What is *I Wish My Teacher Knew* about?

*I Wish My Teacher Knew* by Kyle Schwartz explores how a simple classroom exercise—asking students to complete the sentence “I wish my teacher knew…”—reveals profound insights into their lives. The book shares real student responses, practical strategies for educators to build empathy, and methods to create inclusive classrooms. It emphasizes understanding students’ challenges, from poverty to family struggles, to foster trust and academic success.

Who should read *I Wish My Teacher Knew*?

This book is essential for educators, school administrators, and parents seeking to better support children’s emotional and academic needs. It’s particularly valuable for new teachers learning to navigate classroom dynamics and those working in low-income or diverse communities where students face systemic challenges.

Is *I Wish My Teacher Knew* worth reading?

Yes—the book combines heartfelt student stories with actionable advice, making it a transformative resource for anyone invested in education. Its viral #IWishMyTeacherKnew movement underscores its relevance, offering tools to address issues like food insecurity, trauma, and language barriers discreetly and effectively.

What are the key lessons from *I Wish My Teacher Knew*?

- **Empathy matters**: Understanding students’ lives outside school is critical for effective teaching. - **Discretion in support**: Public assistance can unintentionally shame students; private solutions (e.g., classroom food pantries) preserve dignity. - **Community building**: Partnering with families and creating safe spaces fosters student resilience.

How does the “I wish my teacher knew” exercise work?

Teachers ask students to anonymously complete the sentence “I wish my teacher knew…” on a note. Responses range from personal struggles (“My dad lost his job”) to academic needs (“I need help reading”). The activity builds trust, informs teaching strategies, and helps address issues without singling out students.

What challenges do students face according to Kyle Schwartz?

Schwartz highlights poverty, housing instability, language barriers, and emotional trauma. At her Denver school, 90% of students lived near the poverty line, and half were English learners. Her book stresses tailoring support to these realities while maintaining student privacy.

How can teachers apply Schwartz’s methods?

- **Listen actively**: Use anonymous exercises to uncover hidden struggles. - **Create discreet support systems**: Replace public aid with private resources (e.g., “take-what-you-need” stations). - **Engage families**: Build partnerships to address systemic barriers.

What critiques exist about *I Wish My Teacher Knew*?

While praised for empathy, some argue individual classroom efforts can’t replace systemic reforms like increased school funding or mental health resources. However, Schwartz acknowledges these limits and advocates grassroots action alongside policy changes.

I Wish My Teacher Knew

How One Question Can Change Everything for Our Kids

Kyle Schwartz

3.95(2108 Reviews)

Overview of I Wish My Teacher Knew

When one teacher asked "What do you wish I knew?", she sparked a global #IWishMyTeacherKnew movement that transformed education. Kyle Schwartz's viral classroom exercise reveals how understanding students' hidden struggles creates powerful learning communities that transcend poverty, grief, and trauma.

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Chapter 1

When Classrooms Become Communities: The Power of Knowing Your Students

What if the greatest barrier to student success isn't academic ability but the invisible challenges they face every day? When third-grade teacher Kyle Schwartz asked her students to complete the sentence "I wish my teacher knew..." she unleashed a torrent of honest, sometimes heartbreaking responses that revealed the complex lives her students were navigating. "I wish my teacher knew I don't have pencils at home to do my homework" wrote one child. When Schwartz shared this note on Twitter, it sparked a global movement, with #IWishMyTeacherKnew trending as educators worldwide adopted the exercise. The viral response wasn't just social media hype-it represented a collective recognition that understanding students' lives outside school is fundamental to effective teaching. This book, which Oprah Winfrey called "essential reading for anyone who cares about children," has influenced classroom practices across America and beyond, offering a blueprint for creating classrooms where relationships form the foundation of learning.

