It’s a common scene in a classroom – a child is disruptive, perhaps neglects to do his or her homework, and gets in trouble with the teacher. As the kid stews in his punishment, the teacher is left wondering what could possibly be going on to make him or her act this way. Instead of wondering, one teacher decided to ask. Recognizing that many of her third grade students come from underprivileged homes, Colorado teacher Kyle Schwartz gave her students an assignment: Write a response to the prompt, “I Wish My Teacher Knew.” Some of the responses are difficult to read, but according to an interview with Schwartz, her students benefit from it: > Some notes are heartbreaking …I care deeply about each and every one of my students and I don’t want any of them to have to suffer the consequences of living in poverty, which is my main motivation for teaching. Check out some of her student’s notes below – the last one will bring tears to your eyes.
