Many people have ideas about what it means to teach in inner-city schools, but they are often off the mark. This essay explores the challenges, beauties, and complexities of working in an alternative/transfer school in New York City, with a population that is at very high risk for dropping out. Through individual portraits of students, the author explores issues of class, gender, pedagogy, engagement, violence, and educational purpose. These descriptions of relationships with students and fellow faculty highlight the importance of community and interdependence as essential to the education process. (Contains 1 footnote.)