This paper seeks to explore how beginning elementary school teachers (N=161) in Singapore conceive the scope and nature of science and to understand the relationship between those views and their present approach to, as well as their past experience of, science teaching and learning. Results of an inquiry into the teachers' views indicate that these views are generally piecemeal and may not form coherent conceptual systems. These views are also at variance with those philosophical and historical views that are proposed by Popper, Kuhn, Lakatos, and Feyerabend. Some epistemological obstacles towards a constructivist pedagogy are discussed. Based on one model of teacher education and professional development, some suggestions on how teachers can consciously monitor and develop their pedagogy are provided. The findings provide a knowledge base for a more systematic intervention study in the local context in the future. (Author/IAH)