Around-the-Clock Professionalism: The Relationships and Daily Interactions of Rural Teachers

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

Abstract

The confluence of frequent community engagement and the current contentious education policy landscape is heightening constraints for rural teachers. Lipsky theorized street-level bureaucracy to better understand how officials including teachers are frequently forced into decisions in resource scarce environments. This proposal extends the consideration of constraint beyond the classroom to the interactions teachers have in their community, a salient issue for rural teachers. Utilizing a statewide survey of teachers, this study considers how teachers perceive their interactions in this moment and how those perceptions play into their decision-making. Laying this data side-by-side with theory, this paper contextualizes street-level bureaucracy to the experiences of the modern rural teacher.

Authors

• Kevin Read, University of North Dakota

• Caitlin Ione Brecklin, University of North Dakota

• Richard Hoberg, University of North Dakota