Learning to Be Rural: Lessons about Being Rural in Teacher Education Programs

This qualitative study investigated the evolving perceptions of rurality of five Appalachian native, first-year teachers as influenced by their teacher preparation program. Findings suggested tensions between participants’ rural upbringings and programmatic and non-rural peer conceptions of rurality that surfaced during their program of study. Responses to these tensions included participants positioning themselves as “rural representatives” in their courses and, in some cases, the adoption of revised conceptions of rurality. Intra-Appalachian diversity, such as different childhood community types and childhood social class, influenced participants’ conceptualizations of rurality and their perceptions of its representation in their programs. The majority of participants perceived a trend toward generalized notions of rural place that were not necessarily representative of their personal experiences. Transitioning to first-year teachers, participants relied on their community-driven knowledge and teacher preparation to guide their practice in home or new rural, Appalachian communitie

Revisiting the Rural Superintendency: Rethinking Guiding Theories for Contemporary Practice

This conceptual article challenges researchers and practitioners to reconsider the utility of current constructs used to understand the rural school superintendency. We evaluate the rural leadership literature through two waves of scholarship: insider/outsider conceptions and place-conscious/critical place-conscious constructs. We assert critical place-conscious leadership as potentially responsive to contemporary rural realities, but we provide a number of revisions for theoretical development to increase applicability to the realities of the rural superintendency in practice in the early part of the twenty-first century

Iniciativas políticas: Examinando as práticas de múltiplos distritos superintendentes

Over the past decade, multiple states have implemented a form of regional school district consolidation referred to as multi-district unions. Their organizational structure enables districts to retain individual school boards within regional local education agencies, all of which are overseen by a superintendent and a central board. However, no empirical research has been conducted to date on the ensuing work of multi-district superintendents. In our exemplary case study, we analyze time records, interviews, and observations to understand the role allocations and work of one multi-district superintendent. We find the division of time and ensuing responsibilities of the multi-district superintendent is predominantly political to the organizational structure of the union, and we conclude with implications for policy and practice. A lo largo de la última década, varios estados han implementado una forma de consolidación regional del distrito escolar referida como sindicatos multi-distritales. Su estructura organizativa permite que los distritos regulen consejos escolares individuales en las agencias regionales de educación local, todos supervisados por un superintendente y un consejo central. Sin embargo, ninguna investigación empírica se ha realizado hasta el momento sobre el trabajo posterior de los superintendentes de múltiples distritos. En nuestro estudio de caso ejemplar, analizamos registros de tiempo, entrevistas y observaciones para entender las asignaciones de funciones y el trabajo de un superintendente de múltiples distritos. Creemos que la división del tiempo y las responsabilidades subsiguientes del superintendente de múltiples distritos es predominantemente política para la estructura organizativa de la unión y concluimos con implicaciones para políticas y prácticas.Ao longo da última década, vários estados implementaram uma forma de consolidação regional do distrito escolar referida como sindicatos multi-distritais. A sua estrutura organizacional permite que os distritos regulem conselhos escolares individuais nas agências regionais de educação local, todos supervisionados por um superintendente e um conselho central. No entanto, nenhuma pesquisa empírica foi realizada até o momento sobre o trabalho subsequente dos superintendentes de múltiplos distritos. Em nosso estudo de caso exemplar, analisamos registros de tempo, entrevistas e observações para entender as alocações de funções e o trabalho de um superintendente de múltiplos distritos. Achamos que a divisão do tempo e as responsabilidades subsequentes do superintendente de múltiplos distritos é predominantemente política para a estrutura organizacional da união e concluímos com implicações para políticas e práticas

teacher shortage as a local phenomenon: district leader sensemaking, responses, and implications for policy

While the teacher shortage is a national crisis, the manifestations of the shortage are felt most acutely at the local district level. The diversity of these micro-contexts often leads to disparities in the ways local school systems are served by large-scale initiatives. District leaders provide an important lens for understanding the localized manifestation of teacher shortages. This research contributes to the existing macro-level literature on teacher shortages through investigation of the ways in which district leaders in West Virginia make sense of and respond to the teacher shortage. As part of a broader study, we share analyses of interviews with seven district leaders across five county school districts and highlight the ways in which leaders made sense of the phenomenon in paradoxical ways, both in terms of the most salient causes as well as the perceived locus of control in addressing the teacher shortage. Findings also highlight the way district leader sensemaking led to action, with responses differing based on relative affordances of metropolitan versus rural contexts. We conclude with implications for policy and research to further understand the local nature of teacher shortages and to address the problem, particularly in rural contexts underserved by current research and policy

Falta de professores como um fenômeno local: Sensemaking do líder distrital, respostas e implicações para políticas

