Share Your Story

Get involved with the #IAmARuralTeacher campaign by doing any or all of the following...

1. Submit your story or nominate a teacher through our form below.

2. Join the teacher-to-teacher discussion group on Facebook

3. Read more IAART Stories

First Name

Last Name

School Name

Job Title

Social Media

Please share your school and personal social media handles, so we can be sure to tag you in any features that share your story

Teacher Journey

Is this your first career, second career? Why did you choose to be a rural teacher? How was your own education experience and placement process? What do you enjoy about being a rural teacher? Why do you stay?

Community Engagement

As a teacher, do you feel as though the community views you as a leader? What does that community leadership role look like and how do you interact with the community? Do you think the school is important to the community, how so? What is your favorite thing about living in a rural community? What does your area offer to students and the community that is unique to the area (e.g., activities, culture, natural landscapes, etc.).

Thoughts to Share

Is there program, project, or activity that your school/class is working on or has completed that really highlights the power of place-based learning or rural schools and communities and what they are capable of achieving?

Rural Teacher Challenges

What do you find challenging about being a rural teacher? How have you managed these challenges? Are there any state-level policies that would help you and other rural teachers manage these challenges? What would you suggest to policymakers and advocates?

Advice for New Rural Teachers

What advice would you give to someone who was thinking about becoming a rural teacher? What advice would you give to someone who just started teaching in a rural area?

File Upload

Drag and drop files here or click to upload

Please upload up to three images that we can use with your story, including a bio picture/headshot. Other pictures can include a picture of your school, your place (natural landscapes), your classroom, or you with your students.

Agree to Terms

I understand that in submitting, I'm giving Rural Schools Collaborative permission to use the submitted content and images on its website and social media accounts. Rural Schools Collaborative reserves the right to edit responses to meet our editorial standards; and submission does not guarantee a feature. If you have any questions, please email us at info@ruralschoolscollaborative.org.