Rural Teachers

This Year at AERA…

admin — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 22:07:31 +0000

Potential Roles for Schools in Revitalizing Rural Communities: Perspectives From Canada, the United States, and Australia

Sat. Apr 14 – 10:35am – 12:05pm – Vancouver Convention Center, Floor Second Level – East Room 10

Chair: Linda Farr Darling

Session Participants:

Potential Roles for Schools in Rural Revitalization: School Closures and Community Well-Being
Dennis M. Mulcahy (Memorial University)
Small Schools, Rurality and the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA): Is It possible Atlantic Canadian Rural Schools Are Overperforming?
Michael J. Corbett (Acadia University)
Potential Roles for Schools in Rural Revitalization: The Coming Vitality of Rural Places
Craig B. Howley (Ohio University), Aimee A. Howley (Ohio University)
Potential Roles for Schools in Rural Revitalization: Perspectives From Australia
Bill Green (Charles Sturt University)
Potential Roles for Schools in Rural Revitalization: Perspectives on Teacher Preparation in Australia
Jo-Anne Reid (Charles Sturt University)

Abstract:

Many researchers believe successful rural revitalization requires partnerships between schools and the places they are located, arguing the fates of schools and communities are inextricably tied. Yet rural research shows many economically distressed rural communities struggle toward revitalization without contributions of local schools. This is changing thanks to reform efforts linking curriculum to concerns relevant to students’ contexts. There is growing recognition that schools cannot operate in social vacuums, even if the work to bring them into the community is time consuming and complex. This symposium focuses on possibilities for bringing schools and communities together in rural revitalization efforts. Six well-known researchers (Canada, US, Australia) discuss the promise and pitfalls of partnerships from their particular social, economic and geographic perspectives.

Investigating Our Practices Conference 2012

admin — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 04:53:18 +0000

On May 5, 2012 UBC hosts the 15th Annual IOP Conference, where practicing teachers, university educators, graduate students and student teachers from different educational contexts (schools, universities and colleges) come together to share their questions, investigations and understandings about their practice. The conference stresses dialogue among participants; presentations are intended to provoke and inform discussion. These exchanges typically fall within the following areas of inquiry:

the preparation of practitioners
the ongoing education of practitioners
the focus on classroom practice
the context of practice (e.g., social, political and cultural analysis of practice)
researching practice (e.g., teacher inquiry/action research)

Link to conference web page HERE.

BC Rural and Small Schools Conference

admin — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 04:43:34 +0000

This year in Alert Bay, BC. May 11, 2012.

To open this year’s conference program (.pdf in a new window), click HERE.

To link to online registration, click HERE.

Growing Innovation Grants 2011-12

admin — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 03:40:18 +0000

UPDATE:

Upcoming Elluminate meetings (all 3:30-4:30 PST):

Cluster 1 (SD 8, 10, 48, 58, 64) – Heritages & Cultures – Monday, March 5

Cluster 2 (SD 49, 50, 62, 69) – Environmental Education – Tuesday, March 6

Cluster 3 (SD 52, 57, 59, 60, 74) – Revitalizing Communities and Schools – Wednesday, March 7

Cluster 4 (SD 51, 82, 84, 85) – Transforming Teaching & Learning – Wednesday, March 8

Major agenda items will include: a) Project updates b) Details and plans for May 5 learning symposium.

To download Pat’s presentation from December Elluminate sessions, please click HERE.

NEW! Visit the Growing Innovation Image Gallery HERE.

Search for Growing Innovation Tweets by searching the #growinginnovation hashtag on twitter.

The Eleanor Rix Professor of Rural Education at the UBC Faculty of Education, Dr. Linda Farr Darling and the BC Ministry of Education have announced seventeen recipients of grants in the Growing Innovation program, as well as one recipient of the Rix Merit Award. From the impressive 61 submissions received from 36 rural districts, a remarkable response to the call for applications, the following (see map below, or open on new page HERE ) were selected for their focus on students in rural communities, innovation, and potential for research.

