Jessica has always been told she wasn't good enough, or smart enough to strive academically. I would constantly receive phone calls and emails from teachers who were determined to place her into inclusive education programs. Jessica begged me not too, and when questioned about it, she stated that she did not want to be considered “stupid” like all her teachers believe she is. That broke me apart. If a child is told they have a certain trait by a superior, they tend to believe it. In high school, I saw a dramatic change in Jessica's academic performance. Her grades slowly started to increase and her mindset slowly started to become more confident in herself. She never wanted to be told she could not achieve anything and she wanted to prove
