LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Natalie Norwood was nominated by Dan Ona.

Ms. Norwood creates a positive classroom environment by listening to and observing her students. When they seem confused or lost, she slows down and talks through the material with them. She lets her students know that it’s okay not to understand something at first and reminds them that if they don’t get it right away, she sees that as her responsibility as their teacher. Her classroom relies heavily on collaboration and encouragement, and she values any participation, even when it’s not the answer she expected. Her students understand that they learn most effectively when they make mistakes, and she consistently encourages them to embrace those mistakes and learn from them. 

Ms. Norwood is a 2021 graduate of Ponderosa, where she now teaches. She spent one year at a community college as a collegiate athlete before transferring to Grand Canyon University, where she completed her bachelor’s degree and teaching credential in three semesters. She finished her student teaching in San Luis Obispo, immediately began her master’s program, and completed it in nine months. She was hired as a teacher at age 21. Throughout her journey, she gained extensive experience by substitute teaching for more than three and a half years across multiple counties (K–12) and by coaching cross-country and track teams.