learning process and extra curricular activities. However, monitoring and evaluation of character building through society involvement hasn’t been done. Observation of parents, family, and society gave supports to character education for students suitable with core values developed. Furthermore, parents, family, and society did intensive communication with schools to develop character values suitable with school program through connecting book between parents and schools. Parents at most of the schools gave reinforcement based on learning experiences at schools by monitoring character values promoted at schools. Tolerance and mutual respects at most of the schools were character implementation developed at schools. Parents, family, and society at some schools did controlling of character education carried out at school and home by checking report at connecting books. 6. CONCLUSION Based on the score of teachers competences to implement character education based on 2013 curriculum at 10 elementary schools is 3.02 based on interval from 1 to 4 or achievement of theoretical maximum score is 75.5 % showing that it is good enough. The score of teachers competences to implement character education based on 2013 curriculum in teaching learning process is 95.67 % showing that it is almost excellent. It can be concluded that elementary school teachers’ competences of giving character education based on 2013 curriculum in the Province of DKI Jakarta in Indonesia are good. 7. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This study is dedicated to the The State University of Jakarta, Indonesia that has been providing assistance funding for this research.

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REFERENCES Berkowitz, M. W. & Bier, M. C. 2004. Research-Based Character Education. The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 591, 72-85. Benninga, J. S.,; Berkowitz, M. W.; Kuehn, P.; & Smith, K. 2003. The relationship of character education implementation and academic achievement in elementary schools. Journal of Research in Character Education, 1(1), 2003, pp. 19–32 Berkowitz, M. W. & Bier, M. C. 2004. Research-Based Character Education. The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 591, 72-85. Marini, A. 2015. Management of Primary Schools in District Setiabudi. Jakarta. Independent Research. Marini, A. 2015. Study Elementary Teacher Competence In Providing Character Education Based On The Curriculum in 2013 in Indonesia. Jakarta. PMK-RI research. Milson, A. J. & Mehlig, L. M. 2002. Elementary School Teachers’ Sense of Efficacy for Character Education. The Journal of Educational Research, 96(1), 47-53. Sarros, J. C. & Cooper, B. K. 2006. Building Character: A Leadership Essential. Journal of Business and Psychology, 21(1), 1-22, doi: 10.1007/sl0869-005-9020-3. Thompson, W. G. 2002. The effects of character education on student behavior. Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 706. http://dc.etsu.edu/etd/706.

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