“Teachers affect eternity; no one can tell where their influence stops.” –Henry Adams.

Kyle Schwartz, a third grade teacher in Colorado, realized that just one question can change everything for students, so she decided to send home a note card asking her students to finish the sentence: “I wish my teacher knew…”

So, why not try this at Tomball? There is so much we don’t really know about our classmates or students.

Teachers are not only here to teach, but also to help their students tackle challenges and grow as individuals. In a classroom, a teacher is responsible and able to build a sense of community and a supportive environment for students to feel comfortable while learning.

Students will not concentrate if there is something else on their mind during class time, or don’t feel comfortable. Collaboration between teachers and families help students feel secure, leading to their classroom success.

Society today does not allow students to express how they feel or what they are going through. Many kids struggle with poverty, trauma, absent parents, health issues, or challenges when developing meaningful classroom relationships, which are all very important factors that a teacher should know to understand and better serve each child.

Usually, the reason teachers are not aware about their students’ situations is that the students are timid or embarrassed, deeply altering student-teacher communication.

“I wish my kiddos would tell me what I need to know,” English teacher Cathy Knebel said.

Some thoughts from actual students at Tomball High:

“I wish my teacher knew how much I care about getting an education.”

“I wish my teacher knew my uncle is starting chemo.”

“I wish my teacher knew how sad I am on daily basis.”

“I wish my teacher knew that she is special.”

“I wish my teacher knew it’s a little harder to take a test or multiple questions. I have ADHD, bipolar disorder, a comprehension disorder, and I’m a visual/ oral learner.”

“I wish my teacher knew that even though I don’t like school, it’s valuable to me.”

“I wish my teacher knew my house isn’t in good shape. We’re barely getting by. My mom is jobless and a single parent with 3 kids. We live with my grandparents and uncle.”

“I wish my teacher knew how to dubstep.”

“I wish my teacher knew my name.”