The Influence of Christian Religious Education Teachers’ Character on the Personality Formation of Grade VIII Students at UPT SMP Negeri 007 Sinambela

Abstract

Education in Indonesia is designed not only to transmit knowledge but also to cultivate character, values, and spirituality. Within this framework, Christian Religious Education (CRE) plays a central role in shaping students’ holistic development, particularly through the character of teachers, whose integrity often speaks louder than formal instruction. This study investigates the influence of CRE teachers’ character on the personality formation of Grade VIII students at UPT SMP Negeri 007 Sinambela, where adolescents face challenges such as dishonesty, indiscipline, and irresponsibility. An ex post facto design was employed, involving all 62 Grade VIII students through total sampling. Data were collected using a structured, validated, and reliable questionnaire, with variables operationalized into indicators of teacher character (honesty, discipline, empathy, integrity) and student personality (honesty, responsibility, discipline, religiosity). Statistical analysis included Pearson’s product-moment correlation and simple linear regression. The findings reveal a significant positive relationship between teacher character and student personality formation, expressed by the regression equation Y = 43.05 + 0.58X. The t-test result (t = 3.076 > 2.021, p < 0.05) confirms the effect’s significance, while the coefficient of determination (R² = 0.4238) shows that 42.38% of students’ personality formation is explained by teacher character. Furthermore, correlation analysis indicates a strong positive relationship (r = 0.777), with teacher character accounting for 60.4% of variance. These findings highlight that CRE teachers act as living curricula, modeling values that are internalized by students. The study concludes that enhancing teachers’ personal integrity and spiritual competence is crucial for effective character education and calls for collaborative efforts among schools, families, and communities to reinforce consistent moral and spiritual values.