Growing up in Old Town, Maine, Emma Tupper was surrounded by forests, farms and the kind of close-knit community that defines rural life. At her small school, she immersed herself in theater, student council and National Honor Society, experiences that helped shape her future.
“I knew from a very early age that I wanted to be a teacher,” she said.
That goal became a reality this spring when Tupper graduated from the University of Maine College of Education and Human Development with a bachelor’s degree in secondary education with a concentration in social studies and a minor in history.
This fall, she’ll begin her first teaching job as a seventh- and eighth-grade social studies teacher at Medway Middle School. There, she’ll help students better understand the world around them while building on the strengths of their own communities.
“I want to teach younger kids about our world, and I think social studies is a great way to do that,” said Tupper.
She credits her preparation at UMaine with helping her feel ready for the classroom. UMaine is building a system of robust, rural-focused programs that support small towns and rural schools across the state. It also leads a network of like-minded advocates and organizations throughout the larger region as the New England hub for the national nonprofit Rural Schools Collaborative.
“In Maine, almost every school is rural, and that means there is a lot of multigrade teaching. Teaching rural means scaffolding content to relate to their life and their experiences for multiple grades,” Tupper said.
One of the most meaningful parts of her time at UMaine came through the Rural THRIVE project, which gave her opportunities to experience the realities of teaching in rural schools while building relationships with fellow educators. Launched with a $3.3 million federal investment awarded to the University of Maine System and led by the College of Education and Human Development, Rural THRIVE provides ongoing professional development, mentorship and other evidence-based support to rural teachers at different stages of their careers. Its goal is to improve resilience and retention among rural educators and school leaders, as well as boost Pre-K-12 student outcomes.
As a UMaine student, Tupper took part in the project’s Rural Substitute Teaching and Innovation Corps (RuSTIC), which connects undergraduate students with rural schools in need of substitute teachers. Members of the Rural THRIVE team support RuSTIC students by assisting with their substitute teaching applications, preparing them for what to expect before they enter the classroom and debriefing with them afterward. Partner districts benefit because the program expands their pool of substitute teachers. Participating students also are more likely to return to substitute in the district when additional coverage is needed.
Through RuSTIC, Tupper served as a substitute teacher in Medway for a day while an experienced teacher attended a Rural THRIVE professional development retreat. When a full-time teaching position became available in the district, the connections and relationships she formed as a RuSTIC substitute helped her secure the job she’ll begin this fall.
“It’s good exposure for the student teachers, but also for the teachers to be able to get culturally relevant professional development,” she said.
Beyond the RuSTIC experience, Rural THRIVE reinforced something Tupper hopes to carry throughout her career: the importance of community. As she prepares for her first year of teaching, Rural THRIVE continues to support her journey. She attended the recent UMaine Summer Educators Institute, joining more than 100 fellow educators to learn and grow through inspiring keynote speakers, workshops and educator-led team projects focused on improving aspects of their school community.
“I felt very connected,” Tupper said. “It just reinforces that I am in exactly the space I want to be.”
A longer version of this story originally appeared on the Rural Schools Collaborative website as part of its I Am a Rural Teacher initiative. It is shared here with permission.
Contact: Casey Kelly, casey.kelly@maine.edu
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