Teachers are tasked with meeting the needs of students from a range of cultural and linguistic backgrounds.  Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy (Paris, 2012) advises teachers to build on the resources students bring to the classroom.  But what does this look like in practice?  And what knowledge is required for teachers to implement it effectively?  In my study of high school English teachers, I identify pedagogical choices that work to include students’ ways of being and knowing in the sanctioned academic space, such as the use of hip-hop songs and lyrics as cultural data sets (Lee, 2007).  I also find that without a knowledge of students, and more specifically, without a belief in students’ knowledge, these pedagogical choices make little difference.  As we ponder excellence in teaching, I wonder: How do we help teachers demonstrate the value of student knowledge in culturally and linguistically diverse classrooms?