Kortney Golden, Michigantown, Indiana

Indiana teacher, Kortney Golden of Michigantown, explains why "a rural place is the best place!"

"I have not always taught in a rural school, and in fact, if you would have told me where I would wind up in my teaching career, I certainly wouldn’t have believed you and in fact, probably would have called you crazy. The schools where I attended, and taught previously, were far from urban or inner-city, but were a far cry from the rural world where I landed. After about 7 years of teaching, I found my self in need of a “breath of fresh air” and that is exactly why I chose to make the move to Clinton Central Elementary.

What drew me to a rural setting was the desire for something different, and what keeps me there is the people. The staff, the families, and mostly the kids. We are a close knit community, with the school at the center - we are a family. We celebrate in each others victories, empathize with each others pain. We work together and play together. I know the names and faces of the students in my classroom, my grade level and my school. We are in it together!

To rural teachers entering this profession, I would tell them that although teaching this day and age is not for the faint of heart, that teaching in a rural school feels like a safe haven. Your students, and coworkers, become your people. My “rural advantage” is getting the opportunity to not only teach the students that walk into my classroom and school, but to genuinely be a catalyst for change in the lives of my students. For our rural population, the majority of the resources our kids receive come directly or indirectly from the school. A rural place is the best place!"