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Last year we wrote a post about Kyle Schwartz, a third grade teacher at Doull Elementary School in Denver, Colorado who gave her students one very simple task. She asked them to complete the sentence "I wish my teacher knew..." and the answers were as surprising as they were heartbreaking. One of her students didn't have pencils to do their homework with. Another had nobody to play with. One had a mom who got sick a lot and another had a mom who wasn't even around to sign their reading log.

Her findings were shared widely on the internet and the Twitter hashtag “#iwishmyteacherknew" went viral as other teachers followed suit and asked their students the same question before sharing the results with Kyle. Now Ms. Schwartz has published a book titled "I Wish My Teacher Knew: How One Question Can Change Everything For Our Kids," and you can find some examples of the notes that inspired her in the heartbreaking list below.

More info: Twitter | I Wish My Teacher Knew

#1

I Wish My Teacher Knew

Kyle Schwartz Report

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jevais avatar
jevais
Community Member
7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

How sad. The country that wants to rule the world can't even have their children have pencils at home. Unbelievable! All the money goes to sending spaceships to find life on other planets or war in other countries.

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#2

I Wish My Teacher Knew

Kyle Schwartz Report

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Leah May
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7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

What the kids appear to really be saying is I wish my teacher knew I was a whole person with a backstory and to please treat me accordingly. Understand my lack of effort may be due to stress and heartache and lack of resources as oppose to naughtiness laziness etc.

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#5

I Wish My Teacher Knew

I Wish My Teacher Knew Report

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Teresa Stockroske
Community Member
7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Onion ninja smacked me straight in the face on this one..... I lost too many family members to some firm of cancer.

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#7

I Wish My Teacher Knew

Kyle Schwartz Report

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Luis Milian
Community Member
7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

even if mom is not around cause of work, this one is a concern

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#9

I Wish My Teacher Knew

I Wish My Teacher Knew Report

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jevais avatar
jevais
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7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Life in the U.S.A. is not at all the Amercian dream. Why people cannot live on just one salary? How shocking. What is wrong with your economy? Why do the citizens have to hold down Serval jobs at a time? I feel so sad for the average person living in the States, I hope that one day things will change and that works will not have to work in several places to keep food on the table.

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#10

I Wish My Teacher Knew

LisaCurtin7 Report

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Steven Thomas Ganz
Community Member
7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

When I was that age I knew that my teachers knew that I was being bullied but they didn't do anything about it, it's just not fare that I did walk funny because I had to wear a leg brace due to polio. Although now I have no regrets.

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#11

I Wish My Teacher Knew

segasior Report

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Kjorn
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7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

that one hit me. i can't imagine the teacher joy when he/she read that!

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#18

I Wish My Teacher Knew

I Wish My Teacher Knew Report

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Anya O
Community Member
7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I wish my teacher knew that!And that I also become very focused when I draw stuff on the corners of my book

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#21

I Wish My Teacher Knew

N_Night_Ninja Report

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Pi...
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7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This...is imposed on kids and people and makes us feel bad for not achieving our over-expectations

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#23

I Wish My Teacher Knew

mrsnorsworthy Report

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Daniel Mallory
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7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

im the opisite when stressed engh my body and mind shut it out causing well nt adention

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#24

I Wish My Teacher Knew

ohhhstina Report

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#25

I Wish My Teacher Knew

I Wish My Teacher Knew Report

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kjorn avatar
Kjorn
Community Member
7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

that's the kind of stuff the teacher MUST know. my kid has it and the teacher know it. It MUST know that for adapt his teaching

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#26

I Wish My Teacher Knew

rembertwilliam Report

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Rhon
Community Member
7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You will, sweet child. You have the motivation of love to help you. Don't forget that being great doesn't mean being famous, greatness can be behind the scenes. My love to you little one.

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#27

I Wish My Teacher Knew

Kyle Schwartz Report

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Maniac_With_Nails
Community Member
7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

He/she is NOT a suck up. I, for one, really enjoy school. So it is perfectly normal for someone to say that they like school. There is nothing wrong with it. So stop criticizing this student. They are just expressing their opinion. If they like school, they like school. Most of my friends actually like school. So to Elena Popowitch and Cairis Adams, every child has the right to like school. So if you didn't like school, I'm sorry for your loss. I'm sorry you didn't have a decent childhood to make you decent people.

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#30

I Wish My Teacher Knew

I Wish My Teacher Knew Report

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#31

I Wish My Teacher Knew

LeslieDavenpor1 Report

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frederic eeckman
Community Member
7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I never understood teachers who blame students for asking questions...

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#32

I Wish My Teacher Knew

Kyle Schwartz Report

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#33

I Wish My Teacher Knew

I Wish My Teacher Knew Report

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Nga Kieu
Community Member
7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

if you're not doing well in school, your teacher would see your parent all the time, like I see my sons teacher. 😁

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#35

I Wish My Teacher Knew

EnochsDrama Report

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Tessa
Community Member
7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

wait, aren't these written by young children? that is very sad if such a young child knows so many people who want to kill themselves. I am one myself and know some others as well and I dont think young children should get involved in this too much, i dont think that is healthy

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#36

I Wish My Teacher Knew

I Wish My Teacher Knew Report

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Pi...
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7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I see a lot of empathy in these kids... I wonder why it fades when we grow older :,(

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#38

I Wish My Teacher Knew

I Wish My Teacher Knew Report

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Mel Biago
Community Member
7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Aww baby, I feel you. Middle child out of 7, 5 are brothers, my parents divorced when I was 7 years old. Chin up baby, it gets better ❤️

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#40

I Wish My Teacher Knew

litcoachlou Report

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#41

I Wish My Teacher Knew

EnochsDrama Report

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#44

I Wish My Teacher Knew

writingrebecca Report

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kjorn avatar
Kjorn
Community Member
7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

it's sad to see that at this Young age kid already use the word Stress...

#46

I Wish My Teacher Knew

MsZarovska Report

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Anne Rouffignac
Community Member
7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Sweet kid, and I love the little annotation by the teacher. Get well soon Grandma!

#48

I Wish My Teacher Knew

writingrebecca Report

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#51

I Wish My Teacher Knew

BonnySDieterich Report

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#52

I Wish My Teacher Knew

I Wish My Teacher Knew Report

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Nga Kieu
Community Member
7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

teachers supposed to celebrate birthdays with their kids. maybe this kid just write this cause he/she didn't think of anything else.

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#53

I Wish My Teacher Knew

MeghannMajdi Report

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