Page 13 - 2024_Jour_91-1

citizens in the community. Often, minority teachers incorporate culturally relevant
pedagogy (CRP) in their classrooms (Adams & Farnsworth, 2020; Gay, 2018;
Ladson-Billings, 1995). CRP is an instructional practice that captures the strengths
of children of color and provides adaptations when teaching new content. Having
opportunities for students to experience multiple cultures from diverse students in
the classroom is also essential in implementing pedagogy. Diverse teachers often
are at an advantage in sharing the experiences and knowledge of their races and
ethnicities, regardless of whether teaching in a rural or urban school district.
Research indicates that diverse teachers also bring an understanding of multiple
languages, which provides the background to address linguistic diversity. To meet
the needs of the growing number of English Learners (ELs), teachers must be
culturally and linguistically sensitive in their classrooms (McVey & Trinidad, 2019;
NCES, 2023; TEA, 2023). Diverse teachers understand English learners perform
better when they scaffold information in their first language and allow them to
use their first language to answer questions and brainstorm (August & Shanahan,
2006). Rural schoolteachers must account for this necessity in rural school districts
(Shiffman, 2019).

Conclusion
The aim of this literature review is to provide a complete understanding of rural
education at its core, focusing specifically on the impact of diverse administrators
and teachers within rural schools and districts. Studies have shown that the “new rural
order” has promoted more racially and ethnically diverse communities (Rowlings &
Love, 2021). This diversity warrants purposeful recruitment of principals and teachers
in the rural school districts. It is crucial to evaluate the inclusion of multicultural
teachers and administrators and their representation relative to student populations.
This information can be utilized to formulate a myriad of research questions, such as
• What are the instructional experiences, parent communication methods, and
cultural connections of diverse teachers and principals in rural Texas schools?
• What are effective methods for recruiting and retaining teachers and principals
of diverse backgrounds in rural areas?
• How do teachers and administrators of diverse backgrounds contribute to the
educational success of students in rural areas?
While this constitutes a partial list of viable research inquiries, perhaps it will
encourage readers to delve deeper into the realm of rural education. Critical topics
stemming from the perspectives of rural America—specifically rural Texas—and
the realities of diverse rural school districts—with implications for the preparation
of postsecondary students—warrant further investigation.

References
Adams, R., & Farnsworth, M. (2020). Culturally responsive teacher education for rural and native
communities. Multicultural Perspectives, 22(2), 84–90. https://doi.org/10.1080/15210960
.2020.1741367
August, D., & Shanahan, T. (2006). Developing literacy in second-language learners: Report of
the national literacy panel on language minority children and youth. Lawrence Erlbaum
Associates.

Promoting Professional and Personal Growth of Educators and Excellence in Education 11