Jurnal Pendidikan Islam
Vol. 9 No. 2 (2026): Transformative Islamic Education in Pesantren and Madrasah

Teachers' Strategies in Cultivating Gratitude Character through Islamic Education and Local Cultural Practices in Primary Schools: A Qualitative Approach

Nur Kholik Afandi (Universitas Islam Negeri Sultan Aji Muhammad Idris Samarinda)
Zurqoni Zurqoni (Universitas Islam Negeri Sultan Aji Muhammad Idris Samarinda)



Article Info

Publish Date
19 May 2026

Abstract

Fostering the character of gratitude in students often becomes trapped in static doctrinal approaches, failing to reach the affective depth necessary for meaningful transformation. This study aims to explore and analyze pedagogical strategies that synergize the values of Islamic education and indigenous wisdom to nurture gratitude in primary school students. The research adopted a phenomenology design. Data collection techniques included interviews, focus group discussions, and observations. Data analysis in this study utilizes Robert K. Yin's systematic protocol, involving 25 Islamic Religious Education (IRE) teachers as key participants to uncover the essence of their lived experiences in internalizing gratitude values. The findings revealed that cultivating a character is implemented through a comprehensive orchestration of strategies, including systematic habituation, behavioral modeling, reflection through muhasabah (self-introspection), and the application of cooperative and experiential learning methods integrated with local cultural values. These findings asserted that instilling a character of gratitude is not merely an individual theological disposition but a socio-pedagogical construction that requires the fusion of Islamic educational values and indigenous wisdom to establish robust habituation practices. The implications of this study underscore the importance of shifting the paradigm from moralistic instruction to a reflective, contextually aligned pedagogy that resonates with students' spiritual values and sociocultural realities. This study makes a significant contribution to the development of more dynamic and applicable character education curriculum models at the primary school level.

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Journal Info

Abbrev

nzh

Publisher

Subject

Religion Social Sciences Other

Description

Nazhruna: Jurnal Pendidikan Islam (Islamic Education Journal) is a high-quality open-access peer-reviewed research journal published by Universitas Pesantren KH Abdul Chalim Mojokerto, East Java, Indonesia. Nazhruna Jurnal Pendidikan Islam is the leading journal in Islamic educational institutions ...