Correlations between kindergarten teachers' attitudes toward mathematics and teaching practice

This study examined correlations between teachers' attitudes toward mathematics/teaching mathematics and the practice of developmentally appropriate mathematics. This study tested two independent variables: (1) kindergarten teachers' attitudes toward mathematics; and (2) kindergarten teachers' attitudes toward teaching mathematics; and their relationships with the practice of developmentally appropriate mathematics. The researcher designed a survey questionnaire by cross-referencing several instruments and the review of related literature. A sample of 200 kindergarten teachers was randomly selected from the Indiana Department of Education website directory. Of the 200 kindergarten teachers, 81 teachers participated in this study by returning the survey questionnaire to the researcher via the postal service, e-mailing, or posting the response over the Internet. Each independent variable was tested to determine the level of its statistical significance by using multiple linear stepwise regression procedures. The results of this study revealed that kindergarten teachers' attitudes toward teaching mathematics were found to be a significant variable correlating with the practice of developmentally appropriate mathematics, but kindergarten teachers' attitudes toward mathematics were not a significant variable. (C) 2005 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.