Chapter 2

The Revolving Door: Supporting Students Through Transition

When Ronaldo, a bright third-grader who loved science, had to leave the United States after his father faced deportation, his classmates gathered to write farewell letters and give him a shark tooth necklace "so he could be strong like a shark." His parting plea-"Don't forget me"-revealed the emotional impact of student mobility, a phenomenon affecting millions of American children. Student mobility-when children change schools for reasons other than grade promotion-is remarkably common. Research shows 61% of students change schools at least once by fifth grade, with 16% of fourth-graders moving more than twice in two years. By high school graduation, nearly all students will have experienced school transitions, with 13% changing schools four or more times. These "more mobile" students are disproportionately poor, African American, and from homes without fathers present. High-mobility schools typically serve more students in poverty, with special needs, or learning English-creating compounding challenges where resources are already stretched thin. Mobility falls into two categories: voluntary and involuntary. Voluntary moves involve choice-families buying new homes or deliberately changing schools. These moves are often planned between school years to minimize disruption. Involuntary moves stem from family changes like death or divorce, job loss, increased living costs, or housing instability. Some families follow predictable eviction cycles, moving into apartments with "one month free" specials only to be evicted when they can't make the third month's payment. Military-connected students face particular challenges, experiencing triple the mobility rate of civilian peers. While the Department of Defense operates 172 schools, 80% of military-connected students attend public schools with teachers often unaware of their status. These students typically move every two to three years, and 67% are under age twelve. Military family counselor Sandra Temple notes these students often develop concerning coping strategies: "Students begin to isolate themselves and detach from friends and teachers, so it's easier to leave." Some sabotage friendships or avoid group activities. The academic impact is significant. Dr. Rumberger's research shows even one non-promotional school move reduces achievement in reading and math while increasing dropout rates. By fourth grade, highly mobile students may be four months behind peers; by sixth grade, they could lag by a full year. Teachers can make a difference through simple but powerful practices. When new students arrive mid-year, make your first words count: "I'm glad you are here" can instantly relieve anxiety. Be specific about seating arrangements rather than saying "find a seat anywhere," which can cause stress about unwritten classroom codes. Ask new students for help with simple tasks, transforming them from outsiders to valued community members. Prepare Welcome Kits in advance containing necessary supplies and information. Write handwritten welcome notes showing new students they're valued. For departing students, have classmates write goodbye letters and provide meaningful transition mementos-something tangible that helps them cope with transitions beyond their control. These practices help both arriving and departing students feel valued while teaching the entire class about community and belonging.

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Chapter 3

Beyond Hunger: Understanding Poverty's Impact on Learning

When half of America's public school students live in poverty, teachers must understand how socioeconomic issues directly impact learning. My early teaching experience with Chris taught me this lesson. I proudly secured him a free spot at a summer science camp, but his mother later explained that with both parents working all day, they couldn't transport him to and from the camp-something I hadn't considered due to my own privileged background. My good intentions created disappointment because I failed to understand the realities Chris's family faced. The statistics are staggering-over 23 million children in public schools qualified for the National School Lunch Program in 2011, with roughly 51% of all public school children living in poverty by 2013. This creates a symbiotic relationship with education-poverty impacts students' ability to receive quality education, yet quality education can lift communities out of poverty. For the 2013-14 school year, a single parent with one child qualified for free meals if earning no more than $399 weekly ($20,748 annually)-about $9.97 hourly, well above the federal minimum wage of $7.25. This reveals that minimum wage workers' children automatically qualify for free lunches, effectively showing that the government acknowledges minimum wage isn't sufficient to feed a child. Food insecurity acts as a psychological and emotional stressor affecting both parent and child behavior. School nurse Valerie Wintler regularly treated elementary students complaining of headaches or stomachaches that were actually symptoms of hunger. Older students hide their hunger better, with adolescents experiencing irritability, dizziness, or focus issues that might be mistaken for behavior problems. Looking at international school rankings reveals a tale of two Americas. According to PISA assessments, U.S. schools with low poverty rates (10% or less) score among the world's best, while schools with high poverty rates (75% or more on free/reduced lunch) score below countries like Greece. This stark divide proves we know how to educate children effectively-we have both the best and worst schools in the developed world. Teachers can address these challenges through practical approaches. Instead of focusing solely on what students in poverty lack, recognize the resources they bring-joy, energy, curiosity, and insight. Create a T-chart of resources versus barriers to identify strengths to leverage and obstacles to address. Fight food insecurity through classroom food drawers where students can take what they need without shame. Keep a coat closet for students who arrive in sandals during snowy winters. Consider community supplies where families contribute what they can, and all materials are shared. When Colorado mandated breakfast after the bell in high-poverty schools, our breakfast participation jumped from 200 to 450 meals daily. The impact was immediate: fewer nurse visits for headaches and stomachaches, improved focus, and research shows better math scores, attendance, and reduced anxiety. When students struggle, find the root cause through empathetic questioning. Rather than asking accusatory questions like "Why are you always late?", ask solution-focused questions like "What makes it hard to get to school on time?" One mother's request for laundry detergent revealed her child's absences stemmed from not being able to wash soiled sheets and school clothes. Most importantly, remember that poverty doesn't define potential. My students living in poverty perform Shakespeare, write computer code, and launch book drives. Each has enormous potential that deserves recognition and support.

