Meet Natalie Stuart | Elementary School Teacher

We had the good fortune of connecting with Natalie Stuart and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Natalie, what do you attribute your success to?
The most important factor behind the success of my brand is authenticity and relatability. As a fifth-grade teacher, I believe that connecting with others through genuine, real-life moments has been key to building trust and engagement. By sharing videos of my classroom activities, creative teaching methods, and the incredible work my students do, I make sure to highlight the joy and challenges that come with teaching. This honest, down-to-earth approach resonates with my audience—whether they are fellow educators, parents, or simply people who enjoy seeing the magic of a classroom in action. By staying true to myself and focusing on what truly matters—educating and inspiring young minds—I’ve been able to create a meaningful and successful presence online.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
What sets me apart from others is my authentic approach to sharing what I do in the classroom. Over the past 15 years as a teacher, I’ve learned that staying true to myself and embracing the challenges of the profession—especially the ever-changing curriculum, pedagogy, and technology—helps me connect with my students and my audience in a way that feels real and relatable. Teaching isn’t easy, and the demands can be overwhelming, but one important lesson I’ve learned is that we are not superhumans. We can’t reach every student every day, and that’s okay. What matters is that we give our best, take each day one step at a time, and leave the classroom knowing we did what we could, without being too hard on ourselves.

My journey to where I am today is a bit of an unexpected one. I never intended to be a teacher. My dream was to be a journalist—something I was passionate about from the time I became the lead anchor for my fifth-grade morning announcements. I pursued journalism throughout middle and high school, but when I met with my college guidance counselor, she convinced me that I wasn’t “good enough” to follow that dream. I listened to her and instead followed her advice to become a teacher. While I sometimes wonder what might have been if I had stuck with journalism, I have no regrets. The path I’ve taken in education has shaped me into who I am today, and I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished. Still, my story is a reminder that our journeys don’t always unfold as we expect, but they often lead us exactly where we’re meant to be.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
South Florida is full of great places to visit! You can’t go wrong with a day at Aventura Mall or a stroll down Hollywood Beach. CityPlace Doral or Dania Pointe is for sure a win when it comes to dining and entertainment. I also love to enjoy Eating House in Coral Gables, checking out live entertainment at the Broward Center, diving into the best Cuban food at Islas Canarias, and of course, you can’t go wrong with a visit to our amazing beaches!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would like to dedicate my shoutout to my former and current students. They have been with me every step of the way in my journey to become the teacher that I am and while I may be their teacher, they teach me new things each and every day, and for that, I am grateful.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nattiemeetsworld

Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@nattiemeetsworld?lang=en

Image Credits
I took all of these photos.