Dress for Success

We're moving into the dual role of teacher and student, also known as being a student teacher, this week. During orientation, they kept emphasizing what to wear. Honestly, it frustrates me. It's not that I don't have business casual/professional clothes to wear. I do. Last year, I was at a school where everyone had to adhere to business casual dress code. I think that's the right attitude to have. Everyone should have to do it. In most cases, it's only going to be the student teachers who will have to dress up.

I don't want to stand out more than I already do. I don't want to look like I'm trying so hard to impress everyone. If I want to impress people, I want to impress them with my skills not my wardrobe. I also think that this emphasis on clothing says that we're going to judge you by what you wear first and foremost. What about people who are on a really tight budget and can't afford to buy a whole new wardrobe? Is this pressure fair?

After doing some thinking, I can see the concern about attire because the majority of students in general (not necessarily those in the program) at my school would dress inappropriately. Mini skirts and low cut tops are the uniform at my school. Despite that reasoning, I would still like it if the teachers we were working with would have to dress up too. It make everything a bit more equitable.