This study examines survey data from teacher education students in their final two years of preparation at a Midwestern university. We asked students to explain if they intend to stay in our state or move to other states to pursue teaching careers after graduation. We compiled all 137 responses using descriptive statistics and found that 59% of…

Many issues influence reform in teacher preparation including national accountability efforts, professional teaching standards, and local or regional factors. This study examines a rurally-located teacher education program's efforts to reform clinical preparation through co-teaching. Researchers argue that their adaption of the typical one-to-one…

Some of the most impressive practices in teaching had their beginnings in rural schools and include open education, learning centers, peer tutoring, partner learning, mainstreaming, core curriculum, individualized instruction, acceleration, and minimum competency. (BRR)

Reports on the results of a survey of rural midwestern, fifth- and sixth-grade parents' perceptions of elementary social studies to see if their perceptions were consistent with "Revised National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) Curriculum Guidelines." (AH)

Responses of 225 South Dakota elementary school principals indicated that (1) 88 percent had a written discipline policy; (2) 47 percent followed a specific discipline model; and (3) 81 percent considered student discipline to be no problem or a minor problem. Responses are categorized by school district size. (SV)

Describes results of a 1981 survey of 162 small rural schools in Montana. Notes that teachers cited educational finance as the main rural education problem and that Montana's rural teachers receive few incentives. Reports results pertaining to preparing teachers for rural settings, curriculum development, school-community relationships, and…

Surveys of 663 students in grades 3-6 in 6 small rural Texas school districts found that student attitudes toward mathematics became more negative as they progressed through elementary school. Girls had more positive attitudes than boys, but gender differences decreased at higher grade levels. (SV)

Describes a five-day summer workshop for rural elementary teachers to improve hands-on science instruction. Participants showed significant gains in science knowledge and science teaching confidence but showed no significant improvement in science teaching attitudes. Follow-up visits to schools revealed high usage of the activities and a positive…

Describes nine of Colorado's smallest rural elementary school communities. Shows how they fall into six community types (agricultural, rural industrial, stable recreational, ranching/railroad, rural commuter, loosely structured/isolated). Notes the interdependence of rural schools and their communities. Explains how the idea of school as community…

Compares fifth grade reading and math achievement scores for schools on the Missouri Mastery Achievement Test in rural and urban elementary schools. Found no significant differences between rural and urban schools on achievement. Rural schools were more homogeneous in achievement and SES. Free and reduced lunch status was the best predictor of…

A survey of 214 elementary school administrators in South Dakota indicates that 60% of schools have male elementary school teachers, with the greatest percentage of male teachers (teaching the upper grades) in large school districts. Overwhelmingly, principals would encourage more males to enter this field and report a shortage of male applicants.…

A survey of K-8 school districts in northwest Nebraska examined whether part-time principals mandated by Nebraska legislation were improving the school's instructional setting, as perceived by the school board president. The 41 responses of school board presidents rated importance and existence of 9 factors of the principal's role. Includes…

A remedial math program was devised for a rural school with a total population of 110 students housed in split grades. Volunteers implemented the program, which combined metacognition strategies and behavioral reinforcement. Students made slow, consistent gains, The average number of computation facts mastered per month per student was six. (JHZ)

A survey of 130 third- and fifth-grade teachers in rural Nebraska revealed that 90% of respondents integrated children's literature in the social studies curriculum, the majority of respondents believed that children's literature is useful as a teaching tool, and most respondents planned to continue integrating literature in the social studies…

The female principal and male assistant principal of a small rural elementary school completed the Hall-Tonna Inventory of Values resulting in each individual's value clusters, leadership characteristics, and ethical profile. The two administrators' leadership characteristics, goal values, and means values were often in conflict. Both would…