Teachers’ Perceptions of Critical Thinking in Primary Education

Abstract

To form critical citizens, it is crucial to thoroughly integrate critical thinking into school curricula. Despite this, there is no consensus among teachers about what the concept entails or how they should be trained to put it into practice, especially in primary education. Therefore, using a qualitative research method, the study’s main aim is to identify how primary school teachers perceive the concept of critical thinking and what aspects within their professionalisation as teachers contribute to fostering pupils’ critical thinking in classroom practice. Twenty-one teachers working in three European Schools in Brussels (Belgium) were questioned through semi-structured interviews. A thematic analysis was conducted to identify, analyse and report on key themes. The results show that teachers consider the mapping of reasoning, group discussion, and active learning as practices that promote critical thinking among pupils. However, respondents indicate that despite previous exposure to the concept through project-based learning and ‘Philosophy for Children’, they still need support through peer learning and exchanges of best practices to fully promote critical thinking among pupils.