For many students, home life doesn't end when they arrive at school each morning. The stress of family drama, money trouble and other hardships shows up in their behavior and ability to learn.
Doull Elementary teacher Kyle Schwartz got her class -- and the Internet -- talking about those issues when she asked her students to write down things they thought she should know. She then posted them to Twitter with the hashtag #IWishMyTeacherKnew, which in turn caught the attention of Good Morning America yesterday.
Although she says her students are a pleasure to look after, the educator of three years adds that many of them come from underprivileged homes.
"Ninety-two percent of our students qualify for free and reduced lunch," Schwartz tells ABC News. "As a new teacher, I struggled to understand the reality of my students' lives and how to best support them. I just felt like there was something I didn't know about my students."
Here are some of the notes Schwartz shared:
Had my students write "I wish my teacher knew___" It's a reality check. #edchat #fellowschat pic.twitter.com/8vFUZqQnu0
#iwishmyteacherknew how much I miss my dad since he got deported #edchat #ImmigrationReform pic.twitter.com/yUK0FCwwiO
#iwishmyteacherknew sometimes my reading log isn't signed because my mom is not around a lot #edchat pic.twitter.com/mUsm4zRdKc
#iwishmyteacherknew Vietnamese because then she can say words I forget pic.twitter.com/lEFdKxe136
Check out the #IWishMyTeacherKnew hashtag on Twitter for more posts from other teachers.
