This qualitative study focused on the experiences and perceptions of 12 teacher candidates as they completed a six-week rural internship experience. The main objectives of the study were to: (a) describe the learning experiences of teacher candidates as they live and teach in rural communities; (b) examine how teaching and living in rural…

This article places the teaching internship experience in an analytical context, suggesting that the process by which interns become teachers is best understood as a rite of passage into the culture of teaching. Following three interns through the process, the paper examines rites of separation, of transition, and of incorporation. (SM)