ABSTRACT
Natalie creates lessons for children to enter with all that they have to give! Her inquiry-based lessons do not tell students what to think, but instead, provide the tools of how to think. These lessons are a glimpse of how Natalie acknowledges students’ concerns, provides thinking tools, and creates engagement and learning through persuasive writing. Her students learn because they become emotionally engaged in material that has personal relevance to them. They’ll often hear Natalie say, “I won’t teach something unless I can connect it to their lives.” She believes emotion is where engagement begins or, as it is often the case, where it ends. Persuasive writing is a great catalyst for purposeful learning and engagement. Natalie’s classroom is a culture that is unique and personal and where learning is a journey of exploration and discovery. By using persuasive writing as a means of discovery, Natalie joins her students towards deeper understandings of thinking and learning. Natalie’s students have been her compass. Each day they provide questions worth exploring and solving. It’s these students who drive Natalie’s teaching and motivate her to be creative and willing to explore multiple avenues of engagement and understanding.
