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This book presents the story of two teachers, one black and one white, who confronted the boundaries of race, describing their journey through distrust, anger, and fear as they grappled with race in classroom teaching. It explains how the white teacher, guided by her African American mentor, learned to effectively teach African American students. Through their collaborative, 3-year study, they examined the impact of racial and cultural differences in an urban middle school classroom. They learned to confront and handle challenges they faced so they could work together, building a bridge of trust, communication, and understanding. This study presents the difficulties and importance of collaboration between teachers of two different racial and cultural backgrounds, providing insights into how race and culture evolve in teacher-student interactions. The seven chapters are: (1) "'Herstories' Shaping Research and Teaching Practices"; (2) "Perceptions of African American Students"; (3) "Critical Moments in Teacher Research"; (4) "Racial and Cultural Perspectives on Student Behavior"; (5) "The Risks in Crossing Boundaries"; (6) "On Cultural Conflict in the Classroom: Lisa Delpit Dialogues with the Authors"; and (7) "For Those Who Dare: Toward Transforming Teaching Practices." (Contains 66 references.) (SM)