In Korea, there is increasing social gap between city schools and rural schools. One of the
reasons is that teachers prefer city schools to rural schools except some teachers who want
promotion. This study explores recognition and experiences of nine teachers who voluntarily
moved from large city schools to small agricultural elementary schools. They got transferred to
rural schools because of their children's education and freer and more comfortable living.
Working in rural schools, they frustrated with the fact that they could not realize quality class,
since students did not have proper learning readiness caused by poor family background. Their
quality teaching is based on proper students who are well cared and managed by urban middle
class parents. Another problem is that small rural school cultures to emphasize harmony among
teachers often kept them from preparing for class and instead promoted mutual friendship. It
prevented them from rational decision making, following views of the eldest or the boss.
Frequent official documents and trips are another elements that they could not concentrate on
teaching and teaching preparation. In conclusion, they had negative views on working in rural
schools not because of inconvenient living conditions but because of educational systems and
cultures that do not value enough teaching and learning and that they could not realize quality
class as they expected. It is because they are teachers and also parents whose children attend
their schools.