Natalie Henwood

1. What is your educational background and what positions have you held?

I went to Slippery Rock University and graduated with a dual certification in Early Childhood and Special Education. I took additional Praxis exams so I am also certified to teach Middle school. The summer after graduating, I took a summer school position at The Academy Charter School for Adjudicated Youth in Pittsburgh. I taught 8th grade Language Arts. After summer school ended, I was a long-term substitute at Moon Area School District in 4th-grade Learning Support and then finished the school year as a long-term substitute at Moon Area School District as a Kindergarten teacher. In the summer of 2019, I got hired at Northgate School District as a 4th-grade Math and Science teacher. I am currently in this position now. 

 

2. Name one SRU experience, in general or specific to the field, that you will never forget and explain why.

I had so many wonderful experiences, friends, and professors during my time at Slippery Rock. The education department and all the students in it are one big family that spends countless hours working, reflecting, sharing, teaching, and learning. I wouldn’t trade anything for the people I’ve met and the things I’ve learned during my time there. One professor, Dr. Bieniek, sent us off into our last semester of student teaching by reading Oh, the Places You’ll Go! by Doctor Seuss. I wrote down what he said that day, and I will never forget it. He had us stand on tables while he read, and he paused to add his advice throughout the story. We got to the page that said “Kid, you’ll move mountains.” After reading that line, he said, “You’re going to make a difference in people’s lives. Make it for the better. Don’t be the person who shuts the door on a family. Don’t be the one who tells that kid he can’t or he shouldn’t. Be the one that says why not.” He lit a flame of hope, inspiration, and motivation in me that day, and it is because of him that I strive to be that same hope and inspiration for each of my students and their families. 

 

3. Name an SRU faculty that had a positive influence on you and explain why.

Dr. Walsh was and always will be one of the most influential teachers I have ever had the pleasure of working with and learning from. The number of impactful moments I had in her room is countless, but one sticks out in particular because it has influenced who I am as a teacher. It was my last class with Dr. Walsh. She read us a fictional story about a student named Teddy Stoddard. He had great reports of having many friends and thriving academically in his early elementary years, though a shift in behavior appeared. Teddy seemed withdrawn. His clothes were always dirty, and he constantly needed a bath. Teddy’s 5th-grade teacher, Mrs. Thompson, found herself finding satisfaction in marking up Teddy’s papers when he failed assignments because he was a student who didn’t play well with others and often gave her a hard time due to his unpleasant demeanor. It wasn’t until she reviewed his records that her entire perspective changed. She had learned of the passing of his mother. Her relationship with Teddy changed forever after that point. She stopped focusing all her energy on academics and focused more on reaching each student. She became a different teacher that day, and so did I. Dr. Walsh encouraged us to reflect on the story of each of our future students, remembering that there is always a “why.” Behavior is a form of communication that should not be taken personally, but rather a message from our students to help reframe what we are seeing. This moment of reflection in her classroom also reminds me daily of the influence I have to shape the lives of my students. Even the most insignificant moments can change the lives of my students forever. The little moments, in fact, are never little.

 

4. What initially piqued your interest in pursuing a degree in education?

I’ve always loved learning and working with children. I knew I wanted a degree set solely on the foundation of making connections. I can attribute a big part of who I am today as a person and a learner to a few of my teachers and professors. I had an overwhelming desire to make a difference in my profession, and I’m doing that every day. It is a wonderful thing to wake up every day and feel fulfilled knowing I am impacting as many lives as I am.

 

5. What is the most rewarding aspect of your job?

The ability to make a difference. 

 

6. What makes a great teacher?

Not every job can change lives. We are in the field of creating second chances for our students. Every child deserves someone who never gives up on them, who teaches them that failure leads to growth and that mistakes aren’t permanent. A great teacher celebrates the smallest victories, embraces challenges, and instills hope.