Educational programs aimed at developing metacognitive skills usually focus on students, neglecting the development of teachers by teaching metacognitively aware instructional methods. The effectiveness of such development programs is well-established, but there is a gap between research findings and their application in schools. A framework for a training program was developed in the context of an international partnership project aimed at enhancing the metacognitive abilities of both children and teachers. The final form of classroom activities was developed at the country level using action research methods with the involvement of teachers. After implementing a 3-week educational program involving 35 experimental and 19 control groups from Romanian public schools, a comparison of pre- and post-test scores indicated a significant increase in the number of children in the experimental group with improved efficiency in metacognitive monitoring in reading. Teachers’ metacognitive awareness significantly improved after the Teacher Training Program, as indicated by a comparison of the pre- and post-training results of the Metacognitive Awareness Inventory for Teachers (MAIT). No correlation was found between teachers’ development scores (as expressed by differences between pre- and post-intervention MAIT results) and the number of students from their classes whose progress in metacognitive monitoring significantly increased. The cyclical process of the action research methodology proved to be useful for increasing the efficiency of the intervention program. However, due to methodological limitations, the results are primarily interpretable within a local context. The results confirm expert recommendations aimed at integrating the targeted development of metacognitive teaching skills into both pre-service and in-service teacher training programs.

Critical thinking is described as a competence for the future, a key competence in a global information society, enabling efficient and proactive action in a changing reality in which individuals must cope with information chaos. In addition, the competence of critical thinking is exceptionally important in the context of self-development, and especially – the development of teachers, because this professional group has to cope in its work with unpredictability, ambiguity, the need to constantly verify information, update existing competencies and acquire new ones. Critical thinking also makes it possible to discover weaknesses/deficiencies in one’s own thinking, shortcomings in one’s skills, and make judgments based on evidence/arguments. The article addresses the issue of critical thinking in the context of teacher development. Attention was paid to the understanding of the concept of “critical thinking” as a key competence in the modern world, and it was pointed out how critical thinking supports the process of self-development, especially among teachers. Myślenie krytyczne jako kompetencja kluczowa oraz czynnik samorozwoju współczesnego nauczyciela Myślenie krytyczne jest określane jako kompetencja dla przyszłości, kluczowa w społeczeństwie globalnej informacji, umożliwiająca sprawne i aktywne działanie w zmieniającej się rzeczywistości, w której jednostki muszą sobie radzić z chaosem informacyjnym. Ponadto, kompetencja myślenia krytycznego wyjątkowo ważna jest w kontekście samorozwoju, a szczególnie – rozwoju nauczycieli, bowiem ta grupa zawodowa musi w swojej pracy radzić sobie z nieprzewidywalnością, niejednoznacznością koniecznością nieustannego wersyfiowania informacji, aktualizowania posiadanych kompetencji i nabywania nowych. Myślenie krytyczne pozwala także odkryć słabości/niedostatki własnego myślenia, braki w zakresie posiadanych umiejętności oraz wydawać oparte na dowodach/ argumentach sądy. W artykule podjęto problematykę myślenia krytycznego w kontekście rozwoju nauczyciela. Zwrócono uwagę na rozumienie pojęcia „myślenie krytyczne” jako kompetencji kluczowej we współczesnym świecie oraz wskazano, jak myślenie krytyczne wspiera proces samorozwoju, szczególnie wśród nauczycieli.

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Research objectives (aims) and problem(s): This study investigates teachers’ perceptions of critical thinking (CT) as an essential competence in contemporary education. It examines teachers’ self-assessed levels of CT, their preparedness to develop CT in students, and the barriers that hinder its effective implementation in teaching practice. Research methods: A quantitative survey was conducted among 213 teachers from various educational levels in southern Poland. The structured questionnaire included self-assessment items and Likert-scale questions measuring teachers’ attitudes toward CT. Data analysis employed descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and nonparametric tests (Mann–Whitney U and Kruskal–Wallis). Structure of the article: The article begins with a conceptual overview of CT in the context of the information society, followed by a description of the research methodology. Subsequent sections present and discuss the empirical findings and their implications for educational practice. Research findings and their impact on the development of educational sciences: Teachers highly value CT but often feel underprepared to teach it. Only 7.5% reported being very well prepared, and many cited obstacles such as a lack of methodological tools, insufficient training, and low student motivation. The results emphasize the need for systematic support and teacher education focused on CT instruction. Conclusions: The study underscores the importance of professional development that enhances teachers’ competence and confidence in fostering CT. Strengthening CT-oriented curricula and training programs is vital for preparing students to think critically in a complex, information-driven world.