ABSTRACT
The chapters helps the people prepare to be successful, and to thrive, in a rural community, in rural schools, and in our own rural classroom. It talks about some of the advantages, and the challenges, of teaching in a rural school. Not all the benefits or challenges apply to every school, but many rural schools share these characteristics. Many rural teachers come to a rural community to be close to family. If peoples grew up in a rural area, rural teaching may allow their to go back home after earning our college degree. Professional isolation can also be a challenge, particularly in smaller or more remote schools where the people may be the only teacher of a particular subject or the only person teaching our grade. Even in larger schools, some rural teachers may not have a strong feeling of collegiality with the teachers down the hall.
