The essays in this collection, presented as letters to teachers, reaffirm Paulo Freire's place as the most significant educator in the world during the last half of the 20th century. As North America experiences a rapid change to conditions approximating those of the Third World, Freire's pedagogy becomes more important, not only for his methods of reading instruction but for the ways in which they can develop students' ability to be aware of themselves in the world and in their cultures. Freire states that his intention is to demonstrate that the task of the teachers, who are also learners, is both joyful and rigorous. This task demands seriousness and scientific, physical, emotional, and affective preparation. It also demands the evaluation of practice and the reform of teacher education. Teachers must act as teachers and not as coddling parents. The following "Letters" are included: (1) "First Words: A Pedagogical Trap"; (2) "First Letter: Reading the World/ Reading the Word"; (3) "Second Letter: Don't Let the Fear of What Is Difficult Paralyze You"; (4) "Third Letter: I Came into the Teacher Training Program because I Had No Other Option"; (5) "Fourth Letter: On the Indispensable Qualities of Progressive Teachers for Their Better Performance"; (6) "Fifth Letter: The First Day of School"; (7) "Sixth Letter: On the Relationship between the Educator and Learners"; (8) "Seventh Letter: From Talking to Learners to Talking to Them and with Them: From Listening to Learners to Being Heard by Them"; (9) "Eighth Letter: Cultural Identity and Education"; (10) "Ninth Letter: Concrete Context/Theoretical Context"; (11) "Tenth Letter: Once More the Question of Discipline"; and (12) "Last Words: To Know and To Grow--Everything Yet To See." (SLD)