LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Natalie Prince was nominated anonymously.

Ms. Prince fosters a positive classroom environment that is physically, emotionally, and academically supportive. She teaches in a self-contained kindergarten through first-grade classroom and has to meet a variety of high needs simultaneously. The physical environment is set up to allow those with physical disabilities the chance to "furniture surf" or hold onto a piece of furniture to help navigate the room.

Her decorations are both visually appealing and functional. Ms. Prince has incorporated the alphabet, numbers, sign language, stop signs, communication visuals, and voice-recorded buttons throughout the room to provide students with access to resources while keeping them engaged. Her classroom has a calm-down corner where students can go to shut the world out for a few minutes when they feel overwhelmed with big emotions.

She remains calm even in the midst of chaos. She has paraprofessionals to lean on and makes sure they know they are a team. She gives students the space they need to regulate their emotions throughout the school day and intervenes only when necessary. This allows them to gain independence throughout the school year and fully explore their environment, making their own mistakes and learning from them.

When students display strong emotions, she steps in and reassures them that mistakes can be corrected. When it comes to academics, the primary focus is on students' annual goals, which may not necessarily focus on reading or math. Many students are working to attend to a task or behave during a classroom activity.

She makes lessons hands-on and engaging, which typically involves a resource toy. When they complete worksheets, they are done with markers, allowing students to choose a color with which to draw. Many crafts are finished, but a lot of preparation is still needed due to the skill level in her classroom.

Every accomplishment is a humongous deal. The entire room stops and cheers for one student's success! This past year, she had students practicing walking on their own, throwing away their mess, and spelling their first names. Every aspect of her classroom is carefully thought through to create a positive school experience for her students.