Headteachers, teacher unions and education authorities all acknowledge the need for more teachers from black and ethnic minority communities, yet until now very little has been known about the professional experiences of black teachers or of the factors which discourage and exclude black and ethnic minority people from teaching as a career.

This book draws on the life histories of headteachers, advisors, teachers and student teachers from black and ethnic communities to find out what their working lives are really like. Detailed case studies and quotations bring their stories alive. It examines how those in positions of influence are seeking to transform schools and improve their pupils' life chances. How do they achieve success and challenge racism? While celebrating black and ethnic minority achievement in education this book does not overlook the costs of success for individuals. Drawing on teachers' own accounts of their work it explores the complexities of their lived experiences and the tensions which can develop between teachers' professional identities and their political identities as black people.

The findings and recommendations of this book will be of great interest to educational policy makers and decision makers, to academics working in the field of race relations, and to all engaged in the training and professional development of teachers, both in universities and schools. It includes practical suggestions for promoting racial justice within the context of current policy frameworks. It will also prove useful to trainers and educators in other professional fields, such as social work and public administration.