Author name: NREA Team

Rural schools were once a common sight in Michigan at the turn of the century. At one point, Michigan had over 7,000 one-room schoolhouses; now, less than 20 remain in Michigan’s lower peninsula, according to the Michigan One Room Schoolhouse Organization. Curious to know how these schools continue to serve students, I had the opportunity to speak with a teacher of a rural one-room schoolhouse, Kristin Guitar. Mrs. Guitar is currently teaching in the historic Haynor School in Ionia County in Michigan’s lower peninsula. which serves a unique niche in the public schools.

For more than three decades, I have worked in and with rural schools across the United States, teaching, researching, and advocating for Multilingual Learner (ML) students. During that time, I have watched rural communities grow increasingly linguistically and culturally diverse, even as their resources have remained limited. Educating ML students has become more complex and more technical, requiring teachers and leaders to master not only language pedagogy but also state and federal accountability systems. Yet it has also become more political. Federal policies have often determined what programs exist, how they are funded, and who receives support.

When you live in a rural area, creative thinking comes with the territory. Rural schools are resourceful and seek opportunities for growth, even when funding is low or nonexistent. At Mohave Valley School District, that resourcefulness has turned into improved attendance rates, better grades, and higher enrollment through their Innovation Lab project.