I'm not certain if it's due to a real problem or if school administrator programs are running out of things to champion as of late, but teacher dress codes are definitely becoming a big topic as of late. Many bemoan the poor dress and informal attire of teachers. Casual days are over for teachers in some districts as well as a nice polo shirt and jeans on friday don't cut it. Districts are even providing lessons on how to dress up.

I will say that the best college instructor I had came to campus every day dressed like a car mechanic. Perhaps if he wore a white shirt and a tie his teaching ability woud've improved.

Questions for debate:

1.)Does how a given instructor dress influence whether or not they are a good instructor?


2.)How much should individuality and current style be allowed to influence the dress code?


3.)How much respect is afforded to teachers who dress like Ward Cleaver rather than Eldridge Cleaver?

Questions for debate:

1.)Does how a given instructor dress influence whether or not they are a good instructor?

In pre-school and elementary, they used to stress to me as a parent, that I should try to connect with a child if I am trying to communicate with one. Sit down at the child's level, make eye contact, etc.

I know I have heard (but had a hard time documenting) that a red necktie is supposed to create an air of authority and credibility. (Hence when Bush is slipping in the polls, the newspaper always runs the photo of him wearing a blue necktie.)

When I tried to document the role of a necktie to intimidate, I came across an altogether different history:


Our daughter's school principal maintains that a necktie is a symbol of being a "professional." I maintain that a professional is a person who is distinguished by the way in which he gets his job done, not by his clothing.

My personal experience is largely factory based, where loose clotting can be a safety hazard, and suit coats can lead to heat exhaustion.

Bill Gates, I have been told runs one of the world's most successful corporations and refuses to wear a necktie.

So, I turned to web sites that were trying to sell me neckties, where I learned that they were originally part of a military uniform. That tends to support the testimony of every self defense instructor I ever had that a necktie can be used as a weapon. Every shop instructor has pointed out that a necktie can be drawn into moving machinery and choke the wearer.

2.)How much should individuality and current style be allowed to influence the dress code?

If you institute a dress code, go full bore and provide a uniform for everyone. Otherwise accept the fact that you are dealing with human beings, and try to accommodate their individual traits. My favorite color is plaid, and despite the fact that it is July 4th, I will dress in a flannel shirt. I need it to keep warm.

I've worked in an environment where clothing needed to be fireproof, and needed to be able to be removed quickly in the event of a chemical spill. A teacher needs to be able to stand comfortably and address a group of students. I don't see where that comfort level can be improved by a dress code stipulating how gray a suit must be...

Ban high heels, they're a known safety hazard and can damage certain types of floors.

Ban neckties and other clothing that is easily used as a weapon.

But dictating what stores a teacher can shop at? What styles they can wear? That seems patently ridiculous.

3.)How much respect is afforded to teachers who dress like Ward Cleaver rather than Eldridge Cleaver?

I am not familiar with either of these people...

On the other hand, I can look back at a formal education that began circa 1950 and was continuous in one form or other (public schools, on the job training, college) through at least 1998. I could not begin to describe the clothing worn by a single instructor over that period... or what my daughter wore on the ride to camp.... or what Paladin Elspeth wore when we were shopping yesterday...

For me to be influenced by someone's clothing, it would need to be very off the wall. I'm used to football players and the like wearing clothing with their name on it when they're shopping. My daughter likes clothing with chains on it. When a young lady is in public wearing clothing that reveals more of her breasts than is probably appropriate, I tend to smile, enjoy the view, and refrain from saying "Thank You." An hour later, I might remember her gender; but I will be clueless as to hair color, clothing style, and clothing color.

Those who know me well have often been kind enough to point out my family members to me without being asked.

I remember once, 40 years ago, looking for someone when I was starting a new job. The description I was given began with, "He wears glasses." There was probably in excess of 1,000 people in that building alone, and wearing safety glasses was a condition of employment. If every teacher is required to dress alike, wear their hair a uniform length, wear the same color shoes, etc.; how will you be able to describe an individual to someone who needs to find that person?

(This post has been spell checked.)

One question we need to answer is whether or not teaching is a professional discipline. If it is, then the teacher should dress appropriately.

The second question is whether or not a teacher is an authority figure. Ask yourself: are you more likely to listen to someone wearing a tie or not wearing a tie?

Look at what the article says:



Most situations are a pendulum. When it swings too far one way (casual dress) the pendulum is likely to swing back the other way at some point.

1.)Does how a given instructor dress influence whether or not they are a good instructor?

Not much. However...

Dress does influence how other people view you. Dressing at least business casual (slacks or Dockers and a polo shirt for men, at a minimum) projects an air of responsibility. T-shirts and flip flops do not.

