If Only My Teacher Knew

Kyle Schwartz is a teacher in Denver, Colorado.  She is changing the way students communicate with teachers across the country.  Ms. Schwartz came to realize that while she saw her students gain or decline academically, she never fully understood what obstacles they faced outside of the school building.  She devised a lesson entitled, “If Only My Teacher Knew”, which involves students writing notes to her that detail exactly what the kids wanted her to know personally about them.  This isn’t the index card asking for favorite activities, names of pets and your street address. Nope, this is  kids pouring out their hearts on issues that they deal with on a daily basis.  Examples of this are “Sometimes my reading list is not signed because my Mom is not around a lot” and “I miss my Dad because he got deported to Mexico and I haven’t seen him in six years” and “I have no one to play with at recess” and “My Mom is getting sick a lot and was in hospital last night.”  It is kind of like asking God to break your heart for what breaks His.  She began to better understand her students.  Her mind was awakened to things.  Her level of empathy increased.  She was able to put herself in their shoes.  She was better able to connect with the kids under her charge.

What about your kids?  How well do you REALLY know them?  Do you know what they go through outside of school?  I challenge you to give an assignment in you class with an introductory phrase for “If Only My Teacher Knew…”  What you will gain is not just insight but perhaps a DEEPER insight than ever before.  Not all kids, but some kids, carry excess baggage. Quite frankly, it isn’t something that an 11, 12, or 13 year old should have to shoulder.  We have kids who are watching their parents separate.  We have kids who are struggling with finding friends. We have kids who did not eat dinner last night.  We have kids who have no conception of a family dinner table.  We have kids who are never told that they are loved.  We have kids who have not been told anything positive this week…or month…or year.  So, what do we do about it? We must fill that gap. If not us, then whom?  For such a time as this, we must fill the gap in the limited time we have with these kids. You can do this by establishing positive relationships with your students.  They need to know that you value them. You need to be the first to reach out and persist in that effort until a connection is made.  You have the be the one to build trust, not the other way around.  “I have done all I can” is not an option – please do not run that one past me because it will not be accepted.   When you send this task out where your students will write about “If only my teacher knew…”, remember to send back the message that you are invested in their success.