This study examined the consistency of Chinese preschool teachers' curriculum beliefs and selfreported practices, similarities and differences between American and Chinese teachers' beliefs, and associations between teachers' personal, professional and socio-cultural characteristics and curriculum beliefs. A total of 296 Chinese teachers and 146 American teachers completed the Teacher Beliefs Scale and the Teachers' Background Information Questionnaire. Chinese teachers also completed the Instructional Activities Scale. Also, 10 teachers in each country were interviewed in depth. Principal components analyses revealed three reliable factors with similar structures for both Chinese and American teacher beliefs. However, a discriminant analysis indicated significant crossnational differences in teachers' level of endorsement of specific beliefs. Moderate associations were found between Chinese teachers' curriculum beliefs and self-reported practices. Chinese teachers' general education, professional training, location of school, and class sizes were all significantly associated with their beliefs. For American teachers, only the general education level was related to curriculum beliefs.

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A team of researchers used a collaborative assessment protocol to compare the self-reported teaching beliefs of a convenience sample of preschool teachers (N = 57) to their documentable practices (i.e., practices that could be observed, recorded, and categorized using a deductive strategy). Data were examined from survey instruments, detailed classroom observations and time-sampling, curriculum materials, and program artifacts. Results indicated that when child-directed choice/play time, emergent literacy and language development activities were emphasized, teachers self-reported beliefs were more strongly aligned with developmentally appropriate practice (DAP) as a philosophy of practice. When consistent routines, organized classrooms, preplanned curriculum, and teacher-directed learning were the dominant behaviors, the teachers were found to report more ''traditionalÕ or academicoriented beliefs.