Seven years ago I sat in a room with my co-workers as they briefed me about the children who would be coming into my class in two weeks. For the most part they used the phrases, \u201cdo not expect much\u201d, \u201calways takes three steps forward and four steps backwards.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then they came to a little boy who I will call Will. They described him to me as spoiled with parents who were in denial. One of my co-workers said that she had informed the parents that they needed to look into a wheelchair because he would never walk unassisted and that Will would always be a \u201clump of nothing\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My question to my co-workers was if we do not expect much from these kids why are we here? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The next day was the first day of school and I would finally meet Will. I decided that apart from the data on their diagnosis, I would toss the rest of the staff\u2019s interpretations about the children out the window.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Day Will Arrived<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The first day of school arrived, and Will was the last child off the bus. He climbed the stairs with the aid of his driver slowly and carefully. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When he arrived in the room, I bent down and said hello to him. I was told he would scream. I was told he would cry, but he did not. What that told me is the staff who had not seen him for two months during summer vacation did not take into account that Will and his classmates were two months older and with age, even just two months, comes change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n