Talisha was welcomed as a daughter by Barbara, even when the relationship was informal. Barbara intones while discussing the positive nature of Talisha and Nile's relationship as close and non-confrontational siblings that Talisha slept in Nile's crib before he did and that their bond is essential to Talisha feeling a part of the family. Talisha herself reiterates this when she discusses the manner in which herself and Nile partner in conflict resolution outside the home. (Case Study p. 3-5) Barbara Williams, Talisha's "mom" has exemplified the role of mother caregiver and protector since the beginning of her relationship with Talisha, beginning with her recognition that Talisha's grandmother was overwhelmed by responsabilties and may have neglected Talisha if she, Barbara had not chosen to take on the responsibility to care for her. Barbara has also been paramount in Talisha's ability to recover from the grief of the loss of her mother by recognizing Talisha's need to talk about her and other family members, and to spend time with them whenever they travel near their homes. Barbara has also given Talisha a sense of purpose and community through faith and a sense of the need to succeed through tackling even tough educational goals, such as Talisha's struggle with math. Even when Barbara is not present, she calls home to make sure her rules about homework and television are being met and that the children are meeting her expectations, which she keeps high, despite the lagging educational system where they live. (Case Study p. 6, 7, 10-11) Talisha's cognitive and emotional development are fostered by Barbara by her presence and willingness to care for her as well as the many examples above, from the case study.

The teachers seem to quickly recognize the ways in which Talsiha can be expected to succeed, such as in environments where she is offered a great deal of interaction and foster these environments to help her prosper. (Case Study p.8) Additionally, Talisha has been left with the distinct impression from the teachers and administrators of the school that she is a valuable part of the school community, something that has fostered her self-confidence and cognitive development. (p.8) Sadly, this case study develops a strong point with regard to strict assessment tools, such as standardized testing, that frequently do not allow the student, in this case Talisha, with a real opportunity to demonstrate learning. (p.8) if there was some way to eradicate or further limit the utilization of such exams the teachers would have a better opportunity to aide Talisha and students like her. (Sacks, 2000, p. 101)