This participant observation study describes how one beginning, bi-lingual, Puerto Rican, elementary art teacher instructs a class of Puerto Rican, inner-city children. The study concentrates on the types and frequency of teaching behaviors that occur for a beginning teacher; cultural perspectives that affect instruction, content selection, and teacher/student interaction; and the change in or consistency of behaviors over time. Content and comparative analyses and time sampling are used to determine types of instruction and their frequencies. Adaptive and survival instructional activities and strategies as well as metaphors of instructional bias are revealed in the statements and actions of the teacher. (Author/JH)