FEATURES OF TRAINING THE FUTURE TEACHER OF A RURAL SCHOOL

Introduction. A retrospective analysis of scientific papers published in peer-reviewed leading domestic and foreign pedagogical journals and other scientific and methodological publications proved the relevance and importance of the issue of training the future teacher of a rural school. The analysis of the curricula of pedagogical areas of training in the system of secondary vocational education and higher education shows that the current program does not fully take into account the state and level of competence required for the future teacher to carry out pedagogical activities in a rural environment. Most academic disciplines are taught without regard for the specific conditions and features of work in a rural school. Thus, there is a contradiction between the need to train teachers of rural schools and the lack of a model for the implementation of this training. Given this circumstance, the work plan is proposed to build the readiness of future teachers to carry out pedagogical activities in a rural environment. In accordance with this, the paper aims to generalize pedagogical experience in training the future teacher of a rural school, using the example of ”Angarsk Pedagogical College” (Irkutsk region). Materials and methods. The methods employed in the study are meta-analysis of scientific, psychological, and pedagogical literature on training teachers of rural schools; pedagogical observation; conversation; questioning; and interviewing representatives/employers from rural schools. The current trends in pedagogical work in the field of training the future teacher of a rural school are highlighted. These include:1) theoretical training (introduction of meaningful material into the educational disciplines, given the specifics of the rural environment); 2) practical application of the acquired knowledge and skills (creation of pedagogical conditions for college students to gain pedagogical experience of professional activity in a rural school):3) self–improvement/self–knowledge of the future teacher’s personality (the triad of their actions – “think – plan – find”; “comprehend – act – justify”; “act – diagnose – establish”). The program of practical work, which is designed for future teachers to master the general and professional competencies in the field of pedagogical activities in a rural environment, is presented. The results of the study. Based on the data obtained, the elective course “School as a socio-cultural and educational center of the village” was developed. According to the results of the survey and active pedagogical observation, a group of students from Angarsk Pedagogical College and its branch in Usolye – Sibirskoye (mainly with a high and average level of readiness for pedagogical activity in a rural environment) was involved. The group included forty three 1st – 4th year students majoring in “Teaching in primary classes”. The course program consisted of a training session, a workshop, an extracurricular event (a holiday, a concert, a festival, an entertainment program, a competition, an exhibition, an action), and others. The paper presents examples of training sessions with a detailed description of the features of their preparation, structure, methods, and forms of interaction with all participants in the pedagogical process. Special attention is paid to the results of the work of future teachers during the period of practical training mainly in rural areas (Angarsk city district; Usolsky, Cheremkhovsky, Katangsky, Zhigalovsky, Ekhirit-Bulagatsky, and other districts). At the end of the course, a final survey of the group members was organized. Comparative analysis showed the following results: a) the percentage of students experiencing anxiety in the process of teaching decreased (from 18 % to 10 %); b) confidence in constructive dialogue with different categories of rural population (mastery of active listening technologies / elements of mediation) increased (from 41 %, to 57 %); c) the level of motivation to learn new, non-traditional forms and methods of teaching and educating rural schoolchildren increased (from 64 % to 82 %); d) there was a growth in the interest in pedagogical activity and hence life in a rural environment (from 15 % to 36 %). Conclusion. The practical significance of the work is that the plan of practical work is proposed to enable future teachers to master general and professional competencies necessary for the pedagogical activities in a rural environment. The main directions of pedagogical work are highlighted, including (1) theoretical training; 2) practical application of the acquired knowledge and skills; 3) self-improvement/self-knowledge of the future teacher’s personality, which determine the success of training the future teacher. The findings of the study revealed the psychological and pedagogical conditions that influenced the performance of the elective course program “School as a socio-cultural and educational center of the village” and practical work in general. These conditions include: the development of positive motivation to work in students; the integration of psychological, pedagogical, and methodological training; the use of students’ vital experience; the continuity of theoretical and practical training; the enrichment of the content of social and humanities disciplines with the information on local history of rural society. The results of the study indicate the relevance of the chosen topic. At the same time, a critical analysis of the data obtained provides a niche for further reflection. The prospect for the research is seen in the field of the organization of educational activities in the system of professional training of the future teacher of a rural school with focus on ways, principles, and conditions.