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.

Chapter Challenge is an annual “challenge” to each chapter to raise money to advance KDP’s mission to inspire and equip future and new teachers to thrive. In the 2023-2024 academic year, 95 chapters raised $6,582.43 for Chapter Challenge! As a nonprofit organization, KDP relies on membership dues and the generosity of donors to fulfill our mission. Participating in Chapter Challenge is a great opportunity to help KDP cultivate innovative programming and projects. Your chapter can join us in making a difference for fellow teachers and chapters nationwide through your support of Chapter Challenge.

Chapter Challenge

• Raise $150.
• Get acknowledged in the annual report, at a KDP national event, and on KDP.org.
• Receive a perpetual plaque the first year your chapter achieves Chapter Challenge; year plates are added for the subsequent (7) years of participation.
• Gain points on the ACE award application.

Chapter Challenge Plus

• Raise $250 or more.
• Get acknowledged in the annual report, at a KDP national event, and on KDP.org.
• Receive a perpetual plaque the first year your chapter achieves Chapter Challenge; year plates are added for the subsequent (7) years of participation.
• Gain points on the ACE award application.

See The Impact

Since 2012, chapters have raised $135,872.76 for Chapter Challenge! Thank you to all the chapters that have participated so far in 2023-2024!

These funds contribute to these initiatives and more!

• Community Forum An online forum to encourage collaboration and foster community among members
• Teaching Channel Free access to Teaching Channel for career development, individualized coaching, and personalized professional learning
• Liability Insurance $1 million professional liability insurance for career protection
• Webinar Library Live and on-demand webinars with personalized transcript and certificates

Take Action Now

• Include a Chapter Challenge event in your activities calendar.
• Designate your chapter’s rebate as a Chapter Challenge donation.
• Find out how much your chapter has given here.
• Send your Chapter Challenge donations by June 30, 2024, to count for the 2023–2024 academic year.
• Donate online by PayPal, Venmo, Apple Pay, Google Pay, ACH, or credit card.
• Alternatively, donate by check by completing this form and mailing it to:

If you have any questions about participating in Chapter Challenge, please contact Natalie Pemberton at npemberton@kdp.org or (317) 829-1560.