Character Development of Students in the Elementary School Environment

Abstract

Character education in elementary schools has become a crucial issue in response to increasing moral and social challenges faced by students in the era of rapid development. One of the main problems is the weak internalization of character values in learning processes that tend to focus primarily on cognitive aspects. This study aims to examine the concept of character education, the character values developed, the role of teachers, the school environment, and strategies for developing students’ character in elementary education. This research employs a library research method by reviewing relevant literature, including books, academic journal articles, and educational policy documents. The data were analyzed using a descriptive qualitative approach to obtain a comprehensive understanding of character education. The findings indicate that effective character education requires the integration of character values into learning activities, teacher role modeling, a supportive school environment, and sustainable strategies through extracurricular activities and positive habituation. The implications of this study are expected to serve as a theoretical reference for schools and educators in designing and implementing systematic and sustainable character education.