Developmentally Appropriate Practice in Kindergarten: Factors Shaping Teacher Beliefs and Practice‪.‬

Abstract. What teachers believe and the practices in which they engage are often not consistent, as they face accountability demands and a return to more structured approaches. Data were collected from 34 kindergarten teachers on their beliefs about instructional practice and the forces that shape the education. Findings indicated that regardless of teachers" instructional approaches, teachers perceived that kindergarten was becoming more academic in nature. Teachers who endorsed a more child-centered perspective noted that they felt more pressure from 1st-grade teachers than did teachers who were classified as teacher-directed. Despite these general trends, about half of the teachers did not feel pressure from teachers in the next grade level. Also, teachers who were classified as child-centered believed that they had control over the curriculum, whereas teacher-directed teachers stated that they followed district policies and procedures. Regarding perceptions of teacher-directed instruction, teachers who endorsed a teacher-directed classroom believed that the directed approach was beneficial for high-ability learners, immature students, and students with special needs. Teachers who used a mixed instructional approach used direct strategies in small doses, while child-centered teachers described the use of very few teacher-directed activities and also noted that no children benefit from teacher-directed instruction. **********