diff --git a/rest_framework/metadata.py b/rest_framework/metadata.py
index 580259de1..af4bc396b 100644
--- a/rest_framework/metadata.py
+++ b/rest_framework/metadata.py
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@ from __future__ import unicode_literals
 
 from django.core.exceptions import PermissionDenied
 from django.http import Http404
-from django.utils import six
 from django.utils.datastructures import SortedDict
 from rest_framework import exceptions, serializers
 from rest_framework.compat import force_text
@@ -100,7 +99,7 @@ class SimpleMetadata(BaseMetadata):
         """
         return SortedDict([
             (field_name, self.get_field_info(field))
-            for field_name, field in six.iteritems(serializer.fields)
+            for field_name, field in serializer.fields.items()
         ])
 
     def get_field_info(self, field):
diff --git a/rest_framework/pagination.py b/rest_framework/pagination.py
index c5a9270a4..fb4512854 100644
--- a/rest_framework/pagination.py
+++ b/rest_framework/pagination.py
@@ -72,7 +72,6 @@ class BasePaginationSerializer(serializers.Serializer):
             child=object_serializer(),
             source='object_list'
         )
-        self.fields[results_field].bind(results_field, self, self)
 
 
 class PaginationSerializer(BasePaginationSerializer):
diff --git a/rest_framework/serializers.py b/rest_framework/serializers.py
index 8902294bc..12e380900 100644
--- a/rest_framework/serializers.py
+++ b/rest_framework/serializers.py
@@ -149,6 +149,28 @@ class SerializerMetaclass(type):
         return super(SerializerMetaclass, cls).__new__(cls, name, bases, attrs)
 
 
+class BindingDict(object):
+    def __init__(self, serializer):
+        self.serializer = serializer
+        self.fields = SortedDict()
+
+    def __setitem__(self, key, field):
+        self.fields[key] = field
+        field.bind(field_name=key, parent=self.serializer, root=self.serializer)
+
+    def __getitem__(self, key):
+        return self.fields[key]
+
+    def __delitem__(self, key):
+        del self.fields[key]
+
+    def items(self):
+        return self.fields.items()
+
+    def values(self):
+        return self.fields.values()
+
+
 @six.add_metaclass(SerializerMetaclass)
 class Serializer(BaseSerializer):
     def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
@@ -161,11 +183,9 @@ class Serializer(BaseSerializer):
         # Every new serializer is created with a clone of the field instances.
         # This allows users to dynamically modify the fields on a serializer
         # instance without affecting every other serializer class.
-        self.fields = self._get_base_fields()
-
-        # Setup all the child fields, to provide them with the current context.
-        for field_name, field in self.fields.items():
-            field.bind(field_name, self, self)
+        self.fields = BindingDict(self)
+        for key, value in self._get_base_fields().items():
+            self.fields[key] = value
 
     def __new__(cls, *args, **kwargs):
         # We override this method in order to automagically create