In this book, the authors document experiences that indicate that the open classroom -- the community itself -- constitutes distinct advantages over standard concepts. Using many actual cases, the authors show how students facing the realities of life -- particularly in urban areas -- provide their own and satisfactory answers to problems. According to the authors, it is in the open classroom (defined as the community) that skills and knowledge are not seen as ends in themselves; but where learning becomes fused into the student's consciousness as a series of solutions to the problems presented by life itself. They contend that community-centered instructional programs achieve a significant improvement in speed, retention, and relevancy factors. Examples are used to detail how the community-centered classroom is an answer to the oft-repeated urge to make education relevant. (Editor/EA)