ABSTRACT
Chapter 2 opens with a case study about a small school in upstate New York that beat the odds. The example includes commentary from Shari Brannock, the district’s Superintendent, and the steps that the district found to be integral in its transformation: Coming together, finding a symbiotic partner, and rethinking instruction. Since the pedagogical transformation extended beyond methods to include shifts in culture and mindset, the chapter provides examples that were successful in helping teachers change their strategy, values, and rigor. The chapter provides examples on how to help students see the bigger world. Introducing rural students to college early is key in helping them seeing higher education as a place they belong. The chapter ends with three profiles that highlight the possibilities that occur when people work hard and are supported.
