Programming

By making the decision to pursue a career in the field of education, you've taken on a daunting task. Teaching is a complex and evolving career that will keep you on your toes. And while collegiate courses provide the knowledge-on-paper that teachers need to succeed, it's only part of the equation. At KDP, we know that professional development offers the real-life knowledge and experience you need to succeed. That's why our professional development resources for future and new teachers are second-to-none. Check out some of the tools and resources available to you to get started!

• Teacher Panel: Work with the alumni members of your chapter or local teachers in your community to discuss dealing with difficult parents, culturally responsive pedagogy implementation, classroom management, diversity, equity, and inclusion in the classroom, and more. Tip: Consider having new teachers, seasoned educators, and teacher leaders on your panel.
• Webinars: Webinars are a great way to engage with your members. You can choose a TED talk, a KDP Webinar, or another educational experience to observe. Then, come together as a group, ideally with questions and discussion topics, to debrief after the learning experience.
• Guest Speaker: Invite an outside speaker or non-education faculty member to share their expertise on an area that has an impact on the field of education. You can include local government officials, homeless shelters, youth and community centers, child protective services, or even psychology professors. Education is impacted by many other fields, so get creative!
• Conference/Workshop: Host an event for teacher candidates, new teachers, and experienced educators to come together for a full-day conference. You can choose a theme for the day and have breakout sessions to discuss the topics. Themes could be classroom management, prioritizing mental health, preparing for licensure, and more!
• Combine Community Service and Professional Development: Blend your professional development and service projects! You can do this by combining a clothing swap with discussing green classrooms or hosting a webinar with a local school district’s principal or teachers and adopting a classroom or teacher’s lounge at that school! The opportunities are endless.
• Utilize Popular Culture and Media: Watch a documentary or film relevant to education as a chapter and discuss following the film.
• Test Preparation: Help one another prepare for licensure by discussing EdTPA portfolio and Praxis readiness strategies. Some chapters include a stress-relief station during finals for members to color, socialize, and snack together.

Community Service plays a fundamental role in the success of every KDP chapter. Giving generously of your time and talents is essential not only to growing as a professional, but as a human, too. When planning your chapter's community service event, this page is a great place to spark some ideas. However, if you don't find one here that fits your chapter's needs and goals, we encourage you to think outside of the box!  

• Local School Partnerships: Adopt a classroom or teacher’s lounge, volunteer to read books to students, do a book or school supply drive, conduct teacher appreciation days, host special events (parent’s day/night out, STEM/STEAM night, fall festival, carnival, etc.) or sponsor a club. The opportunities are endless!
• Campus Events: Children’s area at homecoming, faculty appreciation, Take Back The Night, alumni weekends, campus visits, or dress for success for graduating students.
• Environmental/Sustainable Service: Adopt-a-Highway, community garden, recycling drive, community clean-up, or even adopt “green” practices as a chapter by hosting a clothing swap, upcycle events, or sponsor microloans.
• Value-based Events: Diversity Day, anti-bullying projects, student leadership development, diversity, equity, and inclusion. Disaster relief projects, etc.
• Holiday Themed Events: Trick-or-treating/trunk-or-treat, mask making, pumpkin carving, winter cookie decorating, holiday baskets, gift or coat drives, Valentine’s Day card drives, adopt-a-family, etc.
• Collections and Drives: Blankets, canned food, winter items, money, shoes, books, toys, hygiene items, school supplies, clothing, backpacks, or cleaning products.

Every successful KDP chapter needs funds to operate to its full potential. You can collect chapter dues and initiation fees or do fundraising activities as a group. As a bonus, your members will also learn valuable lessons in organizing events and budgeting, and will have opportunities to network and connect with peers and the greater community.

KDP is here to support your as you grow your chapter and inspire your members. Check out some of the ideas below to see what other groups are doing on campus, and put your own teaching twist on it!

• Host a Social Event: Host a craft/canvas night, back-to-school ice cream social, pizza party, bowling, or another social event. Charge a fee for attendees to join and have a good time!
• Raffle Baskets: Put together baskets (movie night, tea/cocoa/coffee basket, baked treats, fruit, popcorn, etc.) and sell raffle tickets to your members. Raffle these baskets off at the end of your event.
• Charge for Non-members to Attend Events: Hosting a special event night like a carnival, game night, or movie night? Invite as many learners as you would like. Charge for entry from those that are not members and have fun!
• Restaurant Fundraising Nights: Many restaurants will allow groups to schedule fundraising nights where a percentage of the night’s sales comes back to the chapter. Most will require diners to bring in a coupon or flyer, so be sure to create one and hand it out. 
• Bake Sale: Whether you work with a local bakery to donate baked goods for a chapter bake sale or gather as a chapter to bake items before the event, a bake sale is a tried-and-true winning fundraiser.

Celebration of Teaching is KDP's Signature Service Initiative. This program encourages KDP members to support current teachers, cultivate future teachers, and advocate for the teaching profession.

Show off your program and be a part of the conversation on social media using #CelebrateTeaching.