Devon Brenner transplanted from Michigan to Mississippi over 25 years ago. She is director of the Social Science Research Center, coordinator of Rural Education Research and Initiatives, and professor of teacher education at Mississippi State University, where she engages in research that focuses on rural education policy and practice.Jayne Downey is a professor at Montana State University and directs the Center for Research on Rural Education. Born and raised on a farm on the prairies, her research and service are dedicated to working with and for rural schools and communities around the world.Karen Eppley is a first-generation college graduate, former rural K-12 student and rural fifth-grade teacher in Northern Appalachia. She currently is an associate professor of rural education at Kansas State University, where she directs the Rural Education Center.Ann K. Schulte grew up in Yankton, South Dakota, where she was a teacher and high school debate coach for several years in nearby small towns. She has retired from California State University, Chico, after 24 years where she prepared teachers and mentored first-generation college students like herself.Amy Price Azano is a first-generation college student and eighth-generation Appalachian from Luray, Virginia. She is a professor of rural education and the founding director of the Center for Rural Education at Virginia Tech, where her scholarship focuses on educational equity for rural learners.

• Introduction Part One: Rural Contexts 1. Becoming a Rural Teacher 2. Historical Contexts for Today's Rural Schools and Communities 3. Understanding Rural Places 4. Why Place Matters Part Two: Thriving in Rural Communities 5. Rural Literacies 6. Understanding Strengths and Assets in Rural Communities 7. Families as Partners in Rural Communities 8. From Here or Away: Relating to Students Part Three: Thriving in Rural Schools 9. Building Professional Networks in Rural Schools 10. Policy, Advocacy, and the Rural Teacher 11. Thriving Communities, Healthy Schools 12. The Structures of Rural Schools and Classrooms Part Four: Thriving in Rural Classrooms 13. Place-Based Instruction 14. Technology for Learning in Rural Classrooms 15. Supporting All Learners in Rural Classrooms 16. Teaching Exceptional Learners in Rural Classrooms 17. Finding What Works in Rural Classrooms 18. Conclusion: Thriving as a Rural Teacher

Devon Brenner transplanted from Michigan to Mississippi over 25 years ago. She is director of the Social Science Research Center, coordinator of Rural Education Research and Initiatives, and professor of teacher education at Mississippi State University, where she engages in research that focuses on rural education policy and practice.Jayne Downey is a professor at Montana State University and directs the Center for Research on Rural Education. Born and raised on a farm on the prairies, her research and service are dedicated to working with and for rural schools and communities around the world.Karen Eppley is a first-generation college graduate, former rural K-12 student and rural fifth-grade teacher in Northern Appalachia. She currently is an associate professor of rural education at Kansas State University, where she directs the Rural Education Center.Ann K. Schulte grew up in Yankton, South Dakota, where she was a teacher and high school debate coach for several years in nearby small towns. She has retired from California State University, Chico, after 24 years where she prepared teachers and mentored first-generation college students like herself.Amy Price Azano is a first-generation college student and eighth-generation Appalachian from Luray, Virginia. She is a professor of rural education and the founding director of the Center for Rural Education at Virginia Tech, where her scholarship focuses on educational equity for rural learners.

• Introduction Part One: Rural Contexts 1. Becoming a Rural Teacher 2. Historical Contexts for Today's Rural Schools and Communities 3. Understanding Rural Places 4. Why Place Matters Part Two: Thriving in Rural Communities 5. Rural Literacies 6. Understanding Strengths and Assets in Rural Communities 7. Families as Partners in Rural Communities 8. From Here or Away: Relating to Students Part Three: Thriving in Rural Schools 9. Building Professional Networks in Rural Schools 10. Policy, Advocacy, and the Rural Teacher 11. Thriving Communities, Healthy Schools 12. The Structures of Rural Schools and Classrooms Part Four: Thriving in Rural Classrooms 13. Place-Based Instruction 14. Technology for Learning in Rural Classrooms 15. Supporting All Learners in Rural Classrooms 16. Teaching Exceptional Learners in Rural Classrooms 17. Finding What Works in Rural Classrooms 18. Conclusion: Thriving as a Rural Teacher

Devon Brenner transplanted from Michigan to Mississippi over 25 years ago. She is director of the Social Science Research Center, coordinator of Rural Education Research and Initiatives, and professor of teacher education at Mississippi State University, where she engages in research that focuses on rural education policy and practice.Jayne Downey is a professor at Montana State University and directs the Center for Research on Rural Education. Born and raised on a farm on the prairies, her research and service are dedicated to working with and for rural schools and communities around the world.Karen Eppley is a first-generation college graduate, former rural K-12 student and rural fifth-grade teacher in Northern Appalachia. She currently is an associate professor of rural education at Kansas State University, where she directs the Rural Education Center.Ann K. Schulte grew up in Yankton, South Dakota, where she was a teacher and high school debate coach for several years in nearby small towns. She has retired from California State University, Chico, after 24 years where she prepared teachers and mentored first-generation college students like herself.Amy Price Azano is a first-generation college student and eighth-generation Appalachian from Luray, Virginia. She is a professor of rural education and the founding director of the Center for Rural Education at Virginia Tech, where her scholarship focuses on educational equity for rural learners.

• Introduction Part One: Rural Contexts 1. Becoming a Rural Teacher 2. Historical Contexts for Today's Rural Schools and Communities 3. Understanding Rural Places 4. Why Place Matters Part Two: Thriving in Rural Communities 5. Rural Literacies 6. Understanding Strengths and Assets in Rural Communities 7. Families as Partners in Rural Communities 8. From Here or Away: Relating to Students Part Three: Thriving in Rural Schools 9. Building Professional Networks in Rural Schools 10. Policy, Advocacy, and the Rural Teacher 11. Thriving Communities, Healthy Schools 12. The Structures of Rural Schools and Classrooms Part Four: Thriving in Rural Classrooms 13. Place-Based Instruction 14. Technology for Learning in Rural Classrooms 15. Supporting All Learners in Rural Classrooms 16. Teaching Exceptional Learners in Rural Classrooms 17. Finding What Works in Rural Classrooms 18. Conclusion: Thriving as a Rural Teacher