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9 handwritten notes from students to their teachers that are just heartbreaking
Kyle Schwartz started sharing the notes two years ago, and people responded — teachers, parents, child advocates and more.
08.05.19
Five years ago, Kyle Schwartz asked her Doull Elementary class to fill in the blank: "I wish my teacher knew ______."
Her students’ answers shocked her, and she shared some of the notes on Twitter.
One read: "I wish my teacher knew how much I miss my dad because he got deported to Mexico when I was 3 years old and I haven’t seen him in 6 years."
<p>Another read: "I wish my teacher knew sometimes my reading log is not signed because my mom is not around a lot."</p><p>Other students talked about having no friends, being bullied and lacking school supplies at home. <strong>Here are nine of the notes:</strong></p><h2>1. The kids shared thoughts about parents who were rarely home.</h2><div><div class="push-wrapper--mobile" data-card="image" data-reactroot=""><img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xOTUyMzYxMi9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyNzgxMjU2OX0.0HGb9mCJ-MeUKakxO_MaWkRuhKorD8Dm1RSTnagRptM/img.jpg?width=980" id="ac5fd" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="77a6e1c96933a9d94077051bc159c3ae" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image"><div class="image-caption"><p>"I wish my teacher knew that my dad works two jobs and I don't see him much." All photos via Kyle Schwartz.</p></div></div></div><h2>2. They explained that their parents were divorced.</h2><div><div class="push-wrapper--mobile" data-card="image" data-reactroot=""><img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xOTUyMzYxMy9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYxNzQ1Nzg0Nn0.BVtQdfI9uXSauO-mWrHvwnvaIjAQlzj5lLr2GA5NqCw/img.jpg?width=980" id="f92f8" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="1fda4dca3e8d63b4d7f7a3ea94204355" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image"><div class="image-caption"><p>"I wish my teacher knew that my mom got divorce 3 times."</p></div></div></div><h2>3. They told her they were living in shelters.</h2><div><div class="push-wrapper--mobile" data-card="image" data-reactroot=""><img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xOTUyMzYxNC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYwOTIyODA4OX0.he8cR8yK67gi-m-tSjD1ZrtgE0h9SCqJ2olwokEr7Xk/img.jpg?width=980" id="21743" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="f5d08c4969afca65eb4e104bdc3fa3f4" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image"><div class="image-caption"><p>"I wish my teacher knew that my mom and I live in a shelter."</p></div></div></div><h2>4. They said they worried about their siblings every night.</h2><div><div class="push-wrapper--mobile" data-card="image" data-reactroot=""><img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xOTUyMzYxNS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYzMzYxOTU0Mn0.SncFkgxNYjP5m-AQffMTGlLx5055BxRQ2dHXEP5PrWo/img.jpg?width=980" id="584a7" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="3d063f4e0ae01ed9659ee47e01295c5f" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image"><div class="image-caption"><p>"I wish my teacher knew that my little brother gets scared and I get worried about getting up every night."</p></div></div></div><h2>5. They talked about feeling disconnected from their peers.</h2><div><div class="push-wrapper--mobile" data-card="image" data-reactroot=""><img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xOTUyMzYxNi9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0NDk3Mjk2Nn0.uNXdt4FhLV71-ePestqlLQkMcOgsnl4xks5WNrGcViE/img.jpg?width=980" id="15e2b" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="09ff7832010a8850f212b6f99ed68aa9" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image"><div class="image-caption"><p>"I wish my teacher knew that my dad died this year, and I feel more alone and disconnected from my peers than ever before."</p></div></div></div><h2>6. They shared secret family struggles.</h2><div><div class="push-wrapper--mobile" data-card="image" data-reactroot=""><img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xOTUyMzYxNy9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYwMDUzNTQ5N30.MlrkD96SHUk007Ysn1EfAV2hehvCZDrF3He-OciRq3o/img.jpg?width=980" id="cec2a" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="b5f01bb148288fe8a9b9eceb127aab93" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image"><div class="image-caption"><p>"I wish my teacher knew that my mom and dad are divorced and that I am the middle child of 7 kids. 5 out of that 7 or (are) boys."</p></div></div></div><h2>7. They revealed what they love most in the world.