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may positively affect “teacher burnout” and
help to keep veteran teachers actively teaching.
Several respondents also suggested ways that
retired members might volunteer time to help For some chapters, the
new teachers: setting up classrooms, serving as recruitment strategy centered
test proctors, working with students learning to
read, creating bulletin boards, cutting out sets around a partnership with
of manipulatives, or assembling instructional
materials. a postsecondary teacher-
Meryl Orth (Manitoba State Organization)
shared the valuable support of webinars preparation program...
she found in the Virtual Teacher’s Lounge,
while Victoria Holt (South Carolina State
Organization) pointed out the synergistic effect
of DKG chapters partnering with other organizations already working to support
teachers and schools. Such partnerships with nonprofit or professional organizations,
parent groups, or student clubs may produce a greater impact than a DKG chapter
working alone. As Holt noted, “Teachers need to see a large presence over time to
engage in partnership to help themselves and their schools.”

Mentorship
Respondents also mentioned mentoring—the need for it and possible ways to
implement it. Suggestions for mentoring included the following:
• Chapter social at which new teachers are paired with a veteran teacher who
serves as a mentor.
• Partnership with a local college of education to provide professional
development and support for new teachers and interns.
• Direct contact with a school principal to offer mentors for new teachers.
• Release time for new teachers to meet with a mentor or to observe
other teachers demonstrating best practices in instruction or classroom
management.
• Induction of collegiate members who could then be mentored through their
first years of teaching.
• Professional development opportunity in partnership with a teacher-
education program (Kevorkian, 2022).
• Mentor training modules (suggested by Yvonne Gatley, Wyoming State
Organization) to better equip members to serve as effective mentors. Such
modules might be included in the DKG Leadership Discovery Centre
accessible to members on the DKG.org website.

Recruitment
Teacher recruitment was also mentioned frequently by respondents, with
some recruitment efforts reflecting a teacher shortage in the specific area. Cynthia
Moore (Alberta State Organization) described a local advertising campaign seeking
teachers, substitute teachers, teaching assistants, and support staff, while Daphne
Cagle (California State Organization) described a school district’s tuition initiative
to help school system staff complete their college degree or teaching credential in
exchange for teaching in that district for a certain number of years.

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