Posts Tagged ‘perceptions’

What does “rural” mean to you?

September 2nd, 2010

Have you ever asked a young adult, “What does ‘rural’ mean to you?”  Thanks to the GoTeach South Dakota program, I recently asked that question to a group of college students who have made the decision to teach in rural, high need schools in South Dakota.  To make the activity more interesting, I asked them to draw their thoughts on a map of South Dakota.  Their responses were very interesting.

What did they think?

The responses ranged from inventive to … interesting.  One respondent drew a lawn mower, suggesting that rural meant “slower traffic” and that it was ok to drive a lawn mower down the street because it wouldn’t be holding up traffic.  Another person drew a deer being shot by a stickman with a caption “Hello supper,” representing the opportunities of outdoor recreation offered by rural places.

There were some less flattering responses like, “I’m bored,” and “there’s no shopping.” Other responses were more positive including, rural community are made up of close-knit families and unique small towns. 

The most common response showed the cities of Sioux Falls and Rapid City being crossed out, representing that the entire state was rural except for these two communities. 

Overall, I thought it was great to see the diversity in their responses.  I see elements of each of them in the rural communities I have lived in. 

A few more thoughts

As I returned to work following the event, a quote that has hung on my office wall for the last 5-6 years caught my attention.  It originates from a study published by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation titled Perceptions of Rural America, and goes like this:

 This means that perceptions of rural America are centered on a series of dichotomies – rural life represents traditional American values, but is behind the times; rural life is more relaxed and slower than city life, but harder and more grueling; rural life is friendly, but intolerant of outsiders and difference; and rural life is richer in community life, but epitomized by individuals struggling independently to make ends meet. Rural America offers a particular quality of life including serenity and aesthetic surroundings, and yet it is plagued by lack of opportunities, including access to cultural activities.”  (source:  Perceptions of Rural America, W.H. Kellogg Foundation,  2002)

 

Dichotomies – both good and bad

I keep the phrase on my wall because it reminds me of the challenges of marketing and branding rural communities.  It reminds me that people react differently to phrases like “everyone knows each other in a small town.”  For some it conjures up images of safety and familiarity; for other, it suggests small towns are like Peyton Place.  The reality is that there’s a little of both in all rural communities. 

At the end of the session with the students, I offered two bits of advice:  (1) dig deeper into the stereotypes,  both positive and negative, that we hear about rural communities, and (2) reject the notion that all rural communities are the same.  I think that’s advice we can all benefit from. 

 

Note: The GoTeach South Dakota program is a federally funded Teacher Quality Partnership grant aimed at increasing student achievement and developing high quality teachers for high need areas. The program includes comprehensive education, training, support and professional development for teachers recruited to serve in qualifying school districts.

Photo Credit:  KTPUPP – Flickr

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Posted in Community Development, education, Rural | Comments (2)