Half the battle of any teacher is to get the kids to respect you and pay attention. Getting too chummy with students is not a good idea and that includes dressing like kids. There is one adult in the room and he or she should be readily apparent.

Flip the question over: why would allowing casual dress make a teacher a better instructor? Answer: it won't.

2.)How much should individuality and current style be allowed to influence the dress code?

Why? Teacher instruct a curriculum: a state mandated, point-by-point list of what they need to teach. What does individuality have to do with that?

3.)How much respect is afforded to teachers who dress like Ward Cleaver rather than Eldridge Cleaver?

I believe it is a factor. Dressing up (even a bit) creates an air of authority which is sorely lacking in today's classroom. The point is not always wearing a tie (ala Ward Cleaver). The point is dressing like you didn't roll out of bed a few minutes before class started.

Teachers are professionals, they should dress like them.

[Query: Whoever said Eldridge Cleaver was a sloppy dresser?]

1.)Does how a given instructor dress influence whether or not they are a good instructor?

I don't think the dress of a teacher has an impact on teaching ability in most cases. However, if the way a teacher dresses is a distraction, then it can take away from a teacher's ability to have an impact.


2.)How much should individuality and current style be allowed to influence the dress code?

I think this is an institutional choice. However, given the trend of having students adhere to dress guidelines in many places, teachers can undermine the spirit of a school's dress code in the way they dress if they do not have a dress code.


3.)How much respect is afforded to teachers who dress like Ward Cleaver rather than Eldridge Cleaver?

I can't answer for this for "kids these days." The way we dress does say something to those that look at us. I can think of some classes where the Eldridge Cleaver look would definitely catch my attention better than the Ward Cleaver approach.

Personally I think the way a teacher dresses should support a respect for the educational process. I lean toward more formality than the average teacher (I think) in dress preference. That being said, I think there is a big difference between the high school classroom environment and the college environment. My dress was more casual in casual teaching situations.

Eeyore, I am curious...which did you consider the more casual teaching environment, high school or college? At first, I figured it must have been high school, but as I thought about it, it seems like college might actually be more condusive to a casual teaching environment. My experience (having only taught in college, as a TA, and to upper level students) was that dress code wasn't as important there as ability to command respect and relate to students, which I felt I could more easily do (as a TA) by dressing like them. However, this did tend to turn some of the faculty off, who felt that I should have dressed more professionally. Had I not been a TA, however, I probably would have dressed more formally. Given some of the discipline issues I hear about in high schools, it occurred to me that perhaps business attire for teachers is more important at that level than it would be in college, maybe because students are less 'professional' there? Also, more casual dress seems to be quite common among the good teachers in college, whereas in my experience more formal dress seemed to be the case among good teachers in high school. Curious to hear your thoughts on this matter.

Side note: they got rid of the professor who felt should have dressed more formally--he didn't fit in, and didn't get tenure. Relevant?

Hobbes,

I was trying to say that I dressed more casually in college situations.

As a TA I was in TA garb which was pretty casual. As an adjunct instructor I dressed up a little more than I would have liked to because I wasn't that old when I started (32?) and I have always looked younger than I am. So I was trying to get past the Doogie Howser thing.

In high school I have always had to wear a shirt and tie to teach in but I would be happier in a school polo. Pants would not be jeans.

The present battle over the classrooms in public schools I believe creates a need for appearance to lead reality. So if we can get everyone to dress like education is important than more people will believe what is going on is important.

hope that clarifies or clears up some confusion.

Honestly? Assuming that the two persons are otherwise wearing clean clothing, and nothing that is in bad taste, I will tend to listen to the person without a tie.

The thing I most dislike about the working world (with the possible exception of rush hour traffic, which I can avoid by working odd hours) is "dressing up." I like to wear clean, comfortable clothing in natural fabrics, and I don't think I ever wear anything which might be considered distracting. At work, I have to wear uncomfortable clothing and a white lab coat. (And it is pretty much impossible to find such a coat made out of 100% cotton.) I never come into contact with patients. Is there any point at all to having such a rigid dress code?

I have no objection to reasonable dress codes for students and teachers. I do have an objection to very formal dress codes for both. I went to middle school and high school in the laid-back seventies, and almost everybody dressed casually. No harm was done.

Just my personal experience:

1. As long as the clothing is within reason, how an instructor dresses is of little interest to me. One of my best instructors in college was a New Zealander who wore jeans, a T-shirt, and sandals to teach chemistry. Nobody objected to this.

