Includes bibliographical references (pages 295-333) and indexes.

Machine generated contents note: 1. Challenges and Perspectives -- Introduction -- Need for and Nature of Story -- Personal Story and Symbol of a Trend -- Achievement Challenges -- Assertions About Improving Student Achievement -- Conclusion -- Practice Possibilities -- 2. Pedagogical Potential of Cultural Responsiveness -- Introduction -- From Can't to Can -- Ideological Beginnings -- Qualitative Attributes -- Culturally Responsive Teaching Personified -- Roles and Responsibilities of Teachers -- Conclusion -- Practice Possibilities -- 3. Power of Culturally Responsive Caring -- Introduction -- Overview of Caring Characteristics -- Attributes of Caring in Detail -- Expectation Trends and Effects -- Actualizing Culturally Responsive Caring -- Conclusion -- Practice Possibilities -- 4. Culture and Communication in the Classroom -- Introduction -- Relationship Among Culture, Communication, and Education -- Myths About Language Diversity -- Cultural Communication Controversies -- Effects of "English Plus" Instruction on Student Achievement -- Variations in Ethnic Discourse Styles -- Gender Variations in Discourse Styles -- Conclusion -- Practice Possibilities -- 5. Ethnic and Cultural Diversity in Curriculum Content -- Introduction -- Importance of Textbooks as Curriculum Content -- Ethnic and Cultural Diversity in Different Texts -- Standards, Testing, and Diversity -- Ethnic Diversity in Literary and Trade Books -- Mass Media as Cultural Curriculum Content -- Culturally Diverse Curriculum Content Effects -- Improving Culturally Diverse Curriculum Content -- Conclusion -- Practice Possibilities -- 6. Cultural Congruity in Teaching and Learning -- Introduction -- Learning Styles Baseline -- Funds of Knowledge and Cultural Self-Study -- Cooperative Learning -- Active and Affective Engagement -- Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) -- Conclusion -- Practice Possibilities -- 7. Personal Case of Culturally Responsive Teaching Praxis -- Introduction -- Being Supportive and Facilitative -- Rituals and Routines -- Learning Cooperatively and Successfully -- Choice and Authenticity Are Essential to Learning -- Teaching to Enable and Empower -- Knowledge Plus Practice Is Imperative -- Cultivating Critical Orientations Is Important -- Personal Is Powerful -- Conclusion -- 8. Epilogue: Looking Back and Projecting Forward -- Introduction -- Culturally Centered Incremental Efforts Make a Difference -- Confronting Convention and Resisting Resistance -- Culturally Responsive Teaching's Comprehensive Benefits -- Where to Begin and When to End -- Alternative Paradigms for Practice -- Challenges and Innovations -- Now Is the Time -- Pillars for Progress -- Conclusion.