Chapter 4

Family Matters: Embracing Every Kind of Home

When it comes to families, our classrooms reflect larger cultural norms. I strive to create an environment that doesn't merely tolerate but actively includes every definition of family, helping students feel valued and supported. The Norman Rockwell ideal of a mom, dad, two kids and a dog is no longer the American majority-husband-wife households dropped to 48.4% between 2000-2010. Today's families are increasingly diverse: over 40% of American babies are born to single mothers, one in thirty-seven children has same-sex parents, and unmarried cohabiting parents are increasing as marriage rates decline. Research overwhelmingly shows that when families are involved in students' education, children perform better academically, are more likely to graduate high school, and even attend college. A Stanford study demonstrated that when adult family members participated in adolescents' school decisions, students showed more academic effort and earned better grades regardless of demographics. Henderson and Mapp identified six key actions for effective family engagement: recognizing all parents want their children to succeed regardless of background, linking engagement to learning, supporting families to guide learning, developing staff capacity to work with families, building trusting relationships, and sharing power with families through collaborative partnerships. Even seemingly homogeneous school communities contain diverse family situations and experiences. At my school, though 90% of students identify as Latino, families have vastly different cultural experiences, immigration backgrounds, housing situations, belief systems, and priorities. Each family brings unique strengths and faces different barriers to school engagement. Using inclusive language can validate students' family experiences rather than making them feel different or alone. Simple changes make a big difference: swap "parent" for "family" in classroom communications, rename "parent-teacher conferences" to "family-school conferences," and review forms for bias toward traditional family structures. Many students split time between different homes due to divorce, family separation, or practical caregiving arrangements. Simply asking "How many family groups do you have?" helps understand each student's unique situation without presuming traditional family structures. For students with multiple homes, create separate folders marked for different caregivers and make extra copies of student work so their achievements can be proudly displayed in each place they call home. Every day I make time for CQC (Celebrations, Questions, Concerns), when students can share what's happening in their lives. Through this simple practice, I learn what students truly care about-from soccer games to family updates like "My baby brother's birthday is in seventeen days" or "My mom and Eduardo are getting married." This helps me understand each student better and allows our class community to support each other through both celebrations and challenges. Traditional family projects like Family Trees can be problematic for many students. Consider allowing students to use fictional families from literature or TV shows, or try alternative formats like Family Wheels or Family Constellations that accommodate diverse family structures. Similarly, holiday celebrations like Mother's Day and Father's Day can be reimagined to honor special people in students' lives without assuming every child has a mother or father.

