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DKG Practice/Program

Building Intentional, Relationship-

Focused Professional Development for

Induction Teachers

By Michele A. McKie

Research shows early-career educators need support during their beginning years if we are going to retain
them in the field of education (Sutcher et al., 2016). As a member of Delta Kappa Gamma (DKG) Alpha
Epsilon Chapter in Georgia State Organization and an assistant professor at Georgia Southwestern State
University (GSW) in the College of Education, I knew our members had varied expertise that could
support new teachers. Reflecting on how we could support our local educators, I envisioned a plan to
use the expertise of our members. In February 2022, I proposed a partnership of the GSW College of
Education and DKG Alpha Epsilon to support early-career educators in the surrounding school districts
through an induction program.

Program Planning: What Would Our Support Look Like?
I proposed the members of Alpha Epsilon Chapter connect with new teachers in our region through
strategic and intentional methods. Each DKG member wanting to work in the program would identify one
or two new teachers in her school who would benefit from support. The GSW College of Education would
host four socials where DKG members could bring their identified new teachers. Members had the option
to bring more than one new teacher from their school.
GSW would facilitate the table conversations, and DKG
members would spread out to have mentor conversations
with the new teachers.
We also wanted to include interns as teachers. In
Georgia, educator preparation providers (EPPs) receive
requests for interns who are finishing their undergraduate
programs to serve as teachers of record. Accordingly, the
Clinical Director—who works with P–12 school district
partners, faculty, and interns at GSW—ensured that
GSW interns would participate in the induction program.
Although they were required to attend the events as part
of their paid internship, this program would allow them to work through the struggles of being a new
teacher with other novice educators.
The schedule for the socials was developed around the work of Ellen Moir (2016), who researched the
phases of first-year teachers’ attitudes toward teaching: anticipation, survival, disillusionment, rejuvenation,
and reflection. We intentionally planned our events during the periods of survival, disillusionment, and
rejuvenation. Moir’s research (2016) showed these phases occur naturally throughout the year. The survival
phase is the downward slide toward disillusionment, where new teachers stay for a few months before
the upward turn of teacher attitudes progresses positively near March in the rejuvenation phase. We also
knew we needed to continue support beyond our socials. Throughout the remaining months of the school
year, GSW used a private Facebook group to provide resources to the new educators and DKG members
on topics related to these critical phases. Between the social events, DKG members were encouraged
to support the educators through text messages, classroom visits, and other ways they envisioned and
developed.

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