BACKGROUND

Etymologically, the word “character” comes from Old French caractere, from Latin
Greek kharaktēr ‘a stamping tool’. From the early sense ‘distinctive mark’ arose ‘token, feature,
or trait’ (early 16th century), and from this ‘a description, especially of a person's qualities’,
giving rise to ‘distinguishing qualities’. Character is the way someone thinks, feels, and behaves.
Character education is one of many skills that are important for children to have in their lives.
However, we don’t have character naturally but like clay, it needs to be mold and shape.
Classroom as a mini world of students is not only a place where they learn head knowledge,
however to shape them to be a good person to face a bigger world later in their future. Students
who are obedient, who can be trusted, honest, polite, kind, think about and encourage others
(profile of good students. Therefore teacher needs to … cultivate learning enviroment to …
Designing class to shape students to become a person capable of loving others, sense of
responsibility and making a contribution in their society.(Discovering The Real Me, 2006)

As a Christians we believe that we are created to become like Christ.  Humans are created
in His own image means that we would reflect who God is in moral, spiritual, and intellectual
nature. In the image of God consisted in mans’ rational, moral, holiness (Berkof, 219) . Having a
goal to live in eternity will drive us on earth to fulfill God’s purpose in our life.  "live a life
worthy of the calling you have received." in Ephesians 4:1. God has prepared us for life in
eternity, so our time on earth is to strengthen our character in Christ. Not to become God but
having a godly character. God created us on purpose for a purpose. He created us with our
uniqueness, it does not mean that we lose it because we will install Christ in us and uninstall
ourselves. However, with our uniqueness we will be in sync with Christ, we will respond in His
way. However, character of Christ is not just who we are but who we represent. The word
katoptrizomenoi, meant that we as God’s people are a reflection of Him and become like Him
(Hoekema,32). Therefore/ it implies that However, character of Christ is not just who we are but
who we represent.

Character just like every living thing, it grows, we choose and decide our mind, heart,
and action through obedience and self-control to have character. It is not by imitations but by
allowing Christ to live through us. To be like Christ is to be fully alive, it takes a lifetime to be
like Christ, we are work in progress. Every thought, reason, word and deed are in sync with the
truth of God. However because of sin we are unable to be like Christ or represent Him, in our
own power or will. The Holy Spirit will empower us to develop the character of Christ, so that
we can be a reflection of God and people will see God’s love through us, His vessel. Sumber???

In this fallen world, it is hard to be a reflection of Christ. To be a reflection of Christ in

not only in several places but wherever and whenever we are even when there is nobody
watching. (kalimat umum untu masuk k masalah – jembatan)In exams there are nobody watching
intensively. It takes a good character for students not to fall into temptation and cheat on their
exams. Students confessed that they have prepared an answers for their exams and willing to
cheat on their exams when they did not know the answers (Tempo.co, 2014). Research have
found that 11 out of 12 students cheated on their exams because they are not confident and they
have the opportunity to do so (ejournal). Another research also back this fact up by stating that
cheating behavior has started since elementary school in different ways such as looking to their
peers, prepare a cheat sheet, open their books, passing the answers among the students (ejournal).
The importance to have a research of cheating behavior early on education is to understand the
reasons of this phenomena and to prevent the same act later in future and in building a bad
character, dishonesty and disobedience. The goals of education is not to prepare student for their
live nor to follow and be processed but merely just the result. The changing in nature of learning
from process of learning to achievement as the goal, makes people looking for an instant work
for great results.(e-journal). There are some consequences by adopting a score/result oriented it
dangerous to the learning process, behavioristic teaching that are students and teacher oriented.
(Alfie Kohn,2009) tidak hanya untuk membangun engetahuan tapi karakter juga(jembatan)

Score/results oriented comes from a teaching that is only focus on students’ cognitive or
head knowledge, because students have not the ability to grasp the meaning of learning and
process. Which makes student did not thinking of the consequences of their act.

Teacher with parents and church are in the same boat to guide the students to be in sync
with Christ. Teachers have an important role in cultivating students' character. Teachers can not
guide the students to be in sync with Christ if teachers are not in sync with Christ. Teachers
should walk in the word of God, before guiding their pupils in one. Character will be reflected in
teacher behavior, representing models of moral and ethical behavior(Rusnak,58). Teacher as a
guide, has a role to guide students in God’s way to be more like Christ. To guide means to
understand the paths, to influence the course of  someone. Teachers will guide the students to
seek the truth of God, to look up to Christ as the one Role Model, to be in sync with Christ and
fulfill God’s purpose in their lives. Christian teacher have the privilege in guiding students to use
their gifts and calling for God and others.(....40) .

The sources and ability that teacher have in classroom can help the students to cultivate a
good character by create a learning conditions that not only focus on students head knowledge.
However, to also focus on their heart; character education and hand; to act on what they know
(head) and believe (heart). Learning includes both the acquisition of information and knowledge
and a resulting change in behavior as information and experiences are internalized (Robert,1975)

Christian teachers’ role as a guide in class has an important role for students to cultivate a
character of Christ through a learning process, so the students are able to be a reflection of Christ
and fulfilling God’s purpose in their life. The learning that can impact students believes that can
be seen in their behavior. From the matter the author melakukan studi to see Christian teachers’
role in cultivating students character through head, heart, hand approach.

Melalui studi ini, penulis ingin memaparkan secara mendalam mengenai cultivate students
character through head, heart, hand approach, which will answer research question:

1. Why is it important to have a head, heart, and hand approach in Christian Education?
2. How Christian teacher creates head, heart, and hand approach in class?