Understanding teachers’ personality competence in mathematics instruction

Abstract

Teacher personality competence, which includes ethical maturity, reflective self-development, and a student-centered orientation, is vital to effective mathematics instruction at Madrasah Ibtidaiyah. However, this crucial aspect remains overlooked mainly in instructional design, limiting the potential for meaningful and ethical learning experiences. This study explores how personality competence is demonstrated in classroom practices and contributes to high-quality mathematics teaching. Utilizing a qualitative approach and the Didactical Design Research (DDR) framework at the prospective analysis stage, the research involved six sixth-grade teachers from six different Madrasah Ibtidaiyah in Bandung Regency. Data were collected through classroom observations, in-depth interviews, teacher reflection sheets, and instructional document analysis. Data were analyzed using the three-stage framework of data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing/verification through an iterative process to identify patterns and inform the subsequent DDR phases in the context of joyful mathematics learning at MI. Findings revealed that teachers scored at level 3 for moral, emotional, and spiritual maturity, level 1 for reflective self-development, and level 2 for student-centered orientation. These findings suggest that while MI teachers show emerging awareness of personality competence, most remain at early developmental stages, highlighting the need for structured support to foster ethical leadership, reflective practice, and student-centered teaching. Teachers with strong personality competence exhibited discipline and consistency and served as moral role models. Furthermore, they effectively managed classrooms and actively engaged students in mathematical learning. These results offer insights for developing instructional designs prioritizing teacher personality competence as a critical factor in educational quality.