Examining Teacher Perspectives of Working Conditions Across Various Categorizations of Nonmetropolitan Locales

• In Event: Friday Roundtable Session 7:45 am
  In Roundtable Session: Teaching in Rural Schools: Perceptions, Practice, and Professional Development (Table 10)

Abstract

Research continues to prioritize teacher retention and recruitment, with increasing awareness on understanding nonmetropolitan schools. This quantitative study focuses on teacher perceptions of working conditions across rural and town schools in one state, considering poverty, remoteness, and diversity. Grounded in the Job Demands-Resource (JD-R) model, we examine teacher perceptions of school resources and demands that shape their overall attitudes and behaviors in the classroom. Quantitative results revealed that both rural and town teachers must exert sustained effort toward student behavior and amount of paperwork and routine duties. Findings from this study provide practical and research implications to further understand what support teachers are expecting as well as potential changes in definitions of rurality that can impact allocation of funding.

Authors

• Alyssa Michelle Raygoza, University of South Carolina

• Svetlana Dmitrieva, University of South Carolina

• Brian Cartiff, University of South Carolina

• Angela D. Starrett, University of South Carolina