This three-year qualitative study explores how a Kindergarten teacher in a rural setting implements an ethic care for children in the classroom while also supporting their families. Drawing on Nel Noddings’s (1984) foundational work on care and Kristen Swanson’s mid-range theory of care in nursing, this narrative inquiry introduces a conceptual framework for rural educational research called the Rural Place-Based Theory of Care (Author, 2025). The study utilized semi-structured interviews with the teacher and parents, classroom observations, and community artifacts to develop narratives that illustrate care-informed practices rooted in rural contexts. The findings highlight effective strategies for teacher preparation programs aimed at supporting rural preservice teachers, as well as for assisting rural in-service teachers who aspire to foster care informed by rural knowledge.

Authors:
Stephanie Scherer, Purdue University, United States

About the Presenter(s)
Dr. Stephanie Scherer is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Curriculum Studies in Curriculum and Instruction in the College of Education at Purdue University.

See this presentation on the full schedule – Friday Schedule

Bookmark