</h2><div><div class="push-wrapper--mobile" data-card="image" data-reactroot=""><img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xOTUyMzYxOC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYzMDcxNzExMn0.b_GrGVD9Nz8r-wROrbW1-MTeIfrbSxlQsp3xsNqcKrM/img.jpg?width=980" id="b5d7f" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="45cdd81a1d4ec6e11dc11169ee16a265" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image"><div class="image-caption"><p>"3 things I wish my teacher knew about me: 7 kids in my family, me being the second to youngest. I play basketball. I think I'm really good at writing."</p></div></div></div><h2>8. They explained worries about having a place to sleep at night.</h2><div><div class="push-wrapper--mobile" data-card="image" data-reactroot=""><img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xOTUyMzYxOS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyMTUxNTIyM30.Yg0C4f7UI17pAaHFXuISW5b8_vVQjol8QuLUNyQ81iE/img.jpg?width=980" id="7cd44" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="ea5487f880bb0ba1ba8ea6984115e3cc" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image"><div class="image-caption"><p>"I wish my teacher knew that my mom might get diagnosed with cancer this week and I have been without a home 3 different times this year alone."</p></div></div></div><h2>9. They even shared intimate details about their relationships with their parents.</h2><div><div class="push-wrapper--mobile" data-card="image" data-reactroot=""><img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xOTUyMzYyMC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTU5NTQ1OTk3Nn0.V0biJfW8VMkE7DA1TEy_tZpFbOXN6PZLBr6Cfnf7Q5U/img.jpg?width=980" id="88dd2" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="835ff96bb27f5b8ffd3de790e558d1ee" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image"><div class="image-caption"><p>"I wish my teacher knew that I got kicked out of the house because of my mom's girlfriend, and now I don't have a relationship with my mom because of it."</p></div></div></div><h2>"When students feel like they have a voice, that they're heard, they're really more open," <a href="http://www.9news.com/news/denver-teacher-creates-heartwrenching-inspiring-lesson/132607430" target="_blank">Schwartz told local station KUSA last year</a>. "They're more able to take risks in school."</h2><p>The majority of Schwartz's students live close to or below the poverty line, and 50% are learning English at school, she said. About 44% of children in America live in low-income families, according to the <a href="http://www.nccp.org/topics/childpoverty.html" target="_blank">National Center for Children in Poverty</a>.</p><h2><strong>Schwartz started <a href="http://www.9news.com/news/denver-teacher-creates-heartwrenching-inspiring-lesson/132607430" target="_blank">sharing the notes</a> two years ago, and people responded — teachers, parents, child advocates, and more.</strong></h2><p>Instructors, even one working with Syrian refugees in Greece, began implementing the exercise in their own classrooms. Many share responses using the hashtag <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23iwishmyteacherknew&src=typd" target="_blank">#IWishMyTeacherKnew</a>.</p><p>"In my classroom, I can impact 30 students," Schwartz said. "When I share, I can impact classrooms around the world." </p><h2>So in July, Schwartz published "<a href="http://iwishmyteacherknewbook.com/about.php" target="_blank">I Wish My Teacher Knew</a>," a teacher's guide to address poverty, grief, and home life in the classroom.</h2><p>The book is full of student notes and stories like these as well as Schwartz's experiences and research on child poverty. </p><div><div class="push-wrapper--mobile" data-card="image" data-reactroot=""><img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xOTUyMzYyMS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYwMDMwMTc5OX0.RpWS7-JGkVoPoDbgD7eBxaqFUMCNRqHWNZ82sS2zZ9o/img.jpg?width=980" id="7d642" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="7f844bf4a71c0896b244165a108aeeb6" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image"><div class="image-caption"><p>The cover of Schwartz's book.</p></div></div></div><p>Each chapter includes "teacher tools, too — actionable steps that teachers can take in their classrooms to make change," Schwartz said. The tips include having a food drawer with granola bars available to students who might be hungry and creating a memory book with students grieving a loss.</p><h2>"My students are very aware that their notes are being a powerful force for advocacy," Schwartz said. "They know they are speaking up for kids who aren’t always listened to. That’s been a beautiful thing."</h2>
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