Session Information
Contribution
Part of the research project “Schools in Alpine Regions”, an INTERREG project together with colleagues from the Universities of Teacher Education in three Suisse cantons (Grisons, St. Gallen, Valais) I interviewed headteachers and teachers of eight small rural primary schools in Western Austria. Through talking to the headteachers, teachers and students of these primary schools and carrying out participant observations it was possible to gain insights into the work of headteachers and teachers of small rural schools.
Rural education is still in many ways a neglected area of educational research. However, in alpine and/or rural areas there are a lot of small rural schools. In Vorarlberg, the most Western province of Austria, where this research was carried out, 64 of the 165 primary schools in total are small schools with less than 50 pupils. 23 of these 64 schools are very small schools with less than 20 pupils. Due to the low number of pupils these 64 schools work with age-mixed classes. In rural area age-mixed classes are mainly a structural imperative, not a pedagogical interest. Nevertheless the data shows that many of the teachers and headteachers involved in the study are aware of the pedagogical chances of combined classes. Many of them place an emphasis on child-centered learning practices. They experience several opportunities because of the small size of the school and appreciate their autonomous working conditions. At the same time they face certain challenges which differ to those of their colleagues in larger urban/suburban schools. Some of the headteachers and teachers of small schools live in the village where they are working. This has advantages - they know the place and the people very well. However, it can also create challenges because it’s hard to draw a line between the private and the occupational role of the teacher.
The main research questions are:
- What is it like being a primary teacher or a head of a small rural school?
- What are the opportunities and challenges headteachers and teachers of small rural experience?
- What are the strategies of headteachers and teachers to cope with the challenges of small rural schools?
Method
Expected Outcomes
References
Hargreaves, Linda, M. (2009): Respect and responsibility: Review of research on small rural schools in England. In: International Journal of Educational Research, 48 (2), p. 117-128. Hillyard, Sam (2007): The Sociology of Rural Life. Oxford/New York: Berg. Vulliamy, Graham; Webb, Rosemarie (1995): The implementation of the national curriculum in small primary schools. Educational Review, 47(1), p. 25-41.
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