3rd-grade teacher shares heartbreaking notes from students


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SALT LAKE CITY — A Colorado elementary teacher has started a Twitter campaign to help other teachers connect with their students after a class project opened her eyes on the needs of children.

Kyle Schwartz, a third-grade teacher at an elementary in the Denver area, wanted to learn more about her students and to build trust with a group of students in an underprivileged area, according to ABC News.

Schwartz created a lesson plan called “I wish my teacher knew,” where students would write on a paper anything personal or an interesting fact about them that they wanted their teacher to know. The students could write the note anonymously or put their name on it.

“As a new teacher, I struggled to understand the reality of my students’ lives and how to best support them,” Schwartz told ABC News. “I just felt like there was something I didn’t know about my students.”

Schwartz, though, said she didn’t expect the response she got from the class and called it “a reality check.” Several of her students shared personal, heartbreaking messages about their life.

#iwishmyteacherknew how much I miss my dad since he got deported #edchat#ImmigrationReformpic.twitter.com/yUK0FCwwiO — Kyle Schwartz (@kylemschwartz) April 6, 2015

> [\#iwishmyteacherknew](https://twitter.com/hashtag/iwishmyteacherknew?src=hash) I don't have a friend to play with me. Honest answers from kids [\#edchat](https://twitter.com/hashtag/edchat?src=hash) [pic.twitter.com/5H0EPgRzPQ](http://t.co/5H0EPgRzPQ) > > — Kyle Schwartz (@kylemschwartz) [April 6, 2015](https://twitter.com/kylemschwartz/status/585175332413505536)

> [\#iwishmyteacherknew](https://twitter.com/hashtag/iwishmyteacherknew?src=hash) sometimes my reading log isn't signed because my mom is not around a lot [\#edchat](https://twitter.com/hashtag/edchat?src=hash) [pic.twitter.com/mUsm4zRdKc](http://t.co/mUsm4zRdKc) > > — Kyle Schwartz (@kylemschwartz) [April 6, 2015](https://twitter.com/kylemschwartz/status/585219983526895616)

Schwartz shared many of the notes on Twitter, asking other teachers to do a similar lesson plan as a way to connect with their students. She received several responses from teachers around the United States. The story also resonated with many on Twitter following #IWishMyTeacherKnew.

#IWishMyTeacherKnew that I worry because mom is getting sick... :( #fourthgradepic.twitter.com/kNhu5gp9DA — Dawn King (@dawnkingCCPS) April 14, 2015

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