What is the nature and role of reflection for teachers? How is teacher reflection influenced by environmental/situational factors? Examination of stated beliefs and observed practices of four 7th and 8th grade mathematics classroom teachers were used as evidential sources to help answer these questions in this interpretive investigation. Multiple data sources revealed classroom settings elicited mostly spontaneous, technically oriented reflections, while reflections in the interview setting were more personally focused. An analysis of the teachers' metaphorical language indicated that reflections could be increased through the influence of a conflicted educational context and inhibited by deep level belief structures that limited the scope of reflections. (Author)