If my classroom could talk - Through My Eyes: An educator’s perspective
October 01, 2025
If my classroom could talk, it would tell you about the quiet struggles, the bursts of creativity, the frustration, and the joy it witnessed.
It would tell you about the kids who felt misunderstood, the ones who hid their questions, and the ones who lashed out when school felt overwhelming. It would echo the sentiments I heard so often: “Why can’t I read as fast as my friends?” “I’m not smart.” “Why can’t I do it?”
It would also tell you about the journey I’ve been on since my first year as a teacher — starting as one who questioned her own abilities, unsure how to reach the students who needed her most.
But if my classroom could talk, it would also share the moments of resilience, breakthroughs, and empathy it witnessed. Like the time Pablo, a student who struggled with emotional regulation, and I discovered that drawing comics helped him express what words could not. His vivid illustrations transformed moments of anger and confusion into powerful stories. His comics helped him process his feelings. And they helped me better understand his needs.
Over the years, my classroom saw how things began to shift when I created space for students to voice their needs. “I can’t do it” slowly transformed into “I need extra time” or “Can I take a break to stretch my legs?” Moments of self-doubt became the language of self-advocacy.
If my classroom could talk, it would tell you how many times its physical space changed. Desks were rearranged, furniture rethought, and seating assignments adjusted. Each shift was a reflection of my effort to create an environment that supported every kind of learner.
Most of all, if my classroom could talk, it would remind me of this truth: My students were my best teachers. They showed me that empathy leads to action. And that making space for student voice builds confidence — not only in individual learners, but across the entire classroom and for me as a teacher.
As an educator, I’ve learned that empathy is the most powerful tool we have. It allows us to see students’ stories more fully. Not just their challenges, but also their strengths and potential. Empathy is also the most important ingredient of connection, and it’s that connection with our students that makes teaching, and learning, possible.
That’s what drew me to Through My Eyes, a new free digital experience from Understood.org. It invites parents, educators, and students to step inside the world of kids with learning and thinking differences. Because differences like ADHD, dyslexia, and dyscalculia are often invisible, kids are too often misunderstood. This tool helps bring their experiences into focus.
Here are some of the lessons my classroom taught me, and that Through My Eyes helps bring to life:
Listen first. Start with the child’s perspective. Learn their strengths as well as their challenges.
Encourage different forms of learning and expression. Drawings, audiobooks, partner reading — they can all help students process and communicate.
Apply Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles proactively. Offer multiple ways for students to access and show their learning.
Create a culture of self-advocacy. Invite students to name what helps them. It builds independence and reduces pressure on the teacher.
Reflect and iterate. Trial, error, and adjustment are part of the process. No single strategy works for every learner. And what works today might not work next week.
Remember reciprocity. Our students teach us as much as we teach them.
If my classroom could talk, it would tell you that every student has a story worth understanding. When we truly see those stories — both the struggles and the strengths — it shapes how we teach, advocate, and support.
That’s why tools like Through My Eyes matter. They help us understand what learning and thinking differences feel like for our students — turning awareness into empathy, empathy into action, and action into classrooms where every child is supported, celebrated, and given the chance to thrive.
Explore Through My Eyes today, and discover free resources, including ready-to-use lesson plans, to help educators see their students in a whole new way.
A National Board Certified Teacher, Juliana Urtubey holds a BA in bilingual elementary education and an MA in special bilingual education from the University of Arizona. She’s a member of the board of directors and a teacher fellow for the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.
