Lower-class black street corner behavior is present in the inner city and in nonschool settings. This language and behavior is misunderstood by middle-class whites, especially teachers, to the point that effective communications are seriously hampered in urban schools. Efforts to educate minority students will fail significantly until teachers and other school personnel begin to understand the confrontational style and game-playing rules of street corner lifestyle. This book discusses street corner language and behavior in detail and suggests ways of dealing with such behavior in educational settings. The following nine chapters are included: (1) Why Ribbin' Is Even More Important Today; (2) Getting It Off My Chest; (3) The Unrecognized Dilemma of All of Our Schools; (4) A Historical Perspective Concerning Inner City and Lower Economic Conditioning Experiences; (5) Jive Lexicon and Verbal Communication; (6) Ribbin', Jivin', and Playin' the Dozens: Classroom Contests; (7) Discipline; (8) Communicating through Dress and Personal Grooming; and (9) Summing Up. This book concludes with information about the author. (VM)