Collaborating in a Rural Space: Reflections on Challenges and Opportunities of Delivering Critical Professional Development

• In Event: The Nexus of Leading and Teaching in Rural Spaces

Abstract

This paper shares insights gained from engaging a rural district’s high school teachers in a professional development series around race and academic achievement. Our critical reflections were guided by the question, what are challenges and opportunities critical professional developers encounter when planning and delivering anti-racist PD sessions in a rural district? Thematic analysis of our data revealed two central findings: perceived legitimacy of competing information sources and adherence to colorblind discourse. Our session highlights rurally contextualized race conversations grounded in a critical, dialogic PD framework as outsider researcher-participants committed to collaboration. Furthermore, the session encourages participants to consider why anchoring PD sessions within geographies matters for race-equity work.

Authors

• Ashley N. Patterson, The Pennsylvania State University

• Emily Annette Nemeth, Denison University