It was an ok book to read. I liked parts of it but it was not exactly what I expected. I expected more student responses but it was still a good book and I would recommend people working in schools to read this book.

This is a book every new teacher should read. It will help expand their minds and maybe an inside look at students what they could see as teachers if they did the same. The story might not be as interesting for a seasoned educator, but its more informative than a story.

This book provides a reminder for teachers about the fullness of our profession. While I would not recommend this for students, I DO think that teachers of all subject areas and all levels of experience read it. Our students bring more than their books and pencils to class. They bring their experiences - good and bad - as well as their feelings, their personalities, and their hopes & dreams. We as teachers can't forget WHO we're teaching in an effort to get through the WHAT of our teaching.

Thank you to NetGalley and Da Capo Press for this reader's copy. In exchange, I am providing an honest review.

One day, maybe on a whim or maybe not, Kyle Schwartz handed out index cards to her classroom and asked them to answer the question, "I wish my teacher knew __________________________". She was surprised by the answers she got. Some answers, maybe all of them in their own ways, were very personal and vulnerable. The kids felt the freedom to be completely honest since their names and identities were not attached to the answer. The answers she read prompted her to alter or change how she was teaching her students and to understand what they really needed from her and teachers all over. She posted a few answers on Twitter and the question turned into a project that went viral. This in turn led Schwartz to reflect deeply on what children need, no matter their age, from teachers and education. So she went to work - observing, tweaking, discovering new methods, being an active listener, engaging - and crafted her experiences and what she learned into this book.

Each chapter beyond the one introducing how this all came to be is based on a component of education that appeared in more than one students answer to the question. And she compiled answers from all ages, all the way through seniors in high school. Some of the chapters, many may be surprised to read, have nothing to do with what we all think is education. Some of the answers children gave pointed the teacher back to their circumstances outside of school - their home life, the community they lived in, etc. And Schwartz reminds us that those things have a direct and significant impact on education for that child. If they are hungry they will not be able to concentrate on things like math, geography, reading. That is just one example of how life outside of the school building impacts a child's ability to learn and be present in the classroom.

I think this is an important book for anyone who is in education to read and consider. Do *you* know your students? Have you been able to see beyond their life in your classroom and know what is going on at home that may impact their behavior etc? Have you asked them to answer anonymously, "I wish my teacher knew _______________________"?

The premise behind this book is great, and I enjoyed reading some parts, however I became increasingly put off by the tone/style of writing. The author writes with a lot of authority, conveying a sense that he has particular insight into young people/students, and of course the things his students ‘wish my teacher knew’ do provide that. However Schwartz is a relatively inexperienced teacher, who seems to have fallen into the trap of many young teachers - to think that a year or 2 teaching means they know a lot more that they actually do. This would have been a better book if written by a more experienced teacher.

I Wish My Teacher Knew had me laughing, crying, happy and sad. As a teacher, I know that it is important for form relationships which is sometimes hard to do. This book proved to me just how important it is. You never really know until you ask.

This was not what I was expecting from this book. I was expecting it to be filled with vignettes of the students actual writing to this prompt. This book is more for teachers. It was interesting, but merely okay!

I did not have a chance to read this book, but it is effecting my feedback rating. I am giving books 5 stars that I haven't read to improve my feedback rating. I am not recommending the book for my classroom or students since I have not read the book. There needs to be a better system of leaving feedback for books not read.

This book offers incredible insight and makes readers really think about how much can be going on below the surface. While this book is not for students, it definitely made me consider some writing pieces we could do in class.

Using her experience as a teacher and an innovative communication tool, third-grade teacher Kyle Schwartz found a way to initiate conversations with her students on the issues that matter most to them. Schwartz asked her students to finish the following sentence, “I wish my teacher knew…” The results informed her of situations as serious as not having access to dependable transportation to school and as sweet as a love for horses. Schwartz shared the exercise with other teachers and then wrote the book to offer parents and other guardians information on the kids in their lives.

Schwartz’s enthusiasm and love for her students come shining through. No one will doubt how much she enjoys her work or her students, and every single page exudes her deep-seated desire to help others. The trouble comes, however, in the way she chooses to present her information. Each chapter starts with a replication of a handwritten note and uses it as a springboard into a larger conversation about a topic children face. Schwartz spins outward from the kids’ notes into broad topics, but she chooses to include so many figures and facts that the book reads more like an economic report and less like a series of anecdotes that inform a national conversation. No one can doubt Schwartz’s intentions, but her method needed refinement. Readers who don’t mind trudging through a bevy of facts and numbers can Borrow I Wish My Teacher Knew.

While Im not a teacher, I do volunteer in a classroom. This book....well lets just say it tugged at my heart strings. I don't know how anyone can read this and have it not have a profound influence on their life. If there's one lesson that someone can take away from this book- its that you should be kind to every person you meet- because some are fighting a battle you'll never know about.

I thought it was such an interesting take on how to ask students for opinion! I’ve shared the idea (and the name of the book, of course) with many colleagues. It’s a great way to connect and learn more about the kids we teach!

My eARC was a little hard to read at times, the formatting didn't show properly on my kindle and the personal stories sprinkled throughout the novel were "printed" in a lighter font color, making it very difficult to see. Difficulties aside, I thought this was a practical book filled with both anecdotes and actual research. Recommended reading for all teachers!

This is a resource that I wish every educator and even parent would read. It addresses heavy topics and aims you with the ability to do the same with the various children or students in your life. The author sounds like an amazing educator and I pray and hope that my children are privileged enough to have teachers who are just as amazing and as invested in them.

There is so much more to teaching than just teaching, and this book helps show that.

I have mixed feelings about this book. The title and premise are misleading, and I thought I was getting a book about student responses to the title's statement. That's not what this is at all, instead its a guide for teachers. It's still interesting information, but not what I would have read on my own without having this to review.

Funny, incisive little book which I enjoyed reading and sharing snippets off with my teacher-sister.

I am sorry for the inconvenience but I don’t have the time to read this anymore and have lost interest in the concept. I believe that it would benefit your book more if I did not skim your book and write a rushed review. Again, I am sorry for the inconvenience.

Kids need to be known and heard by someone who cares about them. And teachers need to know their students in order to be able to really see them and be able to help them. That's what this book is about. It's helpful to teachers. I would recommend it.