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Chapter 5

Navigating Loss: Supporting Students Through Grief

Simon would shut down in class, curling into a tight ball behind furniture, triggered by small incidents like someone stepping on his shoe. The real cause wasn't these minor slights-Simon was grieving his mother's move to Nevada with an uncertain return. What finally worked was asking for his help: "Simon, can you help me push in these chairs?" This simple request broke through his isolation, making him feel needed and appreciated. As teachers, we must recognize when behavior issues stem from grief rather than defiance. Grief in children can result from many situations beyond death-divorce, deportation, incarceration, abandonment, loss of pets, changing homes, or even ended friendships. Every experience of loss is unique, with varying responses-some children show strong signs of anguish while others appear unaffected. Research by psychologist George Bonanno found that 50-60% of mourners show no symptoms of grief one month after a loss, with some recovering within days. Children's understanding of death evolves as they develop. Young children under eight may interpret death as temporary or abandonment, like my friend who waited daily for his deceased father to return home, confused by seeing TV characters "die" then reappear in other shows. Between ages eight and ten, children enter a new developmental stage where some believe death won't happen to them, while others become intensely curious about it. In pre-adolescence and adolescence, children rely more on peer support while developing their understanding of death as finite. Grief manifests in multiple ways. Academic responses include difficulty focusing, declining grades, incomplete work, school avoidance, and memory issues. Behavioral responses manifest as disruptive outbursts, aggression, withdrawal, or attention-seeking. Emotional responses range from insecurity and abandonment fears to depression, sensitivity, regression, and death preoccupation. Grief is staggeringly common in classrooms. Children's Grief Awareness Day reports one in 20 children under fifteen will lose one or both parents, 1.5 million children live in single-parent households due to death, and one in five children experience a close death by age 18. Beyond death, 1.2 million inmates are parents, affecting one in 28 children. Immigration issues causing family separation and deportation impact nearly 7% of K-12 students with unauthorized immigrant parents. Family transitions like divorce and adoption trigger significant grief responses. With 1.5 million students experiencing parental divorce annually, children's reactions vary by age-adolescents often respond aggressively with rebellion, while younger children regress, hoping parents will reunite. Rather than trying to shield students from grief, we serve them better by acknowledging it and teaching positive coping mechanisms. When students ask about grief and loss, provide honest answers using direct, simple, age-appropriate language. Avoid confusing euphemisms like "crossed over," "gone away," or "went to sleep" which children may interpret literally. Memory Books provide grieving children a way to record feelings, thoughts, and memories of someone who's no longer present. By recording memories, children gain comfort knowing their memories won't be lost and mental permission to focus on other things. Grief rituals-deliberate gestures of remembrance with significant meaning-help console us and process feelings of sorrow in productive ways. The Dougy Center recommends acknowledging all deaths in the same way regardless of cause, as treating deaths differently can suggest some lives were less valued. Legacy Projects help grieving students overcome feelings of helplessness by empowering them to take action related to their loss. These projects should be student-led with teachers as facilitators, optional for participation, and created in partnership with grieving family members. Finally, a Grief and Loss Inventory is a vital tool for tracking and supporting grieving students throughout their academic careers. With family permission, this document preserves crucial information about a student's grief experiences so that all school staff can provide consistent, informed support.

