Preservice Programs for Educational Personnel Going Into Rural Schools.

Overview & Synopsis

Characterized by limited financial resources, course offerings, vocational education programs, faculty, and administrators, rural schools have a student population that is generally poorer, less motivated, more culturally deprived, and more isolated than its urban counterpart. Consequently, the rural school teacher has an especially demanding job, which is considerably more complicated than that of the urban teacher. Results of a nationwide survey indicated that 75.4% of the teachers surveyed felt they were inadequately prepared to teach in rural schools. Some of the newer approaches to teacher training that seem particularly useful are: earlier teacher training experiences; micro-teaching; mediated learning aides; competency based teacher education; and teacher centers. Among 200 teacher training institutions in a nationwide survey, there were only 15 which had any rural education emphasis. However, the National Rural/Regional Education Association supports an active and growing group of university personnel interested in rural education, and there are rural education programs going on in Idaho, Utah, New York, and other places striving to meet rural needs via preservice and/or inservice course work. Rurally responsive training must encompass: specialized faculty; cooperative relationships among educational agencies; team governance and close interaction between teacher trainers, community, parents, etc.; and preservice and inservice training. (JC)