Developing students can think independently and solve their daily problems is a priority for educational systems. Hence, different models have been presented in the field of teaching thinking. Enculturation is a model on the basis of thinking dispositions theory. Thinking is the result of interactions between thinking abilities, skills, and sensitivity, worthy and positive attitude in this theory. To teach thinking to students it is a necessity to create an environment in where current thinking in all its components is considered valuable.
The objective of this study was to identify the status of classroom culture of thinking in public elementary schools. In this regards 52 classrooms were selected through random cluster sampling and in each school one class was observed. On the other hand all students and teachers of selected classes answered to questionnaires. 209 teachers and 656 students answered to 18 and 9 item need for cognition scale respectedly.
Explanatory factor analysis showed a one factor measurement model which confirmed by confirmatory factor analysis. This factor was need to cognition.
The result showed that among culture of thinking components, “physical environment for thinking” and “thinking routines” are less frequent. On the other hand all components mean are less than scale mean except modeling thinking.
Teachers’ disposition to thinking score is at the average level. There is no significant relation between thinking culture components and teachers’ need for cognition. In addition no significant correlation between teachers and students disposition to thinking was observed.