I Wish My Teacher Knew

by Kyle Schwartz

  To the many people and organizations who helped me on my path to becoming a teacher, thank you. Thank you to City Year and AmeriCorps, whose work does as much good for its members as it does for our nation. In particular, I would like to recognize a special kindergarten student who became the highlight of my time at City Year and the spark that made me want to teach. Also, thank you to the English Opens Doors program and the generous community in Antofagasta, Chile, who welcomed me. I must also acknowledge the Denver Teacher Residency, which has worked so hard to develop teachers worthy of our brilliant students in Denver. To the Glowmundo organization, which has provided such inspiring character lessons, thank you for your dedication to our students. Thank you to the Fulbright Program for the wonderful learning opportunities I was given to connect with educators in China. I would also like to thank America Achieves, the Colorado Educator Voice project and the #TeachStrong movement for helping me find my voice as a teacher and the confidence to share it.

  As a proud Denver Public Schools teacher, I would like to thank all the people who make Doull Elementary such a wonderful place to teach and learn, especially our compassionate principal Jodie Carrigan, who gave me the opportunity to teach in such a strong community. Thank you also to all my fellow teachers at Doull, who dedicate themselves to giving our students an excellent education. I’d like to especially thank Kathy Brougham for being not only a strong colleague, but also my mentor and friend. Thank you also to the families who have supported my classroom and given me the privilege of teaching their children. And thank you to all of my students. Each of you possesses so much power. It is a joy to see you use it to change the world.

  I would like to thank all the teachers and students who have lent their voices to this book, some of whom I have known for many years, and some of whom writing this book has provided me the opportunity to learn from. You have given everyone who reads this book so much to consider and so many reasons to continuously improve our schools.

  To educators around the world who have humbly asked their students the simple and powerful question, “What do you wish I knew?” Thank you for listening to the voices of your students. And to the students who have bravely answered, thank you for speaking out. I must also acknowledge those from near and far who have heard of this project and offered so much encouragement. Your support has kept me going on difficult days.

  I owe a thank-you to the friends and family members who have offered me unwavering support and encouragement, including Benafsha Shroff, J. J. Schuber, Molly Couture, Valerie Wintler, Rachel Bernard, Samone Imani Moore, Rachel Roe, Lauren Fine, Angela Cobian, Jay Galbraith, and Gilbert Blythe. Thank you for listening, asking questions, and providing insight. I would also like to show appreciation for my strong faith community at Platt Park Church for embodying hope and light for me and so many others in need.

  Finally, I would like to thank my family. To my grandmother Darlene Schwartz who always makes sure I know I am cared about. To all the Schwartzes and Galbraiths out there who make up the best family anyone could ask for, thank you. I would like to thank my lovely sister Katelyn who has always paved her own path and provided me with footprints to follow. Finally, I have a tremendous amount of gratitude for my parents—my father, known to all the students at our school as Coach Ken, and my mother, Cathy—who have always encouraged me and loved me deeply.

  I love you all very, very much.

  Notes

  Introduction

  290 percent of our students lived in poverty Doull Elementary School Spotlight Summary Scorecard, http://spf.dpsk12.org/documents/current/227%20-%20Stoplight%20Scorecard.pdf.

  2“No significant learning . . .” Ruby Payne, “Nine Powerful Practices,” Poverty and Learning, Educational Leadership, April 2008, 48–52, http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/apr08/vol65/num07/Nine-Powerful-Practices.aspx.

  Chapter 1. Welcomes and Farewells

  1861 percent of students The Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, https://nces.ed.gov/ecls/.

  1816 percent of fourth-grade students Russell W. Rumberger, “Student Mobility: Causes, Consequences, and Solutions,” University of California, Santa Barbara, June 2015, http://nepc.colorado.edu/publication/student-mobility; http://nepc.colorado.edu/files/pb_rumberger-student-mobility.pdf.

  18“students who changed schools . . .” “K-12 Education: Many Challenges Arise in Educating Students Who Change Schools Frequently,” GAO report number GAO-11-40, December 20, 2010, http://www.gao.gov/assets/320/312484.html.