1. District: No. 8 (Kootenay Lake)

Project Title: Digital Storytelling Project

Grade 6-7 students in the Slocan Valley Family of Schools (W.E. Graham, Winlaw, Brent Kennedy and Mt. Sentinel) are engaged in digital storytelling to document local culture and family heritage through interviews with senior community members and online research.

Amount Awarded: $12,500.00

2. District: No. 10 (Arrow Lakes)

Project Title: Values of the Doukhobor Community

Students in Nakusp will reach out to Doukhobor elders and produce films and web site material.

Amount Awarded: $12,500.00

3. District: No. 48 (Sea-to-Sky)

Project Title: Connections Project

At Don Ross Secondary School in Squamish, the Connections Project provides opportunities for dialogue between Aboriginal, non-Aboriginal students and the Squamish First Nations’ community.

Amount Awarded: $12,500.00

4. District: No. 49 (Central Coast)

Project Title: Educational Food Innovations

Students in Bella Coola will be taught to mill their own organic flour and grains to produce a wide variety of nutrient-rich foods in a project that will encourage them to make better nutritional choices.

Amount Awarded: $12,500.00

5. District: No. 58 (Nicola-Similkameen)

Project Title: Aboriginal Academy 9

Students in Merritt will participate in authentic, hands-on Aboriginal activities aimed at enriching their understanding of the local culture.

Amount Awarded: $12,500.00

6. District: No. 60 (Peace River North)

Project Title: Energetic Learning Campus (ELC)

At Fort St. John, the ELC project will look at how a healthy living environment and personal fitness affects student absenteeism, test scores, collaboration skills, student engagement and school culture.

Amount Awarded: $12,500.00

7. District: No. 62 (Sooke)

Project Title: Full Day Nature Kindergarten

The district will develop a Full Day Nature Kindergarten program that provides children the opportunity to learn in a natural setting where outdoor exploration is the foundation of all learning.

Amount Awarded: $12,500.00

8. District: No. 69 (Qualicum)

Project Title: Global Citizens as Renewable Energy Consumers

Students at False Bay School on Lasqueti Island will build positive understandings of renewable energy systems and social responsibility by examining local solar, micro-hydro and wind power projects with area experts.

Amount Awarded: $10,000.00

9. District: No. 64 (Gulf Islands)

Project Title: Connecting Generations

On Salt Spring Island, Connecting Generations engages students in building bridges between generations through dialogue, intergenerational learning and relationship building.

Amount Awarded: $12,500.00

10. District: No. 82 (Coast Mountain)

Project Title: First Nations Assessment Program

Kitwanga Elementary School staff will explore the use of culturally relevant assessment and teaching strategies to more effectively support their First Nations students.

Amount Awarded: $12,500.00

11. District: No. 85 (Vancouver Island North)

Project Title: Collaboration without Boundaries

At Eagle View Elementary School in Port Hardy, this project will explore ways to encourage greater family participation in education through a wide range of communication tools.

Amount Awarded: $12,500.00

12. District: No. 51 (Boundary)

Project Title: Community Partnerships

The project engages students in Midway in Community partnerships, technology, and functional curriculum to focus on ways to support rural secondary students with special needs.

Amount Awarded: $12,500.00

13. District: No. 52 (Prince Rupert)

Project Title: Community Revitalization

Grade 9 students at Charles Hays Secondary School will explore the theme of urban development through a community revitalization project for Prince Rupert.

Amount Awarded: $12,500.00

14. District: No. 84 (Vancouver Island West)

Project Title: Transforming school-wide Academic Achievement

This project will energize student learning at Zeballos Elementary Secondary School by focusing on purposeful, relevant, real-world experiences.

Amount Awarded: $12,500.00

15. District: No. 57 (Prince George)

Project Title: Place-Based Learning in Mackenzie Schools

Students in Mackenzie Schools and seniors will work together to landscape a newly constructed senior housing facility.

