“Hey, I Saw Your Grandparents at Walmart”: Teacher Education for Rural Schools and Communities

Abstract

This is a case study about how teacher education might better prepare rural teacher candidates for rural schools. Parents, teachers, community members, and students associated with a rural school described what is important in the preparation of teachers for today's rural schools. Their goals and wishes for their children's school and community were complex and contradictory at times, precluding any possibility of a “one best” model for preparing teachers for their schools, but their descriptions suggested direction for programs of teacher preparation. The study concludes with a discussion of priorities for the preparation of teachers for rural schools.

Notes

¹ Offering any additional information about the nature of the class would threaten the confidentiality of the participants. Its content was unrelated to the study.