  19“involuntary moves . . .” Russell W. Rumberger, “Student Mobility: Causes, Consequences, and Solutions,” University of California, Santa Barbara, June 2015, http://nepc.colorado.edu/publication/student-mobility; http://nepc.colorado.edu/files/pb_rumberger-student-mobility.pdf.

  20first month’s rent “K-12 Education: Many Challenges Arise in Educating Students Who Change Schools Frequently,” GAO report number GAO-11-40, December 20, 2010, http://www.gao.gov/assets/320/312484.html.

  20witness these evictions firsthand Personal conversation with a teacher in the Denver Public School District who wishes to remain anonymous.

  20dealing with several of these issues Reading on the Go! Volume 1: Students Who Are Highly Mobile and Reading Instruction, National Center for Homeless Education at SERVE, prepared for the National Center for Homeless Education by Patricia A. Popp, The College of William and Mary, December 2004, http://center.serve.org/nche/downloads/reading_on_the_go.pdf.

  21family member being deported Center for Public Integrity, http://www.publicintegrity.org/2013/03/14/12311/mental-health-study-us-kids-affected-surge-deportations.

  22homelessness is on the rise Education for Homeless Children and Youth: Consolidated State Report Data, School Years 2010–2011, 2011–2012, and 2012–2013, September 2014, http://center.serve.org/nche/downloads/data-comp-1011-1213.pdf.

  23their living situation Military Child Education Coalition, https://secure.aacte.org/apps/rl/res_get.php?fid=1256&ref=rl.

  2380 percent of military-connected students US Department of Defense Education Activity Enrollment Report, http://www.dodea.edu/datacenter/enrollment_display.cfm.

  23a military-family life counselor Personal conversation with a Department of Defense employee who wishes to remain anonymous and has had her name changed here to Sandra Temple.

  24Individualized Education Plan AASA “5 Things School Leaders Can Do to Promote Academics,” http://www.aasa.org/content.aspx?id=9012.

  25Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity Military Child Education Coalition, http://www.militarychild.org/the-interstate-compact-on-educational-opportunity-for-military-children-see.

  26mobility does have an impact Russell W. Rumberger, “Student Mobility: Causes, Consequences, and Solutions,” University of California, Santa Barbara, June 2015, http://nepc.colorado.edu/publication/student-mobility; http://nepc.colorado.edu/files/pb_rumberger-student-mobility.pdf.

  26A 1996 study David Kerbow, Patterns of Urban Student Mobility and Local School Reform. Published in October 1996 by the Center for Research on the Education of Students Placed at Risk, Baltimore, MD, and sponsored by the Office of Educational Research and Improvement, Washington, DC, http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED402386.pdf.

  26support from peers and teachers Diana H. Gruman et al., “Longitudinal Effects of Student Mobility on Three Dimensions of Elementary School Engagement,” Child Development, Nov–Dec 2008, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3870003/.

  31the Welcome Kit a bit further Personal conversation with Molly Couture.

  34what happened to my family Personal conversation with Julian Roldan.

  37“Kids need closure . . .” Personal conversation with Susana Moening.

  Chapter 2. Students and Poverty

  4351 percent, of all the children Motoko Rich, “Percentage of Poor Students in Public Schools Rises,” New York Times, January 16, 2015, http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/17/us/school-poverty-study-southern-education-foundation.html.

>   45“. . . food-insecure children . . .” Too Hungry to Learn: Food Insecurity and School Readiness, Children’s HealthWatch research brief, http://frac.org/pdf/national_school_lunch_report_2015.pdf.

  46In My Classroom, Valerie Wintler Personal conversation with Valerie Wintler.

  48224 billion meals National School Lunch Program Fact Sheet, US Department of Agriculture, September 2013, http://www.fns.usda.gov/sites/default/files/NSLPFactSheet.pdf.

  48qualify for free meals National School Lunch Program: Trends and Factors Affecting Student Participation, Food Research and Action Center, January 2015, https://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d12/tables/dt12_046.asp.

  49an hourly wage of $9.97 Minimum Wage Laws in the States Wage and Hour Division (WHD), US Department of Labor, January 2016, http://www.dol.gov/whd/minwage/america.htm#Colorado.

  49defined by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National School Lunch Program, USDA, http://www.fns.usda.gov/sites/default/files/NSLPFactSheet.pdf.

