THE HELPING TEACHER, OR CRISIS TEACHER, PROGRAM WAS INITIATED TO SERVE CULTURALLY DEPRIVED AND DISTURBED CHILDREN IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. IT (1) ASSISTED THE UNDERACHIEVER, (2) PROVIDED GUIDANCE, COUNSELING, AND LIFE SPACE INTERVIEWING TO A CHILD IN CRISIS, AND (3) DEFINED AND IMPROVED THE MENTAL HYGIENE OF STUDENTS AND STAFF. ASSISTANCE WAS OFFERED IN ALL ACADEMIC AREAS. MOST CHILDREN SHOWED SOME IMPROVEMENT, BECOMING HIGHLY MOTIVATED AND LESS ANTI-SOCIAL. CHILDREN WHOSE IMMEDIATE PROBLEMS CANNOT BE SOLVED IN GROUP SITUATIONS, CAN BE HELPED AT ONCE BY A CRISIS TEACHER WHOSE MAJOR METHOD FOR ESTABLISHING RAPPORT IS BASED ON THE PRINCIPLES OF EGO PSYCHOLOGY AND LIFE SPACE INTERVIEWING. THE WORKING COMMITTEE, CONSISTING OF THE PRINCIPAL, HELPING TEACHER, VISITING TEACHER, PSYCHOLOGIST, AND NURSE, HAD FREQUENT PROGRESS DISCUSSIONS WITH THE ENTIRE STAFF, LEADING TO ACCEPTANCE AND EDUCATIONAL FLEXIBILITY. LIMITATIONS OF THE PROGRAM INVOLVED/ (1) THE NUMBER, TYPE, AND AGE OF UNDERACHIEVERS SERVICED, (2) THE SHORT DURATION OF THE PROGRAM, (3) THE PERSONALITY OF THE CLASSROOM TEACHER, AND (4) LACK OF EXTENSION TO JUNIOR AND SENIOR HIGH SCHOOLS. TWO UNANSWERED QUESTIONS WERE/ (1) ARE CHANGES PERMANENT, AND (2) WOULD THEY HAVE OCCURRED WITHOUT THE PROGRAM. (PR)