From City Kid to Rural Teacher: My Journey as a Person of Color in Small-Town Michigan

I was raised in the fourth-largest city in Michigan by population. So, how did I go from being a city kid to living and teaching in towns with populations under 10,000? And why, as a person of color, would I choose to teach in rural America? Isn't that dangerous?

These are the questions I often get from family, friends, and college classmates. My parents constantly remind me to “be careful” and “watch my back.”
Before diving into my experience as a person of color teaching in rural Michigan, let me share some background. I grew up in a big city and attended school in the second-largest school district in Michigan, where I also completed my student teaching. Growing up, I dreamed of teaching in my home district. It felt comfortable—my zone.

However, during student teaching, I encountered the downsides of big districts: overcrowded classrooms, bureaucracy, and a lack of flexibility in teaching methods. With 30+ students in a class and little room for creativity, I knew this wasn’t the teaching environment I wanted. I realized I wanted a different experience.

That’s when the idea of teaching in a rural district hit me. My dream shifted from teaching in my home district of Utica to places like Romeo Schools. I started applying for jobs statewide, from Metro Detroit to as far north as the Upper Peninsula and as far west as St. Joseph. While I didn’t get a call back from Romeo, other districts showed interest. I traveled across the state for interviews—from Alpena in the north to Quincy in the west. Most of the positions went to internal candidates or veteran teachers, but in July 2021, I finally landed a job in St. Ignace.

St. Ignace, a tourist town with a year-round population of about 2,500, is one of the gateways to Mackinac Island. The town has two schools, K-8 and high, with an average student population of 400. I spent two years there, teaching fifth grade in my first year and K-8 technology in my second. While I enjoyed the experience and made great friends, I needed more consistency in my teaching assignments, which pushed me to move districts.

​I now teach fifth grade at Dowagiac Union Schools, where I’m in my second year.

Teaching as a Person of Color in Rural Michigan

When I started teaching, I was nervous. Stories about racism in rural areas and the lack of diversity made me cautious. As an Indian American—my parents immigrated from India—I wasn’t sure how I’d be received. But my fears eased once I met my students, parents, and colleagues. Most people were kind and welcoming.
That said, my first year was tough. I lacked classroom management skills, having done my student teaching online. I tried different approaches, many of which didn’t work. My students saw me as the “cool young teacher,” making maintaining authority hard.

Eventually, I noticed a shift in how veteran teachers treated me. Their attitudes cooled, likely because they felt I was too friendly with the students. That’s when I decided to join the teachers' union—not for the conferences or activities, but for protection. I wanted a safety net in case of accusations, especially as a male teacher of color.
I also learned critical lessons from my mentor: never be alone with a student in the classroom, always leave your door open, and avoid situations where two problematic students might conspire against you. Early in my career, some students tried to get me fired because I struggled with classroom management.
Despite the challenges, teaching in rural Michigan has its rewards. In St. Ignace, I could walk into the superintendent’s office for a casual conversation or see them pop into my classroom unexpectedly. My current superintendent even tailgated with me at a Notre Dame game! These personal connections are rare in large districts.

Class sizes are another significant benefit. In my first year of teaching, I had only 15 students. Now, I have 18, and the number will never exceed 25. This allows me to build stronger relationships with my students and provide individualized attention.

Of course, living in a small town has its downsides. Everyone knows everyone, which means rumors spread quickly. However, the sense of community and support often outweigh the negatives.

Embracing the Journey

Stepping out of my comfort zone to teach in rural Michigan has been life-changing. It hasn’t been easy—I was iced out by veteran teachers, experienced meltdowns, and nearly lost my job—but it’s taught me resilience and self-discovery.

I’ll leave you with this thought for anyone considering a similar path: growth comes when you embrace the uncomfortable and take risks. For me, this leap turned out to be one of the best decisions of my life.

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