ABSTRACT

Tough Fronts takes the difficult issues in urban education head on by putting street-savvy students at the forefront of the discussion on how to best make successful changes for inner city schools. Individual chapters discuss scholarly depictions of black America, the social complexity of the teacher-student relationship, individual success stories of 'at-risk' programs, popular images of urban students, and implications for education policy. With close attention to the voices of individual students, this engaging book gives vitality and legitimacy to arguments for school changes that have been lacking in previous discussions.

chapter |12 pages

Introduction

A Study of Street-Savvy Students

part I|36 pages

"Expert" Points of View

chapter One|18 pages

There Are No Agents Here

Scholarly Depictions of Black Americans

chapter Two|16 pages

Postures Forged by Social Marginalization

part II|60 pages

The Perspectives of Street-Savvy Students

chapter Four|14 pages

Social Capital, Cultural Capital, and Caring Teachers

The Perspectives of Street–Savvy Students and a Magic Teacher 1

chapter Five|24 pages

Malcolm

24/7/365

part III|40 pages

Solutions, Broader implications and Policy Suggestions

chapter Six|15 pages

Shadow, Mentors, and Surrogate Fathers

chapter Seven|14 pages

Fear of the Dark

The Vilification of Urban Students