Chapter 6

Safety First: Creating Trauma-Informed Classrooms

A casual classroom conversation about Chris Brown and Rihanna reveals deeply troubling attitudes about domestic violence when a student suggests Rihanna "deserved" the abuse. Rather than shutting down this comment, I probed deeper, leading to an unexpected outpouring of personal trauma stories from students. Children shared harrowing experiences-one used his body to barricade a bathroom door protecting his sister from his mother's boyfriend's rage, another fled barefoot in snow with his mother when his father threw a TV in anger, while others described bloody handprints on walls and relatives who moved in after experiencing abuse. Approximately 3.1 million children received preventative services from Child Protective Services across 47 states in 2013. Among children who experienced maltreatment, nearly 80 percent suffered neglect, 18 percent endured physical abuse, and 9 percent were sexually abused. Additionally, one in fifteen children is exposed to intimate partner violence annually, with 90 percent directly witnessing this violence. About one in ten children will be sexually abused before turning eighteen. Becoming trauma-informed means recognizing that students often carry different types of trauma and need support and understanding. When students don't feel safe, they cannot access higher-level thinking necessary for learning. As Dr. James Henry explains, "Trauma is an overwhelming event, it takes away our safety, it creates a sense of helplessness, and it continues to affect our perception of our reality." As mandatory reporters, teachers are legally required to report suspected child abuse or neglect to appropriate agencies. In forty-eight states, school personnel are designated mandatory reporters, joining medical workers, social workers, and law enforcement officers in this responsibility. Teachers make 17 percent of all child abuse reports. Children rarely make explicit cries for help when experiencing abuse; disclosures often unfold gradually through hints. The Mayo Clinic provides extensive warning signs for different types of abuse: physical (unexplained injuries, untreated medical problems), sexual (inappropriate knowledge, statements about abuse), emotional (delayed development, loss of self-confidence, depression), and neglect (poor growth, poor hygiene, stealing food). Teachers should help students identify trusted adults who can support them during difficult situations. The term "ally" better captures this role than "friend," as teachers who position themselves as friends may do a disservice to their professional responsibilities. Professor Wendy Osefo describes allyship as a deeper bond where teachers provide both guidance and voice for students, walking with them through hardship rather than simply referring them elsewhere. When working with traumatized children, teachers must be careful to make only promises they can keep. Students who have experienced abuse often develop deep distrust of adults due to broken promises. Rather than making blanket reassurances like "everything will be okay," prepare truthful, supportive statements you can genuinely stand behind. Students with adverse childhood experiences may react differently to ordinary stimuli that remind them of past trauma. When students enter a hypervigilant state, logical discussion rarely helps. Instead, offer regulation activities practiced beforehand. Effective whole-class regulation activities include playing classical or positive pop music, practicing breathing exercises, and using positive self-talk mantras. Self-care is essential for teachers supporting students through trauma. Though it seems counterintuitive, taking care of ourselves first enables us to better serve our students, particularly when we function as first responders to child abuse and endangerment.

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Chapter 7

Beyond Academics: Building Character in the Classroom

Teachers don't merely teach subjects-we teach students. Our job extends beyond academics to developing children as complete human beings with strong character. This requires understanding how morality develops in children, from Kohlberg's preconventional stage (avoiding punishment) through conventional (following rules to be "good") to postconventional (developing self-chosen ethical principles). Importantly, highly moral students aren't necessarily the most compliant-they might question authority when they perceive injustice, especially in our inequitable educational system. Katherine Ocaranza Cortes exemplified this when she and her classmates occupied their school for nine months to protest Chile's deeply unequal education system. Though initially critical, many teachers eventually supported their cause, with her history teacher particularly encouraging her to confront inequality with courage. Character education is fundamentally intertwined with academic learning. To understand literature, students must grasp character traits, motivations and feelings-skills that require a developed vocabulary around concepts like courage, determination and honesty. Common Core standards require students to determine central messages and morals in texts, distinguish their viewpoints from narrators and characters, and recognize authors' beliefs and attitudes. Luke Morlin, a sixth-grade teacher, describes how character education transformed his classroom when integrating students with autism. By intensifying character education and teaching equity and inclusion, he identified student leaders like Jamie who modeled exceptional empathy. During a classroom "shout-out" circle, Jamie publicly acknowledged Aiden's math work, prompting other students to follow with compliments. This transformed Aiden's school experience, reducing his disruptive behaviors. Character education can't be confined to brief, scheduled discussions-it must be woven throughout the entire school day and culture. KIPP Charter Schools co-founder David Levin, working with psychology experts Martin Seligman and Angela Duckworth, developed a comprehensive approach where teachers explicitly discuss character during lessons, like analyzing protagonists' strengths and weaknesses in English classes. Defining character for a school community requires careful consideration of different dimensions. Character.org distinguishes between moral character (ethical values like fairness and generosity) and performance character (individual traits like effort and diligence). Most importantly, research shows the selection process itself matters tremendously-successful character education requires participation from the entire community including faculty, students, and parents. Once school values are clarified, building a common language among all community members becomes the foundation of character development. At my school, "kindness" is our shared language. You'll hear it everywhere-from teachers asking students to "show kindness and help clean up" to the principal praising kind playground behavior. This shared vocabulary helps us celebrate exceptional character and address poor choices by discussing how actions align with personal character rather than just breaking rules. While teachers typically use rubrics for academic assessment, they can be powerful tools for character development too. However, character rubrics should differ from traditional scoring rubrics, providing students a clear, judgment-free continuum showing what values look like in real life, demonstrating that traits like honesty and responsibility can grow with effort over time.