  50What My Teacher Doesn’t Know, Briti’s Story Personal conversation with Benafsha “Briti” Shroff.

  52American Society for Nutritional Sciences Diana F. Jyoti, Edward A. Frongillo, and Sonya J. Jones, “Food Insecurity Affects School Children’s Academic Performance, Weight Gain, and Social Skills,” Journal of Nutrition, December 2005, http://jn.nutrition.org/content/135/12/2831.full.

  52ranked seventeenth in the world PISA Results in Focus 2012, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, http://www.oecd.org/pisa/keyfindings/PISA-2012-results-US.pdf.

  53“In schools where 75 percent . . .” Cynthia McCabe, “The Economics Behind International Education Rankings” NEA Today, http://neatoday.org/2010/12/09/a-look-at-the-economic-numbers-on-international-education-rankings/.

  53the best and worst schools Mel Riddile, “PISA: It’s Still ‘Poverty Not Stupid;” National Association of Secondary School Principals School of Thought, http://blog.nassp.org/2014/02/12/pisa-its-still-poverty-not-stupid/.

  54effective community development efforts John P. Kretzmann and John L. McKnight, Building Communities from the Inside Out: A Path Toward Finding and Mobilizing a Community’s Assets (ACTA Publications, 2006).

  58Totes of Hope Programs for Children, Food Bank of the Rockies, http://www.foodbankrockies.org/programs/programs-for-children/.

  59Feeding America’s Food Pantry Program Jodi Gibson. “School Pantries: Helping Kids Thrive at School,” Feeding America, http://www.feedingamerica.org/hunger-in-america/news-and-updates/hunger-blog/school-pantries-helping.html?referrer=https://www.google.com/.

  62Backpack Index Huntington Bank press release, http://huntington-ir.com/ne/news/hban072915.htm.

  64barriers to eating breakfast USDA School Meals: Community Eligibility Provision, http://www.fns.usda.gov/school-meals/community-eligibility-provision.

  6580 percent or more students No Kid Hungry Center for Best Practices, https://bestpractices.nokidhungry.org/school-breakfast/school-breakfast-policy-0.

  66impact of these programs Breakfast in the Classroom, Food Research and Action Center, http://frac.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/breakfastforlearning.pdf.

  67Emily Griffith Phyllis J. Perry, Bold Women in Colorado History (Mountain Press Publishing, 2012).

  Chapter 3. All Families Count

  712000 and 2010 US Censuses James Nye, “1 in 3 U.S. Children Live without Their Father as Number of Two-Parent Households Falls by 1.2 Million in Ten Years,” Daily Mail, December 26, 2012, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2253421/1-3-US-children-live-father-according-census-number-parent-households-decreases-1-2-million.html.

  72families are more “ethnically . . .” Natalie Angier, “The Changing American Family,” New York Times, November 25, 2013, http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/26/health/families.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0.

  72voluntary kin. Dawn O. Braithwaite et al., “Constructing Family: A Typology of Voluntary Kin, Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, May 2010, http://spr.sagepub.com/content/27/3/388.short.

  72divorce rate is on the decline Natalie Angier, “The Changing American Family,” New York Times, November 25, 2013, http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/26/health/families.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0. Brittany Wong, “The Truth About the Divorce Rate Is Surprisingly Optimistic,” Huffington Post, December 2, 2014, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/12/02/divorce-rate-declining_n_6256956.html.

  736,441 children were adopted Intercountry Adoption, Bureau of Consular Affairs, US Department of State, https://travel.state.gov/content/dam/aa/pdfs/fy2014_annual_report.pdf.

  73Congressional Coalition Adoption Institute Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute Facts & Statistics, http://www.ccainstitute.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=25&Itemid=43.

  73children in foster care The AFCARS (Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System) Report. US Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, http://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/cb/afcarsreport22.pdf.

  75adult family members were involved Lisa Westrich and Karen Strobe, “A Study of Family Engagement in Redwood City Community Schools,” John W. Gardner Center for Youth and Their Communities, http://jgc.stanford.edu/resources/reports/FamilyEngagementIssueBrief2013.pdf.

  75effective family engagement programs Anne T. Henderson and Karen L. Mapp, “A New Wave of Evidence: The Impact of School, Family, and Community Connections on Student Achievement,” National Center for Family & Community Connections with Schools, 2002, http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED536946.pdf.

  78“Review forms and regulations . . .” Katharine Green, Melody McAllister, and Shannon Metcalf, “Divorce: Recommendations for Parents and Teachers,” http://www.education.udel.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Divorce.pdf.

  79email I sent her Personal email correspondence with Jo Carrigan.

  85The Family Tree “The History of Family Trees,” Mocavo.com. http://learn.mocavo.com/getting-started/the-history-of-family-trees.

  86Family Montessori of Lebanon in Ohio. Personal conversation with Erica Nichols.

  Chapter 4. We Will Get Through This Together

  91grief may be a response “What Is Grief?” Mayo Clinic Patient and Visitor Guide, http://www.mayoclinic.org/patient-visitor-guidesupport-groups/what-is-grief.

  92dealing with that grief “Grief, Mourning, and Bereavement, Coping with the Loss of a Loved One,” American Cancer Society, http://www.cancer.org/treatment/treatmentsandsideeffects/emotionalsideeffects/griefandloss/coping-with-the-loss-of-a-loved-one-intro-to-grief-mourning-bereavement.

  92George Bonanno Emily Esfahani Smith, “In Grief, Try Personal Rituals,” Atlantic, March 14, 2014, http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2014/03/in-grief-try-personalrituals/284397/.

  93additional periods of grieving Linda Goldman, Great Answers to Difficult Questions about Death (Jessica Kingsley Publications, 2009).

  94responses of the grieving child “Helping the Grieving Student: A Guide for Teachers,” The Dougy Center: National Center for Grieving Children & Families. http://tmsd.mb.ca/Crisis%20Plan/Section%207/7-A%20Helping%20the%20Grieving%20Student.pdf.

  96how many children experience grief “Did You Know? Children and Grief Statistics,” Children’s Grief Awareness Day, http://www.childrensgriefawarenessday.org/cgad2/pdf/griefstatistics.pdf.

  96“. . . a parent in prison.” “Collateral Costs: Incarceration’s Effect on Economic Mobility,” The Pew Charitable Trusts Research & Analysis, http://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/reports/0001/01/01/collateralcosts.

  96entering into foster care Elise Foley, “Deportation Separated Thousands of U.S.-Born Children from Parents in 2013,’ Huffington Post, June 26, 2014, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/06/25/parents-deportation_n_5531552.html.

  96“. . . unauthorized immigrant parent . . .” “Unauthorized Immigrants: Who They Are and What the Public Thinks,” Pew Research Center, http://www.pewresearch.org/key-data-points/immigration/.

  97divorce of their
parents Hal Arkowitz and Scott O. Lillienfeld, “Is Divorce Bad for Children?” Scientific American Mind, March 1, 2013, http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/is-divorce-bad-for-children/.

  98divorce and separation can elicit Carl E. Pickhardt, “The Impact of Divorce on Adolescents and Young Children,” Psychology Today, Surviving (Your Child’s) Adolescence, December 19, 2011, https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/surviving-your-childs-adolescence/201112/the-impact-divorce-young-children-and-adolescents.

  98a child’s ability to learn Hyun Sik Kim, “Consequences of Parental Divorce for Child Development,” American Sociological Review, June 2011, http://www.asanet.org/images/journals/docs/pdf/asr/Jun11ASRFeature.pdf.

  98an adoptive child’s experience Personal conversation with Rachael Burnett Daugherty.

  100three roles for educators Andrea Ruth Hopkins, “Children and Grief: The Role of the Early Childhood Educator,” Young Children, January 2002.

  100“. . . present with grieving students . . .” Linda Goldman, Great Answers to Difficult Questions about Death (Jessica Kingsley Publications, 2009).

  102Difficult Question about Death Linda Goldman, Great Answers to Difficult Questions about Death (Jessica Kingsley Publications, 2009).

  105“Children know more than we think . . .” “About Childhood Grief,” National Alliance for Grieving Children, http://childrengrieve.org/about-childhood-grief.

  109“. . . preventing suicide.” “When Death Impacts Your School,” The Dougy Center, National Center for Grieving Children & Families, http://www.dougy.org/grief-resources/death-impacts-your-school/.