Understanding the Relationship Between Rural Schools and
Teacher Satisfaction By: Ashley Wood Rural Teacher
Satisfaction
Slide 2
Purpose Rural schools have many defining characteristics due to
the unique environment in which they are located. Place-specific
situations create additional obstacles that have the ability to
impact the way rural educators perceive their jobs. An increased
reliance on combined classrooms, limited access to professional
growth opportunities, and both professional and social isolation
are just some of the challenges rural schools regularly deal
with.
Slide 3
Purpose Unfortunately, these schools are often plagued with
having high teacher turnover rates. Understanding what impacts the
level of job satisfaction that educators have may then help with
the attraction and retention of highly trained professionals who
can provide a quality education for the students who attend rural
schools. Specific Research Question: The purpose of this analysis
was to determine in what ways the unique characteristics of rural
schools can impact teacher satisfaction levels.
Slide 4
The Rural Context Rural communities have countless positive
benefits for the people who live and work there. It is generally
agreed upon however, that rural schools exist within in unique
environment which faces additional obstacles when compared to other
schools located in non-rural or urban areas (Beesley, Atwill, Blair
& Barley, 2010). Creating a comprehensive list of attributes is
difficult as individual communities can be vastly different but
still be considered rural. There can be variations among the
defining characteristics which classifies a community as being
rural.
Slide 5
The Rural Context Generally, rural schools are located within
communities that : are small, have sparse settlement patterns, are
distant from population concentrations, offer a limited selection
of services. have fewer economic opportunities lower amounts of
available resources than non-rural communities (Monk, 2007; Fowler,
2012)
Slide 6
The Rural Context As community characteristics tend to
influence school conditions, rural institutions have smaller
enrolment numbers, limited teaching staff, and decreased access to
available resources due to financial reasons or isolation factors.
Ultimately, what separates rural and non-rural schools are the
differences they exhibit due to the communities in which they are
located.
Slide 7
Understanding Teacher Satisfaction Job satisfaction is a term
which refers to the emotional measure individuals have regarding
their current work situation. It is an affective reaction resulting
from the conditions of a specific work environment, which can come
from comparing desired results to actual outcomes (Knox &
Anfara, 2013). Teacher satisfaction would then refer to the level
of satisfaction a teacher has regarding their current educational
position, which can be affected by various school
characteristics.
Slide 8
Understanding Teacher Satisfaction Teacher satisfaction can be
influenced by a variety of complex factors, such as an educators
background experiences, cultural expectations, and job-related
circumstances (Rapti & Karaj, 2012). The manner in which an
individual perceives these internal and external influences makes
it difficult to generalize satisfaction levels among teachers,
however identifying specific work conditions which have been shown
to elicit positive or negative emotional responses can help predict
satisfaction levels among educators.
Slide 9
Why Should We Be Concerned About Teacher Satisfaction? Knowing
how to maintain or increase levels of job satisfaction can help
rural schools attract and retain qualified teachers. This can help
maintain a consistency among established teaching routines which is
important in keeping the delicate balance of rural schools in tact
(Kleinfeld & McDiarmid, 1986; Boylan, Sinclair, Smith, &
Squires, 1993). Teachers who are happy with their work environments
are more likely to exhibit a high level of commitment towards every
aspect of their career (Ma & MacMillan, 1999). Satisfied
teachers are able to resolve minor workplace problems which can
otherwise compound negative feelings experienced by dissatisfied
teachers. Educators who are less content in their positions are
more likely to transfer to other locations or leave the teaching
profession altogether (Inman & Marlow, 2004).
Slide 10
Why Should We Be Concerned About Teacher Satisfaction? Teacher
satisfaction can be a valuable indicator of student performance in
the classroom. Educators who have high amounts of satisfaction
contribute to the effectiveness of a school through enhanced
teaching performances, which can have a direct impact on student
achievement (Woods & Weasmer, 2002). Satisfied teachers display
a higher sense of work enthusiasm, are actively involved in school
routines, and display a high sense of motivation in their
positions, which can help inspire and motivate students to perform
well academically (Sargent & Hannum, 2005). In order for
positive gains to occur in the classroom, educators need to feel
valued and respected which can positively influence work
contentment.
Slide 11
What Factors Affect Teacher Satisfaction in Rural Areas? There
are three main areas which are repeated throughout the relevant
literature that have the tendency to impact teacher satisfaction in
rural schools. They are: 1. Professional relationships 2. The
school environment 3. Teaching expectations
Slide 12
Professional Relationships (Within The Community) Conflicting
expectations towards community and work life often exist within
rural communities which teachers often find discouraging, leading
to a major source of job dissatisfaction (Huysman, 2008). Lack of
personal privacy resulting from blurred social and professional
boundaries negatively influence the way teachers feel about living
and working in rural areas (Preston, 2012; Jenkins, Reitano &
Taylor, 2011).
