Words Without Wisdom
When I first heard Kayla’s teacher dismiss her potential, I was stunned.
“I’ve always been a ‘C’ student, even in college. That’s the best I can do—so that’s the best she’ll ever be able to do.”
Her words weren’t just careless; they were a blatant attempt to limit my daughter’s future before she had even begun to write her own story.
Refusing to Accept Limits
I refused to accept it. Kayla was not bound by her teacher’s self-imposed limitations—she was my daughter, and she had the drive and the intelligence to thrive. Unlike her teacher, I had excelled academically, earning honors in both high school and college. Success was in her DNA, and I was determined to ensure she knew it.
But it wasn’t easy. Kayla came home discouraged, carrying the weight of her teacher’s low expectations. Then, one day, a different kind of confrontation erupted—a call from the school counselor informed me that Kayla had stepped in to defend a classmate against the notorious school bully. The bully terrorized not just students but teachers alike, yet my daughter had stood her ground.
A Broken System
Rather than commend her courage, the school’s response was disappointingly dismissive. When I sought a meeting with the principal, I was redirected to the counselor, who insisted that Kayla's teacher was a “sweet person.”
Sweet? She certainly wasn’t sweet to my daughter.
During our meeting, the counselor hesitated before offering an off-the-record confession: she was close friends with Kayla's teacher. She admitted that the woman was mentally struggling due to repeated bullying incidents, meeting with the counselor weekly to deal with the trauma.
Ultimately, the school took action against the bully, removing him from the system entirely—but I felt no sympathy for Kayla’s teacher.
This woman, an educator entrusted with shaping young minds, had instead chosen to degrade my daughter’s confidence. She had set a ceiling on Kayla's abilities before she had even had the chance to prove herself. No title, no school policies, no friendships could excuse that.
The Power of a Helping Hand
For a while, it seemed there was no way around the teacher’s damaging mindset. But what I didn’t realize was that God had a ram in the bushes.
One day, the assistant principal approached me, convinced she had seen me somewhere before. When I told her she was likely thinking of my daughter Kayla's her eyes lit up with recognition—and concern.
She asked if there was anything she could do for us.
I hesitated at first, weary from the school’s repeated dismissals of my concerns. But something about her sincerity gave me hope. I told her everything. And unlike others, she listened.
She not only promised to speak to the teacher, but she took it a step further. She assured me that she would arrange an academic plan to support Michaela, to ensure she was given every opportunity to succeed.
A Path to Academic Strength
While the assistant principal implemented her plan at school, I took matters into my own hands at home. I followed the reading guidelines from one of the top literacy websites for children, hub.lexile.com. I sought out books with Lexile scores at least two grade levels above Kayla’s current reading level to challenge and strengthen her skills.
I have always believed that readers are leaders, so with the help of the Lexile Quantile website, I carefully selected books from the local library and Barnes & Noble for Kayla to read. It became a daily practice—a commitment to proving that she was more than “just average.”
By the end of the semester, her reading level had skyrocketed from below grade level to an astonishing 8th-9th grade level. The principal and I were ecstatic, but most importantly, Kayla’s confidence soared through the roof.
A Future Beyond Expectationsm
And today, Kayla is thriving—not just academically but creatively. She is now a junior in high school, excelling in her studies, a budding culinary artist, and a fantastic visual artist.
Her achievements have not gone unnoticed. The local school system has highlighted her academic success, and her artwork has even been featured in the local arts museum.
She has superseded the power of her former elementary school's negative words.
I am forever grateful to the assistant principal who not only used her power for good but refused to agree with Kayla’s teacher. And more than anything, I am thankful to God for His divine guidance and direction, for answering my prayers for my daughter’s success, and for His amazing grace over our lives.
Lessons in Strength and Support
Respect isn’t given—it’s earned. And while Kayla's teacher had lost mine, her assistant principal gained it.
Because sometimes, when the path ahead seems impossible, someone steps in to change the course. And in Michaela’s journey, that someone was her mother’s determination, a caring assistant principal, and the power of a great book.
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