Everyday Intention: Art in the Classroom with 8th Grade Teacher, Natalie Norman
Each morning, the chalkboard drawing in Natalie Norman’s classroom is more than a picture—it’s a gesture of giving. Created by the teacher for her students, it carries a sense of anticipation, a seed of what’s to come. The image builds curiosity, inviting the children into the day’s learning. It is a living art piece—something that grows and changes for a time, then disappears. After about a month, the drawing is gently wiped away, making space for something new.
“There’s a clearing and a letting go. It teaches the children to free themselves from their creations—to appreciate what is, and make room for what’s to come.”
Step into any Cedarwood classroom, and you’ll notice that every corner carries a quiet sense of care. Prints, paintings, and objects are placed with intention—some made by hand, others carefully chosen by the teacher. Together, they create an atmosphere that feels both warm and alive. For the children, these pieces are not just decorations. Over time, as they return to the same image day after day, the artwork begins to speak to them more deeply. The story it tells takes root in their imaginations, becoming part of the inner landscape they carry with them.
And of course, children experience art most deeply when they create it themselves. Through drawing, painting, and modeling, the content of their lessons takes on new dimensions—whether it is a myth from long ago or the process of the digestive system. By engaging artistically, students connect to knowledge in a way that makes it live, shaping both their understanding and their capacity for wonder.
Natalie often draws in front of her students, allowing them to see the process rather than only the finished work. They watch her struggle with the details and push through her doubts. “It’s important for them to see us grow in our own artistic skills,” she says. The maintenance of the classroom is a part of this. For her, the classroom is a sacred space—ordered, beautiful, and full of potential—an atmosphere where both teacher and students can create, struggle, and begin again.
For Natalie, creating beauty in the classroom isn’t about perfection—it’s about possibility. Each fresh drawing, each cleared board, and each act of renewal reminds students that art is an evolution, a constant expression of growth. Her classroom is, in her words, “a place of infinite opportunities.”