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Rural Teacher Satisfaction
Understanding the Relationship Between Rural Schools and Teacher Satisfaction
By: Ashley Wood
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.
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.
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.
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)
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.
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.
Understanding Teacher Satisfaction
 Teacher satisfaction can be influenced by a variety of complex factors,
such as an educator’s 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.
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).
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.
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
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).
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.
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).
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.
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.
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.
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).
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.
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).
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).
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.
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 student’s learning
(Albert & Levine, 1988).
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.
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).
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 (BrayClark & Bates, 2003).
 Without in-service training, a decreased sense of professionalism can compound
dissatisfaction.
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).
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.
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 one’s job or from
teaching in a well-organized institution that facilitates learning.
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.
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.
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.
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