Rural Teacher Recruitment & Retention Strategy 3.0

Helping teachers integrate into the school and community increases satisfaction and effectiveness. It can be particularly important for teachers who have not lived in a rural area since they may not have experienced living in a small community. Mentor selection and training is key to success. A teacher who says, “I hate this district, I hate this community,” is not going to be a good mentor. Districts that neglect mentor training miss an opportunity to increase the skills and commitment of both new and experienced teachers.