The 4-year experimental project of Syracuse University to prepare special teachers for work with troubled 5- to 18-year-old inner city children focused on the individual growth of trainees who practiced in two public elementary schools, a campus based school, and a neighborhood boy's club. The project's psychoeducational philosophy led to creation of an environmental model that the trainee could later utilize as a teacher. Trainees were selected on bases such as willingness to explore self-learning needs and commitment to children (not their label) in the inner city. Training year phases included definition of group and individual goals (in seminars and discussion), observation of school activities, and creation of an experientially based curriculum with aspects such as trainee-kept logs of activities, materials used, specific children and outcomes. Trainees interacted with 17 categories of support systems such as resource teachers, probation officers, parents, and agencies; worked with disruptive children excluded (from school), and passive/withdrawn; and implemented open education aspects such as responding to children's feelings of loss of control and inadequacies. Staff members served in roles such as resource leaders and supervisors of feedback. Yearly evaluation was based on trainees' growth, children's growth, and description of the school environment. Program outcomes included recognition of trainees' problems in areas such as mutual trust and self reliance, later employment of graduates in open classrooms, and the impossibility of continuing the project in public schools after 2 years due to divergent philosophies. (MC)