Views of teachers about effect of primary education?s first level Turkish curriculum on the development of students? creative thinking (case of Tokat City)

In order to educate productive and problem-solving individuals, the Turkish education system should be adapted to the contemporary world. An individual can only be successful in other subjects if he is adequetly adapted in his native language. The Ministry of National Education started a reform action in primary curriculum in 2004. The Turkish curriculum for Grade 1 to 5 is redeveloped considering constructivist theory of education. New curriculum was piloted in 2004-2005 school year and put into practice nationwide in 2005-2006 school year.The aim of this research is to determine views of teachers about effect of primary education?s first level Turkish Curriculum on the development of students? creative thinking. Being a descriptive study, this research was carried out by using scanning model. Data were collected by means of the questionnaire which was developed and whose reliability and validity are ensured. Research participants are composed of 407 teachers teaching in 28 state (primary) schools in the center of Tokat province in the education and instruction year 2008- 2009. Research sample consists of 265 teachers. The data obtained were analysed under the title of sub-objectives. Collected data were analyzed by using frequency, percentage and Chi-Square test. Significant difference was found between views of the teachers by gender, Professional seniority, class and class size.Participants reported that the 2005 Turkish Curriculum was devised suitably for developing creative thinking. But it was concluded that texts in the course books are not suitable in terms of acquiring creative thinking skills. The results suggested that teachers' face various problems in applying the curriculum. These were; lack of in-service training about development of creative thinking and the inadequacy of student textbooks, workbooks, and the teachers books.Keywords: Primary education Turkish curriculum, creative thinking, teachers? views.