A Love Based Curriculum Model for Character Formation: A Development Study in a Pesantren Based Madrasah.

Abstract

This study develops a conceptual model of a love-based curriculum for character formation in a pesantren-based madrasah. Using a qualitative case study at MTs Al-Khoirot Malang, data were gathered through observations, interviews, and document analysis to examine the roles of institutional policy, pedagogy, and school culture. The findings identify three key results. First, the Love-Based Curriculum Model comprises three dimensions: value foundation, pedagogical approach, and school culture. Core values include inclusive spirituality, intellectual curiosity as devotion, ecological awareness, empathy, social tolerance, and civic responsibility. Pedagogy is expressed through caring communication, dialogic learning, and experiential activities. School culture reinforces values through daily practices such as congregational prayer, respectful interaction, environmental care, and anti-bullying norms. Second, the curriculum shapes graduate profiles marked by spiritual integrity, humanism, ecological awareness, intellectual curiosity, and civic responsibility. Third, a love-based educational ecosystem emerges from the integration of values, pedagogy, and culture, offering a holistic framework for character education.