Learn how rural schools across Colorado are providing significant contributions beyond the primary mission of education. These schools often serve as the center of social, recreational, and cultural life for their communities.
Colorado is home to 178 public school districts, including 146 that are classified as either rural or small rural. There are 138 rural school districts in the state, each serving between 1,000 to 6,500 students in communities located at a distance from urban population centers. The remaining 108 small rural school districts are each educating fewer than 1,000 students in more remote geographic locations.
Despite the sheer presence of rural schools in Colorado and their importance to their communities, rural schools are frequently described in terms of challenges and barriers. The lack of affordable housing in resort communities, paucity of social entertainment venues in agricultural communities, and difficulty in accessing basic services in more remote communities are some of the complaints lodged by rural critics. Much of the information promoted by news media and academic publications promote a rural narrative based on intractable barriers of persistent poverty, lack of opportunity, achievement gaps, insufficient resources, and professional isolation (1).
The positively supportive experiences I gained as a student in a three-room schoolhouse for grades 1-8 (with five classmates) was followed by a high school experience in grades 9-12 (with 21 classmates) in a small agricultural community in rural Minnesota.
The benefits of these experiences led me to a satisfying career of 50 years in the field of education as a teacher, professor, and education leader focused on promoting the value of rural communities, schools, and educators.
With apologies to comedian David Letterman and the ubiquitous “top ten lists” of late-night television programs from years past, I am offering my own compilation of the top ten reasons to become a rural educator and why rural teaching matters.
On those occasions when teachers who commute from home to school forget to pack a sandwich, rural schools are notoriously famous for providing the best homemade lunches prepared by authentic local cooks.
The practice of combining different age groups presents a whole new set of possibilities to provide differentiated work at multiple levels. Teachers of mixed ability classes consider the varying developmental stages of the learners in their classrooms. This is reinforced by research on multi-age grouping arrangements that support differentiation and equity in instructional practices resulting in equivalent academic outcomes and better social/emotional learning outcomes.
Rural and small rural school districts have fewer faculty and fewer children to educate. This means that teachers are often responsible for a greater variety of subject preparations and after-school activities. Some examples include the math AND science teacher who coaches basketball and sponsors the school yearbook or the elementary teacher who directs the school dramatic performance and supervises the collection of costumes.
Rural communities tend to be closely knit with expectations for participation in traditional events. These range from the more routine activities, such as bake sales, town hall meetings, and street festivals to the more exotic events, including mouse races or judging homemade chili cooking competitions.
The old and frequently lampooned adage “the dog ate my homework” will be replaced by more original and authentic reasons for missing class or failing to submit an assignment. A more common story is a variation of “we all stayed up last night pulling calves” or “we had to drive 4 extra hours to avoid the mudslides that closed the canyon” as legitimate reasons to support an extension of a deadline.
When it comes to country living as a teacher, you will be an esteemed pillar of the community and expected to serve as a role model for all children and youth. This expectation might be answering questions about the new reading program while standing in line at the convenience store or explaining the mathematics curriculum at your dance class.
The limitations of staff size and specialized expertise means that teachers are often requested to coach or referee a sport, even without extensive background as an athlete. Get your workout gear and whistle ready and prepare for your moment in the spotlight.
There is greater stability and predictability in the population of rural residents compared to those who live in rapidly-developing urban environments. The net effect for educators who stick around long enough is that you can feel old!
As a rural teacher, you are compelled to feel grateful for the environment in which you work, from the scenic grasslands of the plains to the panoramic vistas of the mountains. While urban school kids may explore the great outdoors on farm visitations or mountain excursions every few years, rural students (and teachers!) get to experience this daily.
The school is the glue that holds rural communities together (along with health care and basic services such as grocery store, gasoline stations, and bars). This develops a strong sense of giving back to the local community to ensure a legacy of caring and commitment to future generations.
Rural schools are often overlooked by researchers and policy analysts in considering quality educational environments and outcomes (2). According to a recent report from the National School Boards Association (3), approximately one-half of school districts, one-third of schools, and one-fifth of students in the United States are located in rural areas.
The attributes of quality schools that are favored by families include smaller settings, greater personal attention, clearly articulated identity, safe environments, and sense of community (5). Rural schools fit the bill. These top ten reasons articulate the significant opportunity in rural communities for educators who seek to make a difference in the lives of Colorado children and families.