Inappropriate Teacher's Dress

wrote:

I think I still buy into the idea that teachers, REAL teachers, have
something of an obligation to be Pillars Of The Community as well as
good educators, and as such should be reasonably conservative (in the
old-fashioned sense of the word) in the face that the present to the
kids. I don't necessarily feel that way about day care teachers for
some reason and I really can't figure out what the difference is. I'm
not sure it's about expecting 'more' from a school teacher, but I
definitely expect something different.

I don't know how I would necessarily feel about daycare
workers/teachers, having not been in a position to deal with
that situation. I do know that even in the case of preschool/
nursery school, I expect that the teachers there would be every
bit as professional as those in primary or secondary school,
so *personally* I don't feel there ought to be a difference
in expectations of professionalism (though I do think that
differences in functionality dictate that the average preschool
teacher will probably dress *differently* than the average
primary or secondary teacher). Of course, others may feel
differently. I suspected that a different sense of the
professionalism of the occupations might be at the root of
the discrepancy for many.

Best wishes,
Ericka

Ericka Kammerer wrote:
Welches wrote:

"Ericka Kammerer" wrote in message
...

Barbara Bomberger wrote:



But the OPs objection was to the style, not to the function. And
wearing a shirt short enough to show a belly button does NOT mean that
when you stretch your hands up, you automatically show everything.
Goodness, if it did, I would be in trouble, as I dress on the "liberal
side" I guess. And I'm an old woman.


. For every parent who's cool with midriff
baring tops, low cut pants, and mini skirts, there'll be another
who isn't keen on that role model for her preschool-aged daughter


Do pre-school kids really want to wear the same clothes as their teacher?


It's not so much that the child will want to wear the same
clothes right then. It's more that the teacher sets an expectation
for what is appropriate attire in a given set of circumstances.
Children are exposed to a wide variety of influences. I can't do
a lot about most of them, but I can ensure that the modeling they
see at home reinforces what I believe to be appropriate behaviors,
and I would certainly want at least the teachers at school to be
modeling what I would consider appropriate behaviors.
Actually, it occurs to me to wonder whether those who are
accepting of these clothing choices for a preschool would be
equally accepting of the same clothing on, say, an elementary
school teacher or a high school teacher? And if not, why not?

Best wishes,
Ericka


In DD's Montessori school, the junior high and upper elementary teachers
(who were male) were VERY casual in their dress. These men usually wore
Birkenstocks year-round (maybe rag wool socks in December and January);
shorts and t-shirts were not uncommon in the fall and spring. But I
didn't get the sense that they were unprofessional; in fact, they were
excellent teachers who commanded the respect of the other teachers,
parents and students.

But in general, I think the elementary and high school environments are
very different from a preschool environment. Thus, a different
expectation in dress isn't unusual or unreasonable. I wouldn't say one
teacher/staff is more professional than the other based on the formality
of their attire.

Similarly, when one gets to the college level, often you can find
professors dressed either in very casual attire or in more formal attire
with coat and ties or suits - often depending on the school or program -
but all the professors are expected to do research, teach classes and
behave in a manner consistent with their profession.

Jeanne

Jeanne wrote:


In DD's Montessori school, the junior high and upper elementary teachers
(who were male) were VERY casual in their dress. These men usually wore
Birkenstocks year-round (maybe rag wool socks in December and January);
shorts and t-shirts were not uncommon in the fall and spring. But I
didn't get the sense that they were unprofessional; in fact, they were
excellent teachers who commanded the respect of the other teachers,
parents and students.

Personally, I see a huge difference between *casual* and
*suggestive*. I have worked in many places where I'd feel perfectly
comfortable in jeans and a t-shirt and my Birks, but I haven't
worked anywhere that I would have thought it a good idea to wear
a real mini skirt, wear midriff-baring tops, have a bare back, or
what have you. (I imagine there are jobs where that might be
appropriate, but I haven't had any of them, and I don't really
see preschool teacher as one of them, personally.)

But in general, I think the elementary and high school environments are
very different from a preschool environment. Thus, a different
expectation in dress isn't unusual or unreasonable. I wouldn't say one
teacher/staff is more professional than the other based on the formality
of their attire.

I wouldn't based on the formality of the attire either.
I would, however, based on the appropriateness of the attire.

Best wishes,
Ericka

Ericka Kammerer wrote:
Jeanne wrote:


In DD's Montessori school, the junior high and upper elementary teachers
(who were male) were VERY casual in their dress. These men usually wore
Birkenstocks year-round (maybe rag wool socks in December and January);
shorts and t-shirts were not uncommon in the fall and spring. But I
didn't get the sense that they were unprofessional; in fact, they were
excellent teachers who commanded the respect of the other teachers,
parents and students.

Personally, I see a huge difference between *casual* and
*suggestive*. I have worked in many places where I'd feel perfectly
comfortable in jeans and a t-shirt and my Birks, but I haven't
worked anywhere that I would have thought it a good idea to wear
a real mini skirt, wear midriff-baring tops, have a bare back, or
what have you. (I imagine there are jobs where that might be
appropriate, but I haven't had any of them, and I don't really
see preschool teacher as one of them, personally.)

I guess I don't read midriff-baring tops as necessarily suggestive. I
wouldn't wear one myself, mostly because even in my best days I had a
belly, and post-child mid-thirties are not my best days. :-) I read
them as extremely casual, in the same category as cut-offs; not
appropriate in any office I've ever been in, but okay for any job where
being outside is a big part of the job. In North Carolina in the
summer, a cropped t-shirt would mostly look like a heat adaptation to
me.

I agree about the miniskirt, though.

Beth

I was not present during the class, but I have to say that I totally
trust my relative and my daughter seemed to have a adequate time in the
class.

No they were not wearing a skort. Remember my orginal post said that
they were not wearing slips, and you could see the black underwear
underneath.

As to the crawling around