Thirty-seven counties in Iowa are considered completely rural, which is more than one-third of the state’s 99 counties, according to an Iowa State University report.

In these areas, just like anywhere else, there’s a need for great teachers to help the population grow, evolve, and fill these rural areas with bright-minded individuals. The University of Iowa’s College of Education is helping teachers return to their rural roots and support these environments.

In recent years, the College of Education has produced many notable educators who have gone on to work in rural parts of Iowa. Three notable individuals are working to help teach the next generation in these high-need areas.

According to IowaWORKS, the statewide teacher recruitment site, there are currently 1,010 open educator positions across Iowa. In rural areas, that need is much higher. The Iowa Department of Education suggests that special education, math, science, and the arts are the highest need departments for educators. In Belle Plaine, Iowa, there are 196 students in the Junior/Senior High School, with only 22 teachers to compensate for the demand.

Lindsey Maston, a science teacher at Belle Plaine High School, graduated from the UI in 2021 with a master’s degree in education. Growing up in Solon, Iowa, she knew that moving to a small town would be a large but welcomed change.

“I always had an interest in smaller schools after student-teaching at Belle Plaine,” Maston said. “I really like this school district because of the smallness of it. I get to know all my coworkers and all the students, even if I don’t teach them in a class. You get to know their personalities and who they are as people.”

A former Noyce scholar required to work two years in a high-needs area, Maston was pushed toward rural school districts for her career. Because of the small feel of classes at the UI, she was prepared for the smaller environment at Belle Plaine.

“I feel like it was a really well-rounded curriculum that helped prepare me for my specific discipline,” Maston said. “It really prepares you for real-life experiences as well as content. It’s also really close-knit. It’s a small feel at a big university, which was really cool.”

Maston’s work allows her to connect with students of all backgrounds, where entire graduating classes contain 30 or 40 students total.

“Working in a rural school like this, you get a diversity of students that you’re working with, and it can make you really appreciative,” Maston said. “A lot of them really want to come to school. At this smaller school, you get those kids that want to share with you.”

In addition to Maston, UI alum Derek Hansen graduated in 2022 and became a high school English language arts teacher in Missouri Valley. His journey from sports journalist to educator is attributed to the professors and classes he had at the UI.

“Iowa was super welcoming. I knew I wanted to do something that impacted lives,” Hansen said. “While it had that big school feel coming from a small town, the UI gave me that small, intimate experience with my professors and my classmates.”

Hansen went back to his hometown for his career, returning to Missouri Valley as a teacher in the high school he attended. He knew he wanted to make a difference for the students like his teachers did for him.

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“I’m teaching at the school I went to, so there’s that sense of pride, but with that comes a sense of pressure,” Hansen said. “I want these kids to have the same positive experience I did. I want them to feel welcome and confident when they leave my room. At a small school, it gives me the best ability to do that at a higher volume.”

Teachers in rural, high-need districts often know that some students come to school as an escape from their daily lives. Hansen makes it a point to be that security for his students.

“Small rural areas, we really do see students with tough backgrounds a lot of times. Each day is a new day,” Hansen said. “Some of these kids really look forward to coming to school because they’re not at home. To have that sense of sanctuary is a big responsibility, but I try to take it day by day.”

Similarly to Hansen, Olivia Plowman returned to a town close to her home to take a job as an art teacher. Originally from Clarinda, Iowa, she now teaches at Shenandoah Elementary School.

“When I got out of high school, I was ready to go see something different and be away from here,” Plowman said. “But when I moved back for student teaching, I fell in love with being in a small town all over again. The people are just so kind and genuine and approachable. I’m never afraid to ask for more support or help.”

In school districts, particularly rural areas, the arts are typically neglected. Plowman is aware of this and fights to keep her program alive for her elementary students.

“When I was growing up in school, I had some really lovely teachers, but a lot of rural communities don’t always get a lot of fine arts exposure,” Plowman said. “So, I’m really excited to bring that back to this area that I love and the area I grew up in and help other kids grow up with the arts.”

Like Hansen and Maston, Plowman enjoyed having a focus in the College of Education because of the smaller feel of the curriculum and connecting with other students and faculty.

 “I felt like I was really close with my peers and professors,” Plowman said. “Even though it’s a really big university, I still had smaller class sizes and was able to ask questions and get help from anyone I needed to.”

Editor’s note: A previously published version of this article inaccurately stated the number of open educator positions in Iowa. The DI regrets this error.