This interpretative study explored the view of how children construct knowledge as proposed by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) in its position paper "Developmentally Appropriate Practices in Early Childhood Programs Serving Children from Birth through Age 8, Expanded Edition" (DAP-DOC) (Bredekamp, 1987) to the views held by early childhood teachers who claimed to implement developmentally appropriate practices (DAP). The methodology used was a naturalistic inquiry into the view of knowledge construction reflected in the NAEYC document and an interpretive, ethnographic study of the practices of the five early childhood teachers. Methods include: (1) a content analysis of the DAP-DOC utilizing Kohlberg and Mayer's assumptions of three views of knowledge construction as framework; (2) on-site observations; (3) formal and informal interviews with five early childhood teachers; and (4) a comparison of the views of DAP to DAP-DOC. Viewed as a group, the participating teachers held many similar ideas concerning DAP. However, in practice, the educators' interpretation of ideas resulted in distinct variances of particular activities. Three of the five educators limited the amount of child-initiated activities to the extent that DAP activities became closed, teacher-directed activities. Based on the study it was recommended that: (1) school districts support teachers attempting DAP; (2) teachers attend inservice meetings on integrated learning and the importance of play in the DAP classroom; (3) the influence of teacher experience on behavior be explored; and (4) the profession continue to re-examine DAP and not be complacent with DAP-DOC. (BGC)