Inspired by the High/Scope educational approach, this book attempts to systematically and objectively compare different curriculum-based approaches to training early childhood teachers, and to assess how these models could individually and collectively address the problem of improving early childhood program quality nationwide. An analytical and an empirical study were carried out to compare approaches including the Montessori Method, the Bank Street Developmental-Interaction approach, the High/Scope Curriculum, the Kamii-DeVries constructivist perspective, Teaching Strategies' Creative Curriculum, and the Direct Instruction model. In the analytical study, a set of criteria were identified to examine and compare the practices and effects of such models. In the empirical study, the prevalence of various curriculum models were assessed through the use of questionnaires. A summary and comparison of these six curriculum-based training models, including a list of questions in cross-model comparison, is presented and discussed in relation to their development. The implications for teaching and training, research and development, and public policy are discussed in the last chapter. Contains 208 references. (MOK)