The Importance of Character Education for the World of Education
Character education is an important education in building young people who excel in facing the changing era of the times at this time. Perhaps many of the moral problems that have been faced by this nation are still very complex, starting from the leaders to the whole community. Character education itself is a process of character formation that can have a positive impact on one's emotional development, spirituality and personality.
Therefore, I am of the opinion that character education or moral education is the most important part in building the identity of a nation. Moral problems of the young generation today are the result of mistakes in past education that lack of applying character education in their learning. I think, education used to only pursue intellectual abilities, so that only humans are smart but not good. Basically, smart humans but not good is a danger because they get a chance to commit fraud.
To shape the character or personality of a quality child at this time the need for formation and fostering from an early age. In my opinion early childhood, especially elementary school age children (SD) are critical periods to shape one's character, moral cultivation through character education as early as possible to children is the main key to building a prosperous nation and being able to face the challenges of an increasingly advanced world. It seems that in this day and age the attitude of most children today is more stubborn or difficult to manage and makes parents stroking their chests, for example elementary school children who dare to fight teachers and parents, fight with friends, smoke and there are still many bad behavior to do the other.
Education is a conscious and planned effort in realizing an atmosphere of learning and learning process so that students can actively develop their potential to have spiritual spiritual strength, self-control, personality, intelligence, noble character, and the skills needed by themselves, society, nation and state. From the above understanding, I think it is very clear that education is not only based on intellectual intelligence but also depends on the formation of children's character. And education itself is not just a learning process that is to pursue intelligence but must also develop other potentials that are owned by students and receive attention from the educator so that they can develop optimally and in accordance with their wishes.
Understood from the concepts of character and education, character education emerges. The meaning of character education is a conscious effort made by educators to students to shape the personality of students who teach and shape morals, ethics, and a sense of good culture and noble character that fosters the ability of students to give good and bad decisions and realize that goodness in everyday life.
It seems that a person's success is not solely determined by their knowledge and technical abilities and logic (hard skills), but rather by the ability to manage themselves and others (soft skills). Success is only determined by hard skills and the rest by soft skills and soft skills are formed through the implementation of character education in students. Education should be formulated in the curriculum established educational methods and practiced in daily learning.
We need to know that there are a number of conditions in the country. We witnessed the phenomenon of brawls that often occurred among students in many cities in Indonesia. Acts of violence and brutality are increasingly rampant and rampant. Exposure to pornography and drug abuse is rife and difficult to stop. Students dare to hit the teacher, and even until the teacher dies. These concerns indicate that the failure of educational institutions in Indonesia in providing character education for their students.
In my opinion, the true family is the main foundation of character education, because students spend more time in the family than in school. Thus, the relationship and cooperation between teachers and parents of students is needed, because education at school and at home must be synchronous and interested with one another. It is not possible that character education rests only on the teacher or on the parents of the students.
I feel that teachers and parents must set a good role model for each student so that character education is easily formed. Imagine, if a teacher intends to instill the character of discipline to students so as not to come late, but the teacher himself often arrives late. And if this happens, do not expect students to pay attention to the advice or input of the teacher concerned, because students have lost confidence in the teacher himself. So the main key is student confidence in the teacher.
In my opinion, teachers need to suppress or reduce their ego in practicing character education and should be able to provide encouragement and direction to their students. Teachers and students need to be together to hone skills in developing good characteristics.
It may be that the character education provided or formed is intended to prepare students' skills to deal with realities in real life. Students need to know how to bring themselves into relationships, how to speak politely and politely, how to tolerate others and help one another, and so on. Which parent does not want his child to be a person of high intellectual quality with a manner that is polite and has good behavior and respects others? Maybe academic achievement is often prioritized. However, it should be remembered that success in life does not always depend on the academic abilities that a person achieves.
It seems that character education must also be able to provide intake not only for the body, but at the same time also for the soul in the form of morality to determine how good-bad or right-wrong attitude. Usually the development and implementation of character education must be carried out based on this. Understood in the lessons of Religion that we know, such as not only emphasizing aspects of prayer and worship, but also how to apply them clearly in daily life.
I think the challenges, especially for teachers, can indeed be said to be heavy. However, it should not be considered that character education makes us give up in applying it in the midst of the present era which is full of negative turmoil.
It must be understood that character education is the main key in building a nation's civilization that humanizes humanity for the creation of a glorious nation's future. Annisa Fitriani