<![CDATA[ABSTRACT Poetry learning in junior high school requires teaching materials that not only emphasize linguistic elements but are also able to instill character values in students. This study aims to describe the meaning, character education values, and relevance of the album Tumbuh dan Menjadi by Banda Neira as an alternative poetry teaching material in junior high school. The study employed a qualitative descriptive method with a content analysis approach. The research data consisted of the lyrics of nine songs from the album, supported by interviews with Indonesian language teachers and eighth-grade students at SMP Muhammadiyah Darul Arqom Karanganyar. Data were collected through observation and note-taking techniques, documentation, and interviews, while data analysis included data reduction, data presentation, and conclusion drawing. The results showed that figurative meaning was more dominant than idiomatic meaning, thereby strengthening the poetic and emotional nuances of the song lyrics. The character education values identified include religiosity, independence, mutual cooperation, and integrity, with mutual cooperation emerging as the most dominant value through the depiction of togetherness and human concern. In addition, the use of communicative language and themes closely related to adolescents’ experiences makes the album relevant as contextual poetry teaching material that supports character building among junior high school students. ABSTRAK Pembelajaran puisi di SMP memerlukan materi yang tidak hanya menekankan unsur kebahasaan, tetapi juga mampu menanamkan nilai karakter kepada peserta didik. Penelitian ini bertujuan mendeskripsikan makna, nilai pendidikan karakter, dan relevansi album Tumbuh dan Menjadi karya Banda Neira sebagai alternatif bahan ajar puisi di SMP. Penelitian menggunakan metode deskriptif kualitatif dengan pendekatan analisis isi. Data penelitian berupa lirik sembilan lagu dalam album tersebut yang didukung hasil wawancara guru Bahasa Indonesia dan siswa kelas VIII SMP Muhammadiyah Darul Arqom Karanganyar. Pengumpulan data dilakukan melalui teknik simak-catat, dokumentasi, dan wawancara, sedangkan analisis data meliputi reduksi data, penyajian data, dan penarikan simpulan. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa makna figuratif lebih dominan dibandingkan makna idiom sehingga memperkuat nuansa puitis dan emosional dalam lirik lagu. Nilai pendidikan karakter yang ditemukan meliputi religius, mandiri, gotong royong, dan integritas, dengan nilai gotong royong muncul paling dominan melalui penggambaran kebersamaan dan kepedulian antarmanusia. Selain itu, penggunaan bahasa yang komunikatif dan dekat dengan pengalaman remaja menjadikan album ini relevan sebagai bahan ajar puisi yang kontekstual serta mendukung penguatan karakter peserta didik di SMP.]]>
