Electronic Theses and Dissertation

Pendidikan karakter pada jenjang Pendidikan Anak Usia Dini (PAUD) memiliki
peran strategis karena anak berada pada masa emas (golden age) yang
menentukan pembentukan sikap, perilaku, dan kebiasaan di masa mendatang.
Keberhasilan penanaman nilai-nilai karakter tersebut sangat bergantung pada
manajemen kurikulum yang baik, mencakup perencanaan, pelaksanaan, evaluasi,
dan tindak lanjut. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mendeskripsikan proses
perencanaan dan implementasi manajemen kurikulum berbasis karakter, serta
mengidentifikasi hambatan dan solusi yang dihadapi guru dalam mengembangkan
karakter anak di Sekolah PAUD Islam Terpadu Mina dan TK Negeri Pembina
Bungong Jeumpa. Penelitian ini menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif dengan jenis
penelitian deskriptif. Subjek penelitian terdiri dari kepala sekolah, wakil kepala
sekolah, dan guru pada kedua lembaga PAUD tersebut. Teknik pengumpulan data
dilakukan melalui observasi, wawancara, dan dokumentasi, dengan teknik analisis
data meliputi pengumpulan data, reduksi data, penyajian data, dan penarikan
kesimpulan. Berdasarkan temuan penelitian, didapati bahwa: (1) Proses
perencanaan manajemen kurikulum berbasis karakter di sekolah ini mencakup
beberapa nilai karakter dalam pembelajaran, pembiasaan perilaku positif, dan
keteladanan; (2) Proses implementasi manajemen kurikulum berbasis karakter di
sekolah dalam meningkatkan karakter peserta didik telah dilakukan di kedua
sekolah sesuai dengan perencanaan; (3) Hambatan yang dialami guru dalam
membentuk karakter peserta didik meliputi lemahnya manajemen waktu,
kurangnya pengawasan dan kerjasama dengan orangtua dan lingkungan
masyarakat serta evaluasi yang belum optimal; (4) Solusinya adalah pihak sekolah
harus melakukan evaluasi yang optimal, melakukan kerjasama dan pertemuan
dengan orangtua serta meminta kunjungan dari pengawas. Maka, dapat
disimpulkan bahwa, perencanaan dan pengawasan sangat penting dalam
mengoptimalkan manajemen kurikulum berbasis karakter di satuan pendidikan
PAUD.
Kata Kunci: Manajemen Kurikulum, Pendidikan Karakter, PAUD.

Character education at the early childhood education (ECE) level plays a strategic role because children are in the golden age, a critical period for shaping the attitudes, behaviors, and habits that influence their future development. The successful cultivation of character values depends largely on effective curriculum management, encompassing planning, implementation, evaluation, and follow-up. This study aimed to describe the planning and implementation processes of character-based curriculum management and to identify the challenges encountered by teachers, along with the strategies employed to foster children's character development at Mina Integrated Islamic Early Childhood Education Center and Pembina Bungong Jeumpa State Kindergarten. This study employed a qualitative approach using a descriptive research design. The research participants consisted of the principals, vice principals, and teachers from both early childhood education institutions. Data were collected through observations, interviews, and document analysis. The data were analyzed through the stages of data collection, data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing. The findings indicate that the planning of the character-based curriculum involved formulating curriculum objectives and programs, determining the core character values to be developed, and actively engaging school principals and teachers in the curriculum planning process. The implementation integrated character values into classroom instruction through positive habit formation, teacher role modeling, and parental involvement in supporting children's character development. Several challenges were identified, including limited facilities and resources, insufficient teacher professional development, and low levels of parental participation. These challenges were addressed through strategies such as strengthening school–parent collaboration, enhancing teacher capacity through professional training, and optimizing the use of available educational resources. Overall, the study suggests that effective curriculum management plays a vital role in promoting character education in early childhood settings and provides valuable insights for school leaders, teachers, and other stakeholders seeking to optimize character-based curriculum management in early childhood education institutions. Keywords: Curriculum Management, Character Education, Early Childhood Education (ECE).