A response to "Rural Schools: Definite Problems and Potential Solutions."

Joel’s focus paper on the challenges facing rural schools is a well-constructed essay that carefully considers some of the factors affecting the quality of education available to students in rural areas. A highly relevant topic, especially for those of us who will be teaching in the delta, the obstacles characteristic of rural schooling might be difficult to fully understand, in both their complexity and power. Understanding the root of the problems, though, seems vitally important to developing an informed approach to competently addressing the issues. Joel’s paper offers an excellent analysis of the most central issues, and suggests potential solutions. He points out the source of the struggle, providing some perspective than can be put to use.
While understanding the issues is one part of the challenge, applying that knowledge by finding appropriate solutions is another. The primary problems addressed in the essay included:

1) Low levels of education among adults in rural areas negatively affecting the academic achievement levels of children

2) Little technology and lack of consistency and experience among teachers as small and often collapsing tax bases result in poor funding and low teacher salaries in rural areas

3) School consolidation resulting in long commutes and further shrinking the available funding for the schools themselves

The essay also addressed positive aspects of rural schooling including small schools that both allow teachers to form close relationships with families, and also lend themselves to smaller class size. Suggested solutions that use small schools as a starting point included

1) Maintaining small school sizes by increasing funding to rural schools so that they can
hire and keep good teachers

2) Increasing funding for technology to allow for more long-distance learning
programs and therefore accessibility of effective teachers

3) Incorporate families into the process of rural education

While it is specifically noted in the paper that simply throwing money at rural schools is not the answer- that careful management and cooperation are also vital- it is also clear that funding is an important element of the only apparent solutions. As first-year teachers entering low-performing schools, some of them rural, it seems important to consider how we might practically address these issues through the hands-on approach that we will be taking.
There seem to be two core components of a solution, or two different levels at which these problems can be controlled. They are 1) In the communities themselves and 2) At the state and federal levels of government. Since funding and appropriate use of funds is required, it seems that teaching effectively is only a part of the solution. We are each one person, one teacher, only, and this seems to pose the question of what else we can do.
The funding aspect is more difficult. As discussed in Joel’s paper, government has begun to address this issue. Also, the group of people in the MTC is clearly one of tremendous voice; some of us are journalists, some of us lawyers, scientists, some have been teachers before, some of us will be doctors, and we are all writers. We speak and we vote, and maybe we will be able to use that voice to help ease some of the most intensive problems. As far as mending a community, encouraging employers to stick around and other roots of the problem-Any thoughts? (Maybe that should be my focus paper.)
Finally, maybe there will be ways for us to create cooperation, one of the solutions discussed in the essay, in the communities where we will be working. Since I’ve never taught in a rural school, I am rather uncertain of what to expect. However, perhaps we will decide it is appropriate to try to somehow include families in education-? Thoughts?