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from Beta Chi Chapter (2022) of Louisiana State Organization of The Delta Kappa
                             Gamma Society International (DKG) also attend this meeting to encourage teachers
                             to join the chapter so that they will have additional layers of support.
                                The third meeting is scheduled prior to the first parent-teacher conference. Many
                             times, new teachers are filled with anxiety about meeting parents and discussing
                             student  progress  or  the  lack  thereof.  This  meeting  targets  how  to  communicate
                             effectively with parents during a conference. During this meeting, Dr. Neal also
                             provides professional development in the areas of special education and inclusion,
        Dr. Gwile Paul Freeman   Section 504, and academically gifted, as well as delineates how to refer students for
        is a retired Louisiana   special education evaluations.
        educator whose career
        culminated in service as   The  remaining  two  meetings  focus  on  using  the  Compass  teacher  rubric
        a school superintendent.   (Louisiana Department of Education, 2022a), which is the instrument utilized for
        She is a member of Beta   teacher observation and evaluation in Louisiana. The Compass focuses on developing
        Chi Chapter of Lousiana   student  learning  targets  and  using  Bloom’s  Taxonomy  to  adjust  questioning
        State Organization,   techniques to help students at all academic levels experience success (Armstrong,
        having served as     2010). Time is also invested in reviewing any materials from previous sessions on
        chapter parlimentarian,
        as first and second   which participants might need additional clarification. Structured support can be
        vice president, and as   provided and tailored to individual teacher needs at the last meeting of the year
        Northeast District Director   based on the survey feedback, so it is crucial that the CPSD collect this data after
        and state organization   each NEST meeting.
        music representative. Dr.
        Freeman was a participant                       Collaborative Network
        in the Beatrice Davis
        Leadership Seminar.     In addition to the five meetings that are supported with the ESI grant, the CPSD
                             is collaborating with the LDOE through the NTE grant from July 2022 until June
        gfreeman@davidfreeman.  2023. Funds from this grant are being used for mentor-teacher training for veteran
        org                  teachers as well as for regional bi-monthly training and self-paced online training
                             for novice teachers that focuses on building their pedagogical skills and content
                             knowledge. Once teachers begin the work of the grant, if they express interest in
                             affinity groups, then funds can be allocated for travel and training in this area as well.
                                To  begin  this  work,  certified  veteran  teachers  have  been  enrolled  in  mentor-
                             teacher  training  through  the  Associated  Professional  Educators  of  Louisiana
                             (A+PEL; 2022), and they were assigned a NEST participant as a mentee beginning
                             in the fall of 2022. The mentors attend NEST meetings to provide additional support
                             for the new teachers. NEST participants began their regional meetings and online
                             training in the fall semester as well.

                                                               Motivation
                                When  a  district  provides  teachers  with  motivation  and  knowledge  through  a
                             teacher-induction program, teachers regulate their actions based on their individual
                             levels of self-efficacy to achieve their goals. The CPSD recognizes the value of
                             working to increase teacher self-efficacy through the NEST program because self-
                             efficacy impacts choices that are made, how difficulties are endured, and how stressors
                             encountered in the classrooms are managed (Bandura et al., 2003). Motivating and
                             encouraging new teachers helps build their self-efficacy and their determination to
                             achieve success as educators.
                                The CPSD is investing grant funds to have veteran teachers trained as mentors
                             who  can  provide  motivation  by  sharing  wisdom,  guidance,  and  encouragement.
                             The Beta Chi Chapter works to motivate all new teachers within the district by
                             providing them with needed supplies and support, and invitations to join DKG are


        8                                            The Delta Kappa Gamma Bulletin: International Journal for Professional Educators
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