External input and internal generation: the Chinese experience of how urban retired teachers maximize support for impoverished rural schools

Re-employment of retired teachers is regarded as a method to move towards productive aging and improve education quality. Existing studies have provided new knowledge on retired teachers’ value, recruitment, and teaching, especially in higher education. However, the logic of practice and impact of retired urban teachers supporting impoverished rural schools in western China has not been systematically reported. A principal, a vice-principal, three young and middle-aged teachers, and four urban retired teachers from an impoverished rural primary school in western China were recruited and interviewed. The practical model and theoretical construction of urban retired teachers supporting impoverished rural schools based on Chinese culture are dynamically elaborated in the inter-embedding of social support and endogenous development theory, as well as interview data. It is found that practicing classroom teaching, promoting classroom construction, and assisting school governance are typical behaviors of urban retired teachers supporting impoverished rural schools through external input. In addition, helping young and middle-aged teachers optimize curriculum and teaching, and providing professional training in educational policy, practice, and theory, are effective practices for urban retired teachers to help impoverished rural schools realize endogenous development. This theoretical logic offers a unique pedagogical contribution to understanding the challenges of an aging society and empowering impoverished rural schools. Moreover, this study highlights the practical value and policy implications of maximizing retired teachers’ human resources and narrowing the gap between urban and rural education.