2. Individuality should be cherished. Again, this does not mean that there are no standards at all.

3. I respect teachers based on many factors. Style of dress is a very minor component of that. Surely we can all think of a poor teacher who wore a neatly pressed suit every day.

Okay, bad question.

The question should have been:

Is a teenager more likely to view a person with a tie as more of an authority figure than a person without a tie?

I must ask you Victoria, would you really be less likely to listen to a person with a tie? On what basis? Perhaps they are forced to wear it via a dress code. Does the fact that their employment has a dress code make them less worthy of being heard?

I could have understood if you said it made no difference...

There is an expression: dress to impress. Many career counsellors will tell you that one of the best ways to get noticed and improve your chances of promotion is to dress up. It gets you noticed.

Similarly, teachers who dress up command respect, at least in my opinion. I am not saying that dressing up increases their teaching ability. I'm saying it increases their probability of commanding respect rather than being perceived as an equal to the students.

I will be the first to admit that my reaction is irrational. (Which is why I was careful to say that I was answering "honestly.") Obviously, the way one dresses (within reason) tells you almost nothing about the validity of what someone might have to say, or the skill she has in her work.

Which was sort of my point, really. To you, a suit and tie probably suggests professionalism, discipline, and so on. To me, it suggests conformity. Which of us is right? Neither, of course. It depends on the individual.

As I said before, I am not against reasonable dress codes. I just hate to dress up, and I would not wish to force others to meet unreasonable standards. (For people who like to dress up, fine and dandy.)

As a teenager, I would have identified a teacher as an authority figure because of their position and not their code of dress, but I was a student who always respected teachers for the knowledge they could impart, and I sometimes related to them more readily than my fellow students. I don't know that I was/am in the norm, but I will say that the two most memorable teachers that I've ever had were on the opposite ends of the dressed up/casual spectrum.



I work in a business setting, and if someone is wearing a tie, it doesn't effect how well I listen to them, but I do prefer business casual over the stiff suit and tie. It's easier to get your hands dirty, so to speak, if you're not hindered by the clothes that you're wearing, and there's a lot of things that can't be done comfortably in a tailored suit and dress shoes. In the teaching field, I think that this is particularly relevant. A teacher with a very active teaching style is not going to be able to do their job as effectively if they don't have freedom of movement, and sometimes a suit and tie doesn't facilitate that process.

Does how a given instructor dress influence whether or not they are a good instructor?

Their teaching skills influence whether or not they are a good instructor. Clothing is of secondary concern, and I think that different students are going to react differently to teacher styles of dress. Some students will respond well to a teacher who is dressed up while others are going to experience a lack of trust, hence the slang term "suits." Additionally, I would think that the individual socioeconomic position of the students is also going to effect how they view the situation.

How much should individuality and current style be allowed to influence the dress code?

I prefer individuality in my teachers, but I think that can be displayed regardless of what a teacher is wearing. I can certainly appreciate the reasons for wanting to have some sort of a dress code for teachers, but I think that it should be within reason. Require cleanliness and disallow the same things that are being disallowed for students, but some of the things on the list that was provided seem a bit ridiculous. Why disallow athletic shoes when they are extremely practical? Short sleeved knit shirts without a sport coat? What's the reason for this? Too breasty perhaps? Well, women have breasts, and as long at the shirt isn't incredibly low cut and showing exposed cleavage, I don't think being too "breasty" should be a problem. Capri pants? I can't even begin to figure this one out. Are shins just that distracting?

How much respect is afforded to teachers who dress like Ward Cleaver rather than Eldridge Cleaver?

Again, this is going to differ from student to student.

Edited to fix BB Code...

2.)How much should individuality and current style be allowed to influence the dress code?

As a student, I believe that all types of individuality should be allowed, with proper restrictions in place. For instance, the Gothic wearers should not be allowed to wear anything that may obstruct or distract the learning process, such as unnecessary jewelry, or exotic haircoloring, but they may wear clothing that reflects their individual style. Same applies for everyone else. Girls shouldn't be allowed to wear anything that may distract the guys from learning. At my school, there is a 4-inch rule, that requires all shorts to have at least a 4 inch inseam. Also the belly-button rule, which requires all shirts to cover their entire stomach. Have to wear a bra, no strapless shirts, no spaghetti straps, no "excessive" cleavage. But as for the rest, let girls be girls. Boys can't wear bathing suits, spandex, or sandals without backs to them. No muscle shirts allowed either. As for the hip-hop and rap styles, no gang related symbols, or weapons or racism is allowed on any clothing whatsoever. And the rednecks, no racism or crude humor allowed. But the same applies for everybody. That basicaly sums up my school's dress code. I think that teachers should have the same restrictions in place as the students, because we all are human beings who have individual styles and feelings.

