Our nations' classrooms appear to be in trouble, with many students complaining that they feel alienated and many teachers saying that they are overwhelmed. Hence, these classrooms seem to be more like "battlegrounds," than "connecting places." Since it may be very counterproductive to maintain this type of an atmosphere within our classrooms, the present paper will seek to share some helpful ideas regarding what both teachers and/or students can do in order to create a more need-fulfilling environment for all concerned. (Contains 2 tables.)