The relationship between critical thinking abilities and classroom management skills of high school teachers

High school teachers experience difficulties while providing effective teaching approaches in their classrooms. Some of the difficulties are associated with the lack of classroom management skills and critical thinking abilities. This quantitative study includes non-random selection of the participants and aims to examine critical thinking abilities of high school teachers and the relationships between classroom manangement skills and critical thinking abilities. A total of 212 high school teachers from Ankara, Turkey participated in the study. Data collection tools included two instruments: The Classroom Management Ability Scale (CMAS) and the California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory (CCTDI). The results of the study indicated that teachers had positive beliefs about their classroom management skills critical thinking abilities. However, the findings also showed that there were not any significant relationships between classroom management skills and critical thinking abilities of high school teachers.  Key words: Critical thinking abilities, classroom management skills, high school teachers.