Not really. Though it could possibly project a poor reflection of character. Last year our german teacher wore tye dye shirts, capris, and flip flops; and I think shes been one of the better instructors in my high school career. I mean although she kinda dressed sloppy, she was a very good teacher and brought an engaging and interesting atmosphere to the room every day.




Well I personally feel that if you can maintain authority and peace in the classroom then go for it. The teacher I referenced earlier could not keep control. She is an example of a teacher that got too chummy with the kids. Most of my class just kinda walked all over her. But I'm not saying there is anything wrong with being friends with your kids, as long as you make sure they know your the one ruling the roost. My math teacher dressed in business casual all year, and he was always real friendly but he wasn't afraid to put the kids back in their place. He was cool.




Well, personally it doesn't matter how you dress so much as how you display your authority. To most students though I believe that if your in a full suit they are going to regard you as a stiff and generally unlikeable. However business casual is the best way to go. It displays that your not too uptight and your open to newer things, while still retaining professionalism.

1.)Does how a given instructor dress influence whether or not they are a good instructor?
It does not affect the teachers level of knowledge, but distractive clothing does indicate that the instructor lacks certain knowledge about the distractability of children and good teaching principles.

2.)How much should individuality and current style be allowed to influence the dress code?
That's difficult to say, but a reasonable level of professionalism should be expected. Don't most teachers know that they shouldn't dress like their students?

3.)How much respect is afforded to teachers who dress like Ward Cleaver rather than Eldridge Cleaver?

I don't know, how much? Have you taken a census? Do you think a male school teacher should have a special clothing accessory attached to his slacks to encase his penis? Isn't that why Eldridge Cleaver is mention here (i.e., the Cleaver sleeve)? Should female teachers go topless? I think the answer is clear.

Great Topic. Oh yeah, and it's good to be back reading the forums! (buying, gutting and rebuilding a house has had me on lockdown)

1.)Does how a given instructor dress influence whether or not they are a good instructor?

Yes and No.

While you may have great knowledge, interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate ideas in a variety of ways you cannot teach if you cannot manage a room full of children. For that reason, most of the teachers I know (myself included) make a point of dressing well when the year starts. It is well established that appearance is critical in socialization. If I am to be seen as the leader, guide and arbitor of justice for the year then I had better appear to have some measure of authority (meaning: students should perceive me to be knowledgable, professional and serious).

On the other hand, when I have control of my classroom (and the hallways) I find that "dressing down" can be a fun and effective way for me to show my human side to my students. (you'd be surprised how many of them assume I simply store myself in the classroom closet for the evenings to recharge my batteries)


2.)How much should individuality and current style be allowed to influence the dress code?

Teachers should be treated like professionals. IF they are managing and teaching their students then they should be trusted to decide how their attire will affect their classroom. Appealing to 27 kids at a time is an artform and not a science. If I feel like my kids need to see me come in dressed down then I should be trusted in that decision. Likewise, if my class is unruly (or otherwise struggling) then I should be aware enough to dress in such a way that I project an aura of control. A teacher's clothing is just another tool in their bag of teaching tricks. You wouldn't mandate which tools a mechanic can and cannot use on your car (assuming you trusted him/her as a professional) so why mandate how a teacher adjusts his/her appearance to suit thier classes? It is not really about personal style, rather it is about profession discrepancy.
( I'm not speaking for the occasional slob-teacher out there who simply radiates incompetence to everyone...those people are usually subject to their union contract and can be dealt with by a good principal)

3.)How much respect is afforded to teachers who dress like Ward Cleaver rather than Eldridge Cleaver?

Without a doubt a teacher will garner more respect when well dressed. I know one teacher who, no matter how well he dresses, just has a sloth-like demeanor and, consequently, struggles to control his classes. Being well-dressed is a definite advantage to a teacher who intends to control their class. Wearing a tie, however, is not necessary for this to be successful.
You would be amazed at how closely students pay attention to their teacher's appearance. They know what shoes you own, how many pairs of pants and about how many shirts. They also know all of your items of jewelry. Just a few days ago some of my students from the previous year stopped by my school to visit and one of the girls looked down at my feet and said, "Geesh, you are STILL wearing those old shoes!!! When are you going to go out and get some new ones?" I laughed and said, "You got me!! But I swear, I was going to try to find some new ones this weekend!"
There have been stretches when I had gone tie-less and actually had students ask me to start wearing them again simply because they liked them. Those same students have also chided me for not dressing down enough on Fridays.