Examining the Civic Agency of Preservice Teachers From Rural Communities

• In Event: Teaching With Purpose in Rural Places

Abstract

This study examined the intentions of thirteen preservice secondary social studies teachers from rural Midwest communities, who wanted to return to rural communities and teach social studies curriculum. Data from this study suggested that these PSSTs employed a form of civic agency in the development of their purpose for teaching, while in their teacher education courses. The concepts of civic agency and community frame the presentation of the findings, which focus on three aspects of the PSSTs’ purposes for teaching: their own experiences in rural schools, the relevance of social studies curriculum for rural schools in a democratic society, and the challenges to PSSTs’ purposes in rural/small community classrooms.

Author

• J. Spencer Clark, Utah State University