Faculty from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville School of Education delivered three presentations at the 2022 National Rural Education Association’s (NREA) Convention and Research Symposium held in Green Bay, Wisconsin, on Oct. 20-21. Seven instructors from the School of Education attended the event, including Dr. Douglas Adams; Dr. Erin Anderson; Dr. Joshua Anderson; Jessica Brogley; Dr. Edina Haslauer; Dr. Lindsay Hollingsworth and Dr. Austin Rickels. The presentations titled More Than a Practicum: Building a Rurally-Responsive Teacher Preparation Curriculum, Rurally Responsive Place-Based Teacher Education Program: A Sequential Evaluation, and Partnering with Purpose: Building a Teacher Pipeline and Supporting Indigenous Students, focused on advancing the conversation of rural education and how the School of Education works to develop culturally responsive teachers.
“I’m proud we are able to attend and thankful for the opportunity,” said Brogley, senior lecturer in the School of Education. “For us to have what I consider a loud voice at the national level is huge.”
Educators from across the country attended the two-day event. The learning sessions and panel discussions reflected on the theme of Raising Rural: A Fair Chance at a Good Life. According to NREA, it explored creative and cooperative action around three strands: community, agency and creativity. Brogley said it’s important to not only share the mission of UW-Platteville’s School of Education program, but to learn from other universities and K-12 districts.
“We are all connected to the same mission of quality teacher prep for rural education,” said Brogley. “To network with other educators, it helps us stay relevant, it checks our perception, so we are truly responsive to what school districts need. We have to be connected with educators. The School of Education is truly committed to that.”
As faculty and staff members from the School of Education attend and present at different conferences, Brogley said it’s important to show how UW-Platteville is preparing future teachers for impactful moments in rural education.
“I want people of public education in the Midwest to know who we are, not just people in Southwest Wisconsin. We have a way bigger reach than just our corner of the state. I’m proud we are truly providing a pipeline, but I want students to come here from even further away,” she said. “I’m so proud to be a part of this system.”
To learn more of about NREA, visit www.nrea.net.