This case examines a rural teaching principal in a small K-12 school in a prairie province. The case examines the work intensification of Mrs. Hayes, whose school has been affected by reductions in student enrolment, staffing, and administrative time. Overwhelmed by myriad responsibilities, the principal feels inadequate as both a teacher and a…

The article discusses strategies that can be used for gifted students in many small rural schools, including cooperative programs, innovative teaching, individualized instruction, counseling, community resources, and challenging courses. (Author/CL)

While current research shows that comprehensive high schools remain the norm, effective small-scale high schools feature lower student-to-teacher ratios, longer instructional blocks, more parent involvement, and increased advisory and student support. The resulting instructional benefits include reduced dropout rates, increased attendance, higher…

The traditional two-teacher school in Queensland is high-set, providing two classrooms, services room, and verandah upstairs, and a concreted area underneath. This plan re-arranges the traditional two-teacher school to fit a linear multiple-area plan (which can, with minor variations, be adapted to up to a four-teacher school). The plan…

Although integration of subject matter disciplines has long been one of the greatest strengths of rural and small schools, the knowledge explosion has complicated the process. Teachers can engage in discipline integration more effectively and efficiently by giving consideration to planning methodologies, lessons, classroom behaviors, and scope and…

Explains discipline problems inherent in close rural environments and describes norm-setting, a successful classroom management plan that accentuates student discipline and minimizes teacher domination. Explains how to develop behavior norms for the classroom based on six categories of student and teacher goals. Notes the advantages of…

This resource guide provides information for 13 laboratory experiments designed to be conducted in small schools with limited equipment and materials. For each experiment, the document outlines necessary equipment and materials, experiment procedures, and questions to be answered. The experiments are: (1) studying the properties of water; (2)…

This document is a stand-alone training package for staff development providers in rural small schools. Based on research and best-practice information, the school improvement model used promotes cooperation, content transferability, and adaptations for long-term program maintenance. The underlying assumptions of the model are that when school…

This weekly syllabus designed for teachers in small schools in Australia uses the Kodaly singing-based approach to teach music skills to students in primary years one through seven. The program divides instruction into four units: year one, years two-three, years four-five, and years six-seven. Teaching plans for each unit contain learning…

Specifically designed for counselors as a vehicle for addressing the needs of females in rural areas, the field tested kit examines counselors' attitudes, resources, and techniques and suggests strategies for counteracting sexism in counseling programs. The kit addresses the specific needs and limitations characterizing rural areas:…

Activities undertaken by the Amity school district to accomplish its six goals to infuse career education materials into the curriculum at the awareness, exploratory, and preparation educational levels are briefly described: to develop and initiate a career guidance program 1-12 for small schools; to develop and initiate Downtown Math and Language…

Suggests strategies for teaching English as a second language to non-English speaking students in small schools and warns of possible cultural differences which may lead to misunderstandings. (MH)

An experimental group of 15 grade six and 14 grade seven students in British Columbia were helped to improve their handwriting by analysis, observation, verbalization, and practice. (MH)

Describes a rural school system's successful efforts to help second- and third-grade students master basic facts in arithmetic by developing and using audiotaped material for addition and subtraction. Explains the development of the three-phase tapes. Notes the improvement of students' attitudes and the disappearance of finger counting. (SB)

Developed to provide an outdoor learning environment for a small school which had relatively undeveloped grounds, these plans are aimed toward providing: physical activity (climbing, running, jumping, and games); imaginative activity; social learning; environmental study; mathematics and science; exploring materials, e.g., water and soil; and the…