Slide 13
Professional Relationships (Within The Community) How teachers
are perceived within the community can also influence satisfaction.
Educators who are not originally from the rural communities in
which they teach as they are often viewed and labelled as outsiders
(Trentham & Schaer, 1985). Teachers may live in a rural area
for up to ten years and still not be fully considered a local by
the majority of residents (Boylan et al., 1993). This perceived
form of teacher isolation can result in negative influences towards
job satisfaction.
Slide 14
Professional Relationships (Within The Community) Rural
community members can also positively impact teacher satisfaction.
Tight social bonds exist within rural communities, resulting in a
higher community involvement with the school (Preston, 2012). These
relationships can contribute to teacher empowerment, as regular
communication helps to instill levels of mutual respect.
Recognition is a large contributor to teacher satisfaction (Knox
& Anfara, 2013).
Slide 15
Professional Relationships (With Colleagues) when teachers work
together in a collaborative manner towards common educational
goals, they report having higher levels of job satisfaction and an
increased sense of professionalism (Woods & Weasmer, 2002). In
rural communities isolation factors and declining enrolments limit
the amount of educational personnel within the school, leading to
limited opportunities for collaboration and positive interactions
with other teachers.
Slide 16
Professional Relationships (With Colleagues) Rural principals
and vice-principals often have to fluctuate between teaching
duties, administrative tasks, community relations, and general
school functioning responsibilities. As a result,
relationship-building interactions with teachers often suffer,
leaving many feeling unsupported and unrecognized in their
professional duties. Administrators need to promote accomplishments
and participate in opportunities that support teaching endeavours
in the classroom to increase satisfaction (Inman & Marlow,
2004). This can be difficult to accomplish in rural schools that
have principals keeping up with the demands of their multifaceted
roles.
Slide 17
Professional Relationships (With Students) Teachers have
numerous opportunities to get to know their students on a personal
level inside and outside of the classroom because of the frequent
interactions which occur among people in rural areas, as well as
lower school enrolment numbers. This personalized knowledge of
students helps empower teachers to engage in high levels of
individualized instruction (Preston, 2012) which can lead to higher
achievement levels and ultimately higher perceptions of
satisfaction from educators in rural schools.
Slide 18
The School Environment (Classroom Conditions) Rural schools
generally have smaller class sizes. Teachers can dedicate more time
to constructing an individualized instructional program to meet the
needs of the learners within these classes which helps promote
feelings of value and worth as a professional. Establishing good
teacher-student relations while delivering differentiated lessons
to a large number of students becomes difficult to do in larger
classes (Fuming & Jiliang, 2007).
Slide 19
The School Environment (Classroom Conditions) Rural schools
rely on multi-grade or multiage configurations more so than
non-rural or urban schools due to small enrolment numbers. Many
educators see this approach to teaching as a more cognitively and
emotionally demanding position, which comes with a heavier workload
(Proehl, Douglas, Elias, Johnson, & Westsmith, 2013). This can
decrease the level of motivation a teacher has towards their
educational responsibilities, resulting in lower satisfaction
levels.
Slide 20
The School Environment (Resources and Facilities) Educational
resource allotments tend to favour larger institutions, meaning
that small rural schools and districts are often left without the
finances needed to purchase various curriculum supporting materials
(Mulcahy, 2007). When teachers create their own instructional
resources or purchase their own classroom materials, preparation
time increases. Improving the resources available for educator
usage helps to show appreciation of teachers intellectual work
[which] is helpful for raising teacher job satisfaction (Fuming and
Jiliang, 2007, p. 92).
Slide 21
The School Environment (Resources and Facilities) Many
educators feel that larger urban schools generally receive more
favourable treatment for financial services and resources than
schools located in rural communities (Guenther & Weible, 1983).
Poor working conditions cause teachers to have a lower sense of
empowerment and a greater dissatisfaction towards their educational
duties, which can lead to an unmotivated sense of purpose in the
classroom (Knox & Anfara, 2013).
Slide 22
The School Environment (Environmental Uncertainty) One of the
most serious consequences of declining student enrolments in rural
schools is the threat of closures and consolidations (Mulcahy,
2007) As rural schools generally have smaller numbers, they are
more susceptible to change than other schools (Monk, 2007).
Consistently worrying about changing positions can increase the
amount of workplace stress experienced by educators, resulting in
greater reports of dissatisfaction among the teachers in rural
schools.
Slide 23
Teaching Expectations (Duties) It is quite common for a teacher
in a small rural school to be responsible for a wide range of
disciplines in multiple subject areas, regardless of skill or
certification (Beesley et al., 2010). This can influence teacher
perceptions towards their professional positions, as professional
competence is a key factor in job satisfaction (Ma and MacMillian,
1999). One of the most important determinants of teacher
satisfaction is the extent to which they feel successful in
advancing students learning (Albert & Levine, 1988).