Chapter 8

You Got This: Fostering Self-Belief in Students

Adah entered my third-grade classroom as an extremely shy girl with significant academic needs. Speaking Spanish with a severe lisp at home, anxiety kept her nearly silent at school for the first three weeks. Despite these barriers, Adah never missed homework and worked incredibly hard. I deliberately praised her efforts, highlighting even small improvements as evidence of her ability to grow. When I later displayed a student's steeply improving reading graph to the class, students were astounded by the dramatic progress. When I revealed it was Adah's graph, the class erupted in applause while she beamed silently. By celebrating growth rather than skill level, I fostered a culture of self-efficacy where students believe they can reach their goals regardless of starting points. By year's end, Adah had tripled her academic progress and, most importantly, demonstrated remarkable confidence by accepting the Denver mayor's Mile High Scholar Award before thousands. My teaching philosophy centers on the belief that a student's starting point doesn't dictate their destination. This isn't just a nice sentiment-I see tangible evidence daily that all children can learn and grow. Stanford professor Carol Dweck's research on mindsets has been transformative in education. She identifies two mindsets: fixed (abilities and intelligence are static) and growth (abilities and intelligence can improve). How students interpret challenges directly impacts their self-efficacy. Optimistic people see difficulties as temporary obstacles to overcome, while pessimists interpret challenges as permanent conditions. Martin Seligman's research shows pessimism creates "depressed mood, resignation, underachievement, and even unexpectedly poor physical health." Angela Duckworth's research complements Dweck's work by identifying "grit"-"the disposition to pursue very long-term goals with passion and perseverance." Students with more grit achieve higher education levels, earn better GPAs, and are more likely to graduate high school. I end each day by giving every student a high five as they leave, having them repeat a positive affirmation like "I am a world changer!" or "I can be kind to others." This brief ritual validates students' work and leaves everyone feeling better, regardless of how challenging the day was. When I notice students losing focus during independent work, I shout "Can't stop!" and they respond loudly with "Won't stop!" followed by "All day!" with the response "Every day!" This two-second exchange acts as a reset button, giving students a brief reprieve from silence while reminding them to work hard. To build college awareness and aspiration, we established College Fridays. Teachers wear college T-shirts and create pennants displaying their college experiences. Students interview staff about their college experiences. Most importantly, we end each Friday watching college videos online-admission commercials, sports highlights, study abroad opportunities. I tell students they can get away with anything in my class to emphasize that learning is ultimately their choice. During sustained reading time, I enforce holding books and sitting quietly, but I can't force their minds to engage with the text. We compare "power reading" versus "fake reading" through charts and role play, helping students make active learning choices rather than just demonstrating compliant behavior. Labels we place on students profoundly impact both them and our teaching. While we need categories to deliver targeted instruction, these labels aren't benign. We should examine all the ways we describe students-in conversation, documents, and test scores-then decide which labels to keep, eliminate, or change.

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Chapter 9

Engagement Matters: Creating Classrooms Where Learning Thrives

As a new teacher, I worried when my classroom became extremely loud during a measurement activity where students used non-standard units (like hands and shoes) to measure objects. Students enthusiastically shouted measurements to group mates, stood on tables to measure doorways by "backpack lengths," and raced around the room. When my principal entered with an unknown district observer during this chaos, I was mortified. However, they observed that every student was engaged, on task, and collaborating. Later, my principal praised the students' enthusiasm and participation, though she did reasonably suggest that standing on tables wasn't a good idea. This experience taught me how essential student engagement is and made me grateful to work in a school where this was valued. Research shows engagement is crucial yet elusive in traditional school structures, with 40-60% of high school students becoming chronically disengaged. Phil Schlechty defines engaged students as attentive, voluntarily committed, persistent through challenges, and finding meaning in their work. The question becomes: how do we create classrooms where students display visible joy and authentically incorporate learning into their lives? The relationships we build with students are foundational to their engagement. Research from Portland State University found that teacher warmth, structure, and autonomy support help students develop personal motivational resources that promote resilience when facing challenges. Service learning transforms ordinary classroom activities into meaningful contributions. My students have collected food for the homeless, organized penny drives for cancer patients, and held shoe drives for those in need. When I read "Beatrice's Goat" about a Ugandan girl who receives a goat from Heifer International, my students spontaneously wanted to send a goat too. They created and sold bookmarks, held a bake sale, developed pricing schemes, tracked finances, and ultimately raised more than enough money. Lauren Fine's perspective on education transformed after volunteering in Accra, Ghana, where she witnessed students with unquenchable desire to learn despite limited access to education. With fellow educator London Moore, she started the Ghana Educational Collaborative, providing school fees, leadership training, and mentorship to high-achieving students. This experience made Lauren realize how often programming happens "to" students rather than "with" them. Family Learning Projects work best when optional, ungraded, and completely open to interpretation, with simple prompts like "Create an interesting solar system project. There are no rules." The results range from digital maps to glow-in-the-dark solar systems with electrical circuits to a solar system made from Halloween candy. These assignments give students complete freedom to investigate topics and demonstrate knowledge their own way, tapping into their natural desire to learn rather than relying on entertainment or bribery for engagement. When teachers stop seeing students as problems and instead view them as valuable partners, classroom relationships transform. Referencing Haim G. Ginott, we must acknowledge teachers' tremendous power to impact students' lives. Despite America's education system facing harsh truths-widespread poverty, segregation, and resource inequality-teachers must balance this awareness with the belief that they can create powerful learning communities. Every time educators give students voice, comfort them through pain, encourage perseverance, or help them discover passions, they nurture resilient, creative learners who can improve our world. Despite challenges, we must maintain unwavering faith that teachers can provide every student the excellent education they deserve.

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Key Themes in I Wish My Teacher Knew

student mobility
trauma-informed teaching
socioeconomic barriers
classroom community building
educational equity

Quotes from I Wish My Teacher Knew

Don't forget me.
I'm glad you are here.
Students begin to isolate themselves.
We have both the best and worst schools.
Poverty impacts students' ability to receive quality education.

Characters in I Wish My Teacher Knew

Kyle SchwartzAuthor and third-grade teacher
RonaldoThird-grader facing deportation
Sandra TempleMilitary family counselor
Dr. RumbergerResearcher on student mobility and achievement

About the Author

Kyle Schwartz is the acclaimed author of I Wish My Teacher Knew: How One Question Can Change Everything for Our Kids and an award-winning third-grade teacher renowned for her transformative insights into education and student advocacy.

Blending memoir and educational philosophy, her work explores themes of empathy, equity, and community-building in classrooms, drawing directly from her decade-long experience teaching at Doull Elementary in Denver, where over 90% of students face socioeconomic challenges.

A designated “Distinguished Teacher” by Denver Public Schools, Schwartz has expanded her impact through the viral #IWishMyTeacherKnew movement, featured by NPR, TEDx, and The New York Times, which sparked global conversations about supporting underserved youth.

Her follow-up book, I Wish for Change: Unleashing the Power of Kids to Make a Difference, further cements her role as a leading voice in empowering student agency. Schwartz’s pioneering approach has been adopted by educators worldwide, with her original classroom exercise translated into multiple languages and integrated into teacher training programs.

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"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"

@Jaded_Falcon

201

"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."

@OojasSalunke

"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."

@Leo, Law Student, UPenn

483

"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"

@Cashflowbubu

See more on how BeFreed is discussed

From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco

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@Moemenn

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@Chloe, Solo founder, LA

117

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@Raaaaaachelw

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@Matt, YC alum

108

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@Erin, Investment Banking Associate , NYC

254

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@djmikemoore

"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."

@Pitiful

4.5K

"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."

@SofiaP

"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"

@Jaded_Falcon

201

"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."

@OojasSalunke

"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."

@Leo, Law Student, UPenn

483

"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"

@Cashflowbubu

"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."

@Moemenn

"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."

@Chloe, Solo founder, LA

117

"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."

@Raaaaaachelw

"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."

@Matt, YC alum

108

"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."

@Erin, Investment Banking Associate , NYC

254

"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."

@djmikemoore

"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."

@Pitiful

4.5K

"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."

@SofiaP

"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"

@Jaded_Falcon

201

"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."

@OojasSalunke

"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."

@Leo, Law Student, UPenn

483

"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"

@Cashflowbubu

"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."

@Moemenn

"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."

@Chloe, Solo founder, LA

117

"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."

@Raaaaaachelw

"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."

@Matt, YC alum

108

"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."

@Erin, Investment Banking Associate , NYC

254

"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."

@djmikemoore

"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."

@Pitiful

4.5K

"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."

@SofiaP

"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"

@Jaded_Falcon

201

"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."

@OojasSalunke

"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."

@Leo, Law Student, UPenn

483

"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"

@Cashflowbubu

See more on how BeFreed is discussed

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Chapter 5

I Wish My Teacher Knew

OverviewOverview of I Wish My Teacher Knew

One book. Many ways to hear it.

When Classrooms Become Communities: The Power of Knowing Your Students

The Revolving Door: Supporting Students Through Transition

See every word as you hear it

Beyond Hunger: Understanding Poverty's Impact on Learning

Family Matters: Embracing Every Kind of Home

Get more out of I Wish My Teacher Knew

Navigating Loss: Supporting Students Through Grief

Safety First: Creating Trauma-Informed Classrooms

See every word as you hear it

Beyond Academics: Building Character in the Classroom

You Got This: Fostering Self-Belief in Students

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Engagement Matters: Creating Classrooms Where Learning Thrives

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1,000,000+ curious minds.

1,000,000+ curious minds.

One book. Many ways to hear it.

When Classrooms Become Communities: The Power of Knowing Your Students

The Revolving Door: Supporting Students Through Transition

See every word as you hear it

Beyond Hunger: Understanding Poverty's Impact on Learning

Family Matters: Embracing Every Kind of Home

Get more out of I Wish My Teacher Knew

Navigating Loss: Supporting Students Through Grief

Safety First: Creating Trauma-Informed Classrooms

See every word as you hear it

Beyond Academics: Building Character in the Classroom

You Got This: Fostering Self-Belief in Students

Get more out of I Wish My Teacher Knew

Engagement Matters: Creating Classrooms Where Learning Thrives

You made it to the end of I Wish My Teacher Knew

Users also liked

Discover more

Overview of I Wish My Teacher Knew