Amount Awarded: $12,500.00

16. District: No. 59 (Peace River South)

Project Title: Project Based Learning

Students at Dawson Creek Secondary School will be presented with topics for study that address real world problems with the goal of increasing learning relevance.

Amount Awarded: $12,500.00

17. District: No. 74 (Gold Trail)

Project Title: Connected Classrooms

Elementary and secondary teachers and students in remote schools in Lytton, Ashcroft and Lillooet will be linked through daily videoconferencing.

Amount Awarded: $12,500.00

18. A Rix Merit Award of $6,000 was also awarded to George M. Dawson Secondary school in Masset for a proposal to build an outdoor classroom.

Here are their locations represented on a map:

Questions may be directed via this site or directly to Professor Farr Darling by clicking HERE.

Featured Link – September 2011

admin — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 23:10:46 +0000

The BC Rural Network: a coalition of organizations, communities, and individuals who share a commitment to building the capacity of British Columbia to develop responses to rural and remote community issues. Click HERE to learn more and join the conversation(s).

AERA Rural Education SIG

admin — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 05:09:19 +0000

For a link to the blog of the American Educational Research Association’s Rural Education SIG (special interest group) click HERE.

“The Rural Education Special Interest Group (SIG) promotes scholarly conversation about the lives of rural people, places and their schools through research and provides a forum for dissemination of this research. This SIG is part of the American Educational Research Association.”

Please note the deadline for submissions for the April 13-18, 2012 conference in Vancouver is July 22, 2011.

Innovative Practice Grants: Call for Applications

admin — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 06:38:21 +0000

Do you have a project or idea you’d like to share with other rural teachers?

Are your students involved in place-based learning in your community?

Have you discovered imaginative ways to enrich educational opportunities for your rural students?

Beginning in 2011, the UBC Eleanor Rix Professorship will award grants of $400 each to British Columbia public school teachers who have developed innovative classroom or school based projects relevant to rural settings. Projects should be creative, collaborative and adaptable to other rural and small school contexts.

Successful applicants will be asked to imaginatively document their projects for the “Teaching” section of www.ruralteachers.com as, for example, photo essays, slide shows, videos or podcasts. Applications will again be accepted between September 30-Ocober 31st 2011.

Please contact Linda Farr Darling for more details. linda.darling@ubc.ca

To see some of the fine work done with the help of this program, click HERE.

For information on new Growing Innovation grants, click HERE.

West Kootenay Teacher to receive UBC Rural Teacher Education Prize

admin — Sun, 19 Jun 2011 23:51:39 +0000

Each year the UBC West Kootenay Teacher Education Program (WKTEP) in Castlegar honors a teacher educator who has made valuable contributions to the preparation and support of new teachers for rural communities. The prize is named after local educators, Marlane King and Joe Ranallo, and comes with an engraved plaque and a $1000 cash prize from the UBC Faculty of Education. The 2011 recipient of the award is Fay Wheeler, widely recognized in the region for her outstanding work preparing new teachers to teach Language Arts in imaginative and challenging ways. Students at all levels, from the elementary students she teaches in Nelson to the teacher candidates at WKTEP regard Ms. Wheeler as a wonderful teacher and role model. Congratulations Fay!

Featured Link – July 2011

admin — Sun, 19 Jun 2011 23:29:51 +0000

The Center on Rural Education and Communities (CREC) is located in the College of Education at Penn State in the US.

Believing that, “issues affecting rural education cannot be separated from the communities and social contexts in which they are embedded,” the Center directors and affiliates are committed to fostering research that will benefit both schools and communities in rural areas, to serving as a clearinghouse for current information and resources on rural issues, and acting as a bridge between rural schools and communities at all levels.

For information on the wide range of activities and publications supported by the CREC, click HERE

Follow Rural Teachers now on Twitter

admin — Wed, 11 May 2011 22:27:01 +0000

For timely updates you can now follow us on Twitter at @ruralteachers

Thank you for retweeting, for spreading the word about www.ruralteachers.com and the support of, and inquiry into, important issues in rural education.