Slide 24
Teaching Expectations (Duties) Teachers in rural schools spend
a longer amount of time preparing for new courses or supervising
students during the school day than do their urban counterparts who
are a part of a larger teaching staff. This can increase the amount
of dissatisfaction a teacher feels towards their position. Davis
and Wilson (2000) emphasise the fact that when teachers
consistently engage in repetitive jobs that they viewed as having
little meaning, their levels of job contentment decreased resulting
in dissatisfaction.
Slide 25
Teaching Expectations (Duties) Knox and Anfara (2013) offer
another perspective on the additional responsibilities that rural
teachers sometimes face. They suggest that extra roles teachers
take on can also lead to a higher level of job satisfaction because
of the increased recognition these roles bring. Although extra
duties can bring about a longer work day, meaningful tasks give a
sense of purpose in the workplace and ultimately increase the
amount of satisfaction a teacher has towards their job (Knox &
Anfara, 2013).
Slide 26
Teaching Expectations (Professional Growth) Many rural teachers
state that they get very little time to participate in effective
professional learning, due to variables such as isolation factors
and teacher shortages (Jenkins et al., 2011). Improving
self-efficacy beliefs for teachers is a critical outcome of
in-service training as it helps to develop a higher sense of
instructional motivation and teacher efficiency, which can lead to
positive student gains in the classroom (Bray- Clark & Bates,
2003). Without in-service training, a decreased sense of
professionalism can compound dissatisfaction.
Slide 27
Teaching Expectations (Teacher Autonomy) Pearson and Moomaw
(2005) define teacher autonomy as the perception educators have
regarding the control they possess over themselves and their
workplace. It is often recognized that rural teachers have greater
autonomy within the school, as they are are generally in control
over the themes introduced in their class, the instructional
methods employed, and the teaching materials used to cover the
prescribed curriculum (Haughey & Murphy, 1983). Having an
increased sense of autonomy in school can help increase feelings of
professionalism among educators, as the recognition of being
qualified to make important decisions towards student learning
helps give teachers a sense of purpose and value in the workplace.
When autonomy is perceived in this manner it is indicative of high
job satisfaction levels among teachers (Pearson & Moomaw,
2005).
Slide 28
Teaching Expectations (Teacher Autonomy) Teacher autonomy can
also decrease satisfaction. Shared decision making responsibilities
can have negative outcomes on teachers, as the more autonomy
granted can lead to higher levels of job stress which can later
lead to demotivation in the workplace resulting in dissatisfaction
(Davis & Wilson, 2000). If decisions are faced with opposition
and conflict, teachers may begin to question their qualifications
as a professional. This may lead to a sense of personal discontent
among educators who are in control over their workplace and who
participate in decisions that can affect the larger school
population.
Slide 29
Conclusions Generally, teachers who feel valued and supported
by staff and community members exhibit positive emotions which are
characteristic of high workplace satisfaction. Being recognized as
an educator creates a sense of professionalism and motivation in
the workplace which can be achieved by matching instructional
duties to teacher qualifications. Participating in professional
growth opportunities and collaborating with colleagues towards
common educational goals positively influences job perceptions.
Having a high sense of self-efficacy can lead to favourable work
attitudes. This confidence can come from having access to the
available resources required to fulfill ones job or from teaching
in a well-organized institution that facilitates learning.
Slide 30
Conclusions Unfortunately, high satisfaction levels may be
difficult to attain in rural schools. Higher degrees of
professional and social isolation are common among rural areas,
which limit educational opportunities and collaborative
relationships. Smaller teaching allotments and a lower amount of
financial support, which can influence the availability of
resources and increase teacher workloads. Uncertainty in job
security also threatens contentment as rural schools are in a
constant state of change from one year to the next.
Slide 31
Recommendations Since rural communities are often characterized
for the close relationships that exist within them, there is a need
to establish clear boundaries between the professional and personal
identities of teachers. Administrators to be aware of the role they
play in encouraging teacher satisfaction. This can be done by
adopting supportive behaviours where genuine praise is given
regularly, and teacher suggestions for improvement are heard.
Professional growth opportunities need to be achieved through an
increased reliance on technology in rural schools.
Slide 32
Recommendations Defining the boundaries between empowerment and
job stress brought about by professional autonomy is another
necessary step in helping to promote teacher satisfaction. This can
be achieved by creating an environment where teachers can help make
decisions without feelings of skepticism and resentment. Conscious
efforts from teachers, colleagues, and administrators can help
improve feelings of job satisfaction, regardless of environmental
conditions. Being knowledgeable with how to personally promote and
maintain job satisfaction can help empower teachers as they
themselves become an influential figure in creating their own
happiness.
Slide 33
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Slide 40
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