Instructional Skills of Christian Religious Education Teachers in Shaping Students’ Social Identity: Insights from Exodus 2:11 - A Study at SD Negeri 074053 Duria Hilisebua

Abstract

This study explores the instructional skills of Christian Religious Education (CRE) teachers in shaping students’ social identity through the theological reflection of Book of Exodus 2:11 at SD Negeri 074053 Duria Hilisebua, Nias. The school context consists of 182 Christian students and two Christian teachers, including the CRE teacher, providing a communal faith environment that requires intentional pedagogical cultivation to foster mature social identity. Exodus 2:11, which narrates Moses’ identification with his oppressed people, serves as a biblical foundation for understanding identity as relational belonging and social responsibility. Using a qualitative case study approach, data were collected through semi-structured interviews, classroom observations, and document analysis. The findings indicate that instructional competence is demonstrated through contextual biblical interpretation, narrative pedagogy, dialogical engagement, empathetic modeling, collaborative learning strategies, and reflective activities. These instructional practices enabled students to connect the biblical narrative with their own experiences of community life, fostering empathy, solidarity, and a sense of shared responsibility. The study concludes that instructional skills in Christian education function as transformative tools in social identity formation. When theological insight is integrated with participatory and relational pedagogy, students are guided not only to understand Scripture cognitively but also to internalize and embody its social implications in their daily interactions.