The Efforts of Christian Religious Education Teachers in Instilling Character Values in Students from Broken Families at SMA Negeri 1 Adiankoting

Abstract

The family serves as the primary environment for shaping children’s character, instilling values such as religiosity, honesty, discipline, and responsibility. However, students from broken families often face emotional instability and lack consistent moral guidance, which hinders their character development. At SMA Negeri 1 Adiankoting, such conditions manifest in behavioral issues including dishonesty, indiscipline, and irresponsibility. In this context, Christian Religious Education (CRE) teachers hold a pivotal role in bridging the moral gap through faith-based pedagogy and mentorship. This study employed a qualitative descriptive approach to examine the efforts of CRE teachers in instilling character values in students from broken families. Data were collected through purposive sampling involving two CRE teachers and ten students. Observation, interviews, and documentation were used, with triangulation ensuring validity. Data analysis proceeded through reduction, display, and conclusion drawing, highlighting recurrent strategies and challenges. The findings reveal that CRE teachers instilled values through four core strategies: first, religiosity, cultivated via prayer, Bible reading, and worship; second,  honesty, reinforced through biblical narratives, fairness, and restorative dialogue; third, discipline, developed by consistent modeling and structured routines; and fourth, responsibility, nurtured by entrusting students with practical roles. Despite positive changes, challenges such as trauma, lack of parental support, and negative peer influences limited sustained progress. CRE teachers significantly contribute to character formation by integrating biblical principles with pedagogical care, fostering resilience, integrity, and responsibility in students from broken families. Institutional support, parental involvement, and community partnerships are recommended to strengthen and sustain these efforts.