The clothes maketh the teacher
I'm inclined to comfort.
That means I wear clothes in soft fabrics, non-confrontational tones and shoes that don't pinch my toes - like Crocs!
When it's zero degrees, I wear a woollen cap.
Today my choice of dress found disfavour with management and I was asked to present myself in a more professional manner.
Meaning: Don't wear a warm, cosy cap to keep out the cold. And definitely don't wear the kind of clothes that hang defenseless in my closet.
Admittedly, I lean more toward being professional than looking professional. My style is unfussy, relaxed and easy-going. It's the kind of look and attitude that students in their faculty evaluations have commented on as "chilled".
In most educational institutions I've worked in there has been a dress code. I've certainly known colleagues who have been reprimanded for their choice of skirts ("too short"), trousers ("no jeans"), necklines ("too low"), fabric ("too see-through"), nail varnish ("too bright"), shoes ("no sport shoes").
I've spent three decades in education. The two things that haven't changed are teachers are still woefully underpaid, and teacher professionalism is still about the shoes you wear.
What levels of formality have you encountered in dress code?
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1 年I definitely prefer comfort too looking professional. What does it even mean in our profession? If I wear a hoodie with Peanuts print during a lesson or a session - does it make me unprofessional? Somebody once told me ?you want to teach business you have look business’ but I’m proving them wrong every time I have business English class ?? Love your scarf btw!
Educator MA in TESOL ??Podcaster, ?????????? Humanists UK Celebrant
1 年This is one that I struggle with because, like you Shifa, I value being professional and preparing lessons that support, inspire and push students... and believe in hygienic standards of dressing, but not super-defined dresscodes!
Semi-retired TESOL teacher trainer and accent reduction specialist
1 年Most work places have a dress code. I think it is part of being a professional to dress the way your workplace expects you to. Tie or no tie, I couldn't care less. You can find comfortable formal clothes. The thing is too that a lot of nationalities expect their teachers to dress in a certain way. Like it or not. So I stopped making it an issue a long time ago because there are way more important issues to deal with as a teacher.
Doctoral student at the University of Exeter, forensic linguist, Communications instructor, EFL/ESL teacher, martial arts enthusiast
1 年I asked my supervisor about the dress code at the Polytechnic for faculty and she said just look presentable. Such a nice change from the UAE. I may never have to wear a tie again
Procurement Quality Management
1 年try the cotton fabric from Pakistan..