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23700. arkymalarky - 3/2/2008 4:58:45 PM HEY ULGINE! 23701. judithathome - 3/2/2008 7:29:52 PM Arky, I don't think a dress code for teachers is needed unless there is one for students...if students have to wear uniforms, I think teachers should be held to a "code" standard, too. But as MsNo says, in a rural school where some kids do well to even GET to school, I think there are much more important things to worry about and I knoiw for a fact you do better than any teacher in Prada!
It's not the clothes that make the teacher. 23702. judithathome - 3/2/2008 7:32:00 PM That said, killer shoes, MsNo! They will also look great with pants...like a boot.
If I were you, I'd definitely trade out the flats with the heels...don't mess up your knees, no matter what you do! 23703. arkymalarky - 3/2/2008 9:47:13 PM Thanks, Judith!
I don't think I could teach in a school that required students to wear uniforms. Our dress code is pretty typical, but probably more conservative than a lot of districts. Our former principal used to tell the kids at the beginning of every year that she didn't want to see the "three b's--butts, boobs, and bellies." 23704. Ms. No - 3/3/2008 9:18:44 AM Hi Ulgine!
I grew up doing it. Both my parents were actors and I was in my firt play at 4 years old so it was never anything that seemed scary to me --- unless I had to sing solo and that used to terrify me. It still can make me really nervous but that's mostly after the fact --- my hands sometimes shake when I'm done. 23705. Ms. No - 3/3/2008 9:21:40 AM Juditha,
Yeah, I'm going to have to train myself to heels. I figure some excercises to strengthen the muscles supporting my knees won't go amiss either. I'm sadly out of shape and really noticing it these last couple of months when I'm not walking to class all the time. 23706. thoughtful - 3/3/2008 3:58:13 PM I've added heels back to my wardrobe to wear with pants and i've noticed two things...the height of the heel matters. Even a 1/2" higher can make it much more stressful to walk in. Toe shape matters...rounded toes leave lots more room than pointed toes. I also look for cushioned or rubber soles whenever possible as they do make standing much more tolerable and slipping less likely.
The other thing is that flats are back. Ballet slipper types and others that have some style and flare can be a lot more comfortable and look great with skirts. 23707. judithathome - 3/3/2008 11:10:37 PM Remember a few years ago when I was bemoaning the lack of really good...and cute...flat shoes? They have finally caught up to me! 23708. thoughtful - 3/3/2008 11:40:36 PM Yeah...I've since found some nice ones at Liz Claiborne...fortunately we have an outlet nearby. 23709. Jenerator - 3/4/2008 5:23:39 AM And in schools that have high poverty it helps not to overdress, in my experience
I think I am somewhere in the middle on this. My previous boss, who was a principal in the hood, ALWAYS wore a suit and said that if we're professionals, we dress professionally. Like or not, we ARE judged by how we dress. When we dress like schlepps, we're looked down on. When we dress a notch higher than everyone else, we're respected.
23710. Jenerator - 3/4/2008 5:25:37 AM Most of the schools in this area are on standardized dress. Basically, the kids have to dress as though they work at Target - I.e. one colored polos tucked into khakis, belted at the waist with brown or black close toed shoes.
Only the private schools require uniforms. 23711. Ms. No - 3/4/2008 9:32:12 AM I'm not so much concerned with whether my students respect my fashion sense as I'm concerned with getting detention if I'm stopped in the hall without a pass and mistaken for a student. 23712. Jenerator - 3/4/2008 2:40:22 PM Lol!
Wear your ID badge. :-)
23713. thoughtful - 3/4/2008 5:40:09 PM MsNo, I love to watch "what not to wear" and your story reminds me of a gal they had on who was often mistaken for one of the students given how youthfully and casually she dressed (jeans, tshirts, flipflops). So they gave her a makeover including comfortable, casual but more age appropriate clothing (jackets, blouses, skirts, sweaters, trousers) and she found she got more respect from the students, her peers and the administration than she did before. It's a matter of getting what's going on on the outside to match with what's going on on the inside in terms of age, experience, personality, confidence, etc. When they don't match, that person is doing a disservice to herself in that her personality has to overcome her outward impression rather than be enhanced by it.
I'm not trying to be judgmental here...only offering a suggestion based on what you said about yourself and your concerns. 23714. judithathome - 3/4/2008 5:51:12 PM Jen, we have a few schools that require uniforms that aren't private. In fact, the elementary school just blocks away requires them and it's with FWISD. 23715. thoughtful - 3/4/2008 6:05:54 PM I always crack up with the uniform controversy given my experience growing up.
In our high school we had a strict dress code which the senior class negotiated away with the administration so the dress code became one of nothing too naked (like a bathing suit), too distracting (like a clown outfit), or anything that would damage the building (like cleats). The net result was students wearing 'uniforms' of bell bottom hip hugger jeans and t shirts. And this was in the heyday of the "do your own thing" 60s and 70s.
In fact the 'uniforms' even went to hairdos. When I look in the class yearbook, every girl has long straight hair, no bangs, parted in the middle.
So much for individuality! 23716. Ms. No - 3/5/2008 12:36:30 AM T'ful,
No, I agree that it helps to dress the part whether it's stage or real life. It was no end of frustrating in the corporate world to find useless, do-nothing morons who got perks simply because they looked sharp.
I was never inappropriately dressed for any of my jobs, but corporate chic has never been my, (ahem) strong suit. I'm well aware that not dressing the part put me at a disadvantage as did the lack of desire to get up and spend an hour each moring "doing" my hair and make-up. I'm not a fixy person.
I think I can manage to get up each day and dress like a grown-up, however. ;-> Also, a recent make-up discovery that takes me 15 minutes total from moisturizer to mascara has been a major miracle. I like wearing it because it doesn't feel nasty and it's quick and easy to apply. Plus, it looks great.
Jeeze, I'm such a girly-girl lately. Currently I'm in jeans and clogs and preparing to go hang with lots of stray dogs at the SPCA this evening. It's my first volunteer orientation meeting and I'm really excited.....although it's still over three hours away. 23717. arkymalarky - 3/5/2008 12:41:58 AM When we dress like schlepps, we're looked down on. When we dress a notch higher than everyone else, we're respected.
I've worked for administrators who think like that, including my current principal, who was a friend of mine before she was hired. It often doesn't hold true for the classroom, and I think they waste energy worrying about stuff like that when they need to be focusing on more important things. Of course I've done this a long time and I don't have problems with discipline or lack of effort on the students' part, and in my AP classes, the class--including me--is a team. We don't have time or interest to consider what anybody's wearing. 23718. arkymalarky - 3/5/2008 12:43:23 AM Ooooh, Thoughtful--Mose told me she's submitting my name for that show. 23719. arkymalarky - 3/5/2008 12:51:44 AM I don't wear makeup to work. I rarely wear it at all. The older I get the more rebellious I am, but I also have a strong reputation where I work and could easily go to work elsewhere if I had to (I turn down offers every year), so I really just don't think about stuff like that. I could retire with full benefits after next year, and I'm just loving work with zero stress right now, especially since finishing grad school.
Enjoy your animal evening, No!
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