I recently learned about a project launched by a Colorado teacher, Kyle Schwartz, called #WhatIWishMyTeacherKnew. The main ideas is that this third grade teacher didn’t feel like she knew them very well or how to support them. She asked her students to finish the sentence “I wish my teacher knew…”. The students’ responses were honest and highlight the struggles in their lives and the importance of truly connecting with our students. Here are some articles about the project:
How #IWishMyTeacherKnew can help teachers support students – Christian Science Monitor
Students Share What They Wish Their Teacher Knew – Huffington Post
Colorado Teacher Shares Heartbreaking Notes From Third Graders – ABC News
I think this is a great idea! It’s important to know what your students are struggling with so you can find ways/resources to help them. If you do this exercise with your class, and are comfortable sharing the results, join other teachers on Twitter by using the hashtag #whatiwishmyteacherknew. 
Use this printable to collect your answers if you’d like: I wish my teacher knew
Squarehead Teachers 