Teacher asks third graders to write down their secrets—their honest notes just broke her heart
Kids can be brutally honest about what they think and feel. Often, having a real conversation with children can give an in-depth idea about how they are doing and what is on their minds. Similarly, a third-grade teacher, Kyle Schwartz, at Doull Elementary, Denver, decided to try an activity with her students, per ABC News. She asked students to write down secrets they had been withholding and was heartbroken about realizing the pain the kids were going through. Many of them had much going on in their lives, and it was unbelievable that they were still pretending that everything was fine.
Schwartz asked her students to begin their notes by writing, “I wish my teacher knew.” The rest of the statement would be followed by any secret they had to share. However, she was not prepared for the responses she received. In a video shared by CBS Mornings, the notes of many kids reveal an upsetting truth about their lives. One boy wrote, “I wish my teacher knew my grandpa died when I was in California. I started to cry because I still wanted him to be alive.” Another student wrote, “I wish my teacher knew I don’t have pencils at home to do my homework.” Yet another noted, “I wish my teacher knew I don’t have friends to play with.”
Another child’s heartbreaking note revealed, “I wish my teacher knew that sometimes my log book is not signed because my mum is not around a lot.” Right from economic to personal problems, many students were going through a lot and the teacher had no idea until this activity. There were also delightful responses retrieved from the kids. One student wrote, “I wish my teacher knew I love her with all my heart.” Schwartz was hurt to learn of the plight her students were silently suffering and was determined to help. She shared the notes on social media and soon, many teachers had an eye-opening experience.
Many picked the activity to learn about their students to help them. As for her class, she decided to do whatever she could to help out as much as possible. “Students are dealing with some challenging issues, and it helps me know what actions I need to take as a teacher to support them,” Schwartz mentioned. She noted that she allowed kids to keep their notes anonymous or share them with others in class. However, she was impressed to see the kids want to share a part of their lives with their fellow students.
"I have found that most students are not only willing to include their names but also enjoy sharing with the class. Even when what my students are sharing is sensitive in nature, most students want their classmates to know,” the teacher remarked. Somehow, that began to make a difference. “After one student shared that she had no one to play with at recess, the rest of the class said, 'We got your back.' The next day, I noticed she was playing with a group of girls. Not only can I support my students, but my students can support each other,” the teacher exclaimed. Schwartz wishes that her lesson could help her students and their families connect with better resources so they could live a comfortable life.