Our Stories
The I Am a Rural Teacher campaign is committed to sharing voices and perspectives of rural teachers throughout the country. Elevating teacher advocacy is a primary objective of this national initiative, and the Rural Schools Collaborative works with the National Rural Education Association to share rural teachers’ viewpoints with policymakers at the regional, state, and national levels.
Thank you to The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Community Foundation of the Ozarks for the initial support to launch this effort.
Kelly Wardle: I Am a Rural Teacher Regional Advocate, Willow Springs, MO
January 8, 2020
Teacher Profile
Wade Owlett, Elkland, Pennsylvania
January 8, 2020
"I teach students to think historically."
Teacher Profile
Brittany Williams: I Am a Rural Teacher Regional Advocate, Livingston, AL
January 8, 2020
Teacher Profile
The Rural Advantage: A Welsh Report Makes the Case
July 21, 2019
Study looks at the potential benefits and challenges faced by rural schools in Wales.
Power of Partnerships, Rural Educators Across Borders
New Hampshire's Baker River Project
July 11, 2019
Student engagement leads to public impact.
New England, Place-Based Education
Debra Norwood
March 14, 2019
Debra Norwood is a former rural teacher and the current principal at Piermont Village School in New Hampshire. She's a member of RELN.
Teacher Profile
Telling the Rural Story: A New Hampshire Focus
February 19, 2019
The Rural Educational Leaders Network Explores Social Media
Power of Partnerships, New England
Dakota Crowder
January 31, 2019
Dakota Crowder, Eastern Illinois University, student participant at the EIU Rural Teacher Corps shares her story, Charleston, Illinois
Teacher Profile
Devanne Lawson
January 25, 2019
Devanne Lawson, Eastern Illinois University, student participant at the EIU Rural Teacher Corps shares her story, Charleston, Illinois
Teacher Profile
Brittany Williams
January 15, 2019
Brittany Williams, University Charter School kindergarten teacher in Livingston, Alabama, shares her first-year teaching experience.