Strategic Approach of Public Elementary School Principals in Improving the Pedagogical Competence of Islamic Religious Education Teachers
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.59535/hpqm1426Keywords:
Pedagogical competence, Islamic Religious Education Teacher, Principal Leadership, Teacher Professional DevelopmentAbstract
This research explores the pedagogical capabilities of Islamic Education teachers and the strategic efforts undertaken by elementary school principals to enhance these competencies, alongside the challenges encountered and the solutions adopted. The objective is to identify key issues, remedial actions, and strategic initiatives applied by principals in public elementary schools to foster pedagogical improvement among their teaching staff. Utilizing a qualitative method grounded in a phenomenological approach, this study involves principals and Islamic Education teachers as its primary informants. The findings reveal: first, teachers demonstrate proficiency in curriculum content, foundational learning theories, instructional delivery, and possess communicative, empathetic, and respectful traits, along with the ability to assess and follow up on student progress. Second, professional development is facilitated through workshops, academic supervision, mentoring, further education, and participation in training programs. Third, major challenges include limited access to teacher training, inadequate facilities and infrastructure, and a lack of teacher commitment. To address these, schools implement measures such as activating subject teacher forums (MGMP), promoting continuous learning, organizing workshops, conducting regular monitoring, and holding internal school meetings. The study highlights the importance of principals executing their core leadership functions effectively and underscores the collaborative role of teachers in fulfilling educational responsibilities.
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