Kindergarten quality and teacher beliefs and practices related to developmental appropriateness: A study conducted in Mumbai (India)

The current investigation examined the quality of 40 kindergarten (20 lower and 20 upper kindergartens) classrooms in the city of Mumbai, India. In addition, teacher beliefs, stated practices and observed practices were assessed using standardized instruments (self-reports), observations and teacher interviews. Teacher beliefs, practices, observed classroom practices and quality did not differ across lower and upper kindergarten classrooms. However, teachers from upper kindergarten classrooms were more inconsistent in their beliefs and stated practices than teachers from lower kindergarten classrooms. Twelve teachers were found to be congruent in their developmentally appropriate stated beliefs and stated practices. Teachers with congruent beliefs and stated practices were observed to have classrooms of higher quality. Overall, group sizes and classroom composition (number of teachers' in the classroom) significantly predicted classroom quality. Teacher interviews were also conducted and results revealed 7 themes. These themes discussed the constraints and difficulties teachers were faced with in their everyday classroom situation which prevented them from translating their beliefs into practice. Teachers' also made recommendations for the improvement of early childhood care and education (ECCE) in India. The current study adds to the growing body of literature on teacher beliefs, practices and quality and further highlights the differences and similarities between the issues faced by the early childhood field in India and the U.S.