While the teacher shortage is a national crisis, the manifestations of the shortage are felt most acutely at the local district level. The diversity of these micro-contexts often leads to disparities in the ways local school systems are served by large-scale initiatives. District leaders provide an important lens for understanding the localized manifestation of teacher shortages. This research contributes to the existing macro-level literature on teacher shortages through investigation of the ways in which district leaders in West Virginia make sense of and respond to the teacher shortage. As part of a broader study, we share analyses of interviews with seven district leaders across five county school districts and highlight the ways in which leaders made sense of the phenomenon in paradoxical ways, both in terms of the most salient causes as well as the perceived locus of control in addressing the teacher shortage. Findings also highlight the way district leader sensemaking led to action, with responses differing based on relative affordances of metropolitan versus rural contexts. We conclude with implications for policy and research to further understand the local nature of teacher shortages and to address the problem, particularly in rural contexts underserved by current research and policy. Si bien la escasez de docentes es una crisis nacional, las manifestaciones de escasez se sienten con mayor intensidad a nivel de distrito local. La diversidad de estos microconceptos a menudo conduce a disparidades en la forma en que los sistemas escolares locales son atendidos por iniciativas a gran escala. Los líderes del distrito proporcionan una lente importante para comprender la manifestación localizada de la escasez de maestros. Esta investigación contribuye a la literatura existente sobre la escasez de maestros al investigar las formas en que los líderes del distrito en West Virginia entienden y responden a la escasez de maestros. Como parte de un estudio más amplio, compartimos el análisis de entrevistas con siete líderes de distrito en cinco distritos escolares del condado y destacamos formas en que los líderes entendieron el fenómeno paradójicamente, en términos de las causas más destacadas, así como el lugar percibido. de control para abordar la escasez de docentes. Los hallazgos también resaltan cómo la sensemakingdel líder del distrito condujo a la acción, con respuestas diferentes en función de las posibilidades relativas de los contextos metropolitanos versus rurales. Concluimos con implicaciones de política e investigación para una mejor comprensión de la naturaleza local de la escasez de docentes y para abordar el problema, particularmente en contextos rurales no cubiertos por la investigación y la política actual.Embora a escassez de professores seja uma crise nacional, as manifestações da escassez são sentidas mais intensamente no nível do distrito local. A diversidade desses microconceitos freqüentemente leva a disparidades na forma como os sistemas escolares locais são atendidos por iniciativas de larga escala. Os líderes distritais fornecem uma lente importante para entender a manifestação localizada da falta de professores. Esta pesquisa contribui para a literatura existente sobre a escassez de professores através da investigação das maneiras pelas quais os líderes distritais em West Virginia compreendem e respondem à escassez de professores. Como parte de um estudo mais amplo, compartilhamos análises de entrevistas com sete líderes distritais em cinco distritos escolares do condado e destacamos as maneiras pelas quais os líderes entenderam o fenômeno de maneira paradoxal, em termos das causas mais salientes e do lócus percebido. de controle na abordagem da escassez de professores. Os resultados também destacam a forma como o sensemaking do líder distrital levou à ação, com as respostas diferindo com base nas affordances relativas dos contextos metropolitanos versus rurais. Concluímos com implicações para a política e a pesquisa para entender melhor a natureza local da escassez de professores e para abordar o problema, particularmente em contextos rurais não atendidos pela pesquisa e pela política atuais

Rural Education and Election Candidates: Three Questions

This issue\u27s policy brief suggests that it is important to evaluate election candidates\u27 platforms and views about rural education and rural communities

“We Acted Because it\u27s What Needs to be Done: An Interview with West Virginia Teachers

In 2018, West Virginia teachers staged a statewide strike which lasted almost two weeks and included schools across all 55 countywide districts. The main reported strike issues for West Virginia teachers included cuts to their healthcare coverage by the state and relatively low salaries. Prior to the strike, West Virginia teachers ranked 48th in the nation in terms of pay. The West Virginia strike sparked a year-long wave of teacher labor protests across the country, in both predominately rural states and large urban centers. In 2019, West Virginia teachers went on strike again, bringing the movement full circle. In November, 2020, I interviewed Jay O’Neal and Sam Nelson, two teachers involved in the 2018 statewide teachers strike in West Virginia for the National Rural Education Association’s Annual Conference and Research Symposium. Jay O’Neal originated the Facebook page in 2017 that served as the hub for organizing activity prior to and during the 2018 strike. O’Neal is a middle school English and social studies teacher; Nelson is a high school English teacher

The Masculinized Work of Energy Development: Unequal Opportunities and Risks for Women in Pennsylvania Shale Gas Boomtown Communities

The proliferation of unconventional shale gas development has revived scholarly interest in the impacts of rapid industrial development on communities, schools, policies and politics, public health, the environment, and economic growth. However, with few exceptions, close examinations of the gendered structure of opportunity within areas experiencing rapid shale gas development have largely been absent from this literature. This article uses key informant interview data from low income men and women, as well as from social service providers within Pennsylvania communities heavily affected by shale gas development. In contrast to assertions that shale gas development will yield broad-based economic development impacts for the region, the experiences of the participants in this study suggest a more segmented economic opportunity structure coupled with the creation of new gendered economic and social vulnerabilities as class and gender intersect to create decreased economic opportunities and increased social vulnerabilities for low-income women