doubling in a 20-year span, with 90% of teachers in public schools being White (Ball and Ellis 499). In 2006, the percentage of students of color in our public schools grew to 43% (Planty et al.). This particular combination of increasing student diversity Discount Juicy Couture(http:www.juicycouturegirl) and a predominately White teaching staff, according to Arnetha F. Ball and Pamela Ellis
Jacoby Glenn Bears Jersey , reinforces the need for "cross-cultural communication and identity development," which the authors regard as "key factors in students' academic achievement".
Steven Zemelman and Harvey Daniels in A Community of Writers: Teaching Writing in the Junior and Senior High School, a widely used resource on the teaching of writing, state that one of the most important elements promoting growth in student writing is the teacher's understanding and appreciation of "the basic linguistic competence that students bring with them to school". The authors emphasize the importance of social context as a leading contributor to gains in writing development and student learning: