IMPLEMENTATION OF LOVE-BASED ISLAMIC EDUCATION AT MTSN 2 PALANGKA RAYA CITY FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF PAULO FREIRE’S CRITICAL PEDAGOGY

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the implementation of love-Based Islamic education at MTsN 2 Palangka Raya from the perspective of Paulo Freire’s critical pedagogy. The background of this study is rooted in the emergence of the Love-Based Curriculum as a learning approach that emphasizes the values of compassion, empathy, and respect for the dignity of students in the educational process. This study employs a qualitative method with a phenomenological approach to understand teachers’ experiences and pedagogical practices in applying these values in the classroom. Data collection techniques included interviews with teachers and questionnaires administered to students. The results of the study indicate that teachers interpret the love-based curriculum as a learning process grounded in attitudes of compassion, empathy, and attention to students’ needs. The implementation of these values is reflected in dialogic interactions between teachers and students, providing space for students to express their opinions, as well as friendly and respectful attitudes in the learning process. Although some teachers have spontaneously incorporated these values into their daily teaching practices, their implementation is not yet fully integrated into the madrasah curriculum system. From the perspective of Paulo Freire’s critical pedagogy, this approach has the potential to create a more humanistic, dialogic, and transformative educational process because it positions students as active agents in learning. Therefore, institutional policy reinforcement and the development of teacher competencies are necessary to ensure that the implementation of love-based Islamic education can proceed in a more systematic and sustainable manner.