This paper presents a multi-faceted study of interactions between teachers and children in four first grade classrooms. Research and theory related to teacher behavior, child development, teacher-student interactions, the classroom environment and the social context of schools and communities are reviewed. Previous research which has portrayed the teacher as the central figure in the classroom, as an impersonal machine charged with creating a standardized product and as a powerful judge is discussed at length. Socio-cultural aspects of schools and communities are also emphasized. The two schools chosen for the study represented heterogeneous social and racial populations. Data was gathered over the course of an entire school year and included ethnographic descriptions of the schools and communities chosen, observations of classroom structure, repeated observations of teacher-student interactions, repeated observations of the behavior of specific children, observations of the effect of children's race and sex on teacher-student interactions, and interviews with teachers, administrators, parents and children. Qualitative and quantitative techniques were used for the data collection. Results are discussed in terms of the socio-cultural climate of the schools and the uniqueness of each classroom and teacher. The results emphasize the differences in teacher personality and style which affect the classroom environment and the teacher-student interactions. (BD)