"I'm Not Going to Lose You!"

Urban educators interact with students in a variety of ways. Frequently, practices are grounded in assumptions about the necessity of control, whereas in some instances, practices reflect assumptions about the necessity of empowerment. Contrasting assumptions and practices about empowerment and control reflect a choice that confronts urban educators as they interact with students. This study focuses on the choicefor empowerment made by one urban principal andportrays her practices as she interacted with students. Data are presented via a constructed narrative. Following the narrative, data are discussed in terms of thecaring form of empowerment that emergedfrom data analysis.