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Abstract
No one would disagree with the importance of teachers knowledge. However, little is known about how teachers knowledge affects their teaching and students learning. Mathematical beliefs also have an impact on teaching practice. Many studies found that teachers mathematical beliefs affect teachers teaching practice in their classrooms. But how are teachers mathematical knowledge and beliefs related? In the dissertation, path analysis was conducted to investigate the relationship between mathematical knowledge for teaching and mathematical beliefs in the United States and in the Eastern countries of Chinese Taipei (Taiwan) and Singapore. The relationship in the USA and the Eastern countries was compared and contrasted. Prospective primary teachers being prepared to be primary generalists were the focus of the study. The Teacher Education Development Study in Mathematics (TEDS-M 2008) provided an appropriate database for studying the relationship between mathematical knowledge for teaching and beliefs as the study measured mathematics content knowledge, mathematics pedagogical content knowledge, and mathematical beliefs; the measures were scaled to be compared internationally. The study provides perspectives on teachers thought processes behind their knowledge and beliefs so that the information can be helpful for educational policy decision making and designing teacher education programs.