Ontological Portraits of Rural Educators in Restructuring Educator Identity

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Saturday 8:00 am Four Seasons Ballroom 4
  In Roundtable Session: EL Practioners: Identity, Agency, and Development (Table 9)

Abstract

The study seeks to explore how rural educators use their positionality and lived experiences that shape their identities and roles towards supporting newcomer English learners (ELs) in their academic and socio-emotional wellbeing. This entails examining existing structures and practices undertaken by the rural educators reflecting the specific needs of rural educator preparation while addressing the challenges of diverse student population in the rural setting. The study is informed by place-conscious educational framework which helps to contextualize the lived experiences of rural educators, newcomer ELs, and their families as it helps to tailor educational approaches relevant to the rural EL education while addressing their unique needs. This is a qualitative study using an arts-based narrative inquiry (ABNI) of the research context.

Author

• Riya Chakraborty, University of Florida