Empowering Early Childhood Educators: Using Islamic Heroes to Instill Heroic Values in Early Childhood

Nur Fatwikiningsih — 2024-11-11

Few studies have investigated educators' roles in instilling heroic values in early childhood through Islamic heroes. Educators play a crucial role in shaping early childhood’s understanding of heroism, primarily through Islamic heroes, because early childhood commonly has misconceptions about heroes. They often struggle to articulate these ideas and frequently associate heroism with fictional characters from storybooks, movies, or fairy tales. The purpose of this research is to explore the role of educators in professional development in learning and teaching early childhood, which is connected with moral lessons about heroic values using Islamic heroes. This study used a qualitative method with interviews and documentation. Participants were seven early childhood educators from seven different schools. The data analysis technique used Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis. The results show that educators often have misconceptions about the meaning of heroes and heroism, particularly regarding Islamic heroes. The selection of teaching materials indicates limitations in educators' ability to explore Islamic heroes and appreciate the richness of Islamic heroism. The material presented emphasizes aspects of religious practice and sainthood rather than describing and instilling heroic values. The implementation strategy includes lesson plans and teaching materials (selecting Islamic figures, the content of narratives, and Islamic hero's storytelling techniques) focusing more on history, religiosity, and worship aspects of Wali Songo and Prophets of Islam. Educators should create learning activities with storytelling according to the age of children; new concepts should be introduced with brief explanations, a variety of media should be used to visualize stories, and storytelling should keep children focused.

Implementation of Snakes and Ladders Game to Stimulate Early Childhood Numeracy Development

Lilia Nurramadani — 2024-11-12

One type of traditional game is the Snakes and Ladders game, which can significantly impact early childhood numeracy development. This research aimed to explore the implications of the Snakes and Ladders game in stimulating numeracy skills in preschool children. The type of research was descriptive qualitative with the research site at RA Al-Fattah Jangga Baru, and the subjects in this study were group B children, totaling 17 children. Data collection was done through observation, interviews, and documentation. The data analysis was conducted through data reduction, data display, and conclusion formulation. This study identified how elements of the Snakes and Ladders game, such as number recognition, step counting, and understanding the concept of sequence, can support the development of children's basic maths skills. The results proved that the Snakes and Ladders game not only teaches numbers and sequences but also develops cognitive skills such as planning and problem-solving, enhancing the intellectual development of children. In addition, the social interactions during the game enrich children's learning experience, improve communication skills, and strengthen the understanding of numerical concepts. The results suggest that the Snakes and Ladders game can improve children's numeracy skills and that the game can also be powerfully incorporated into the early childhood education curriculum as a tool that makes maths more fun and interactive.

Southeast Asian Journal of Islamic Education

Empowering Early Childhood Educators: Using Islamic Heroes to Instill Heroic Values in Early Childhood

Implementation of Snakes and Ladders Game to Stimulate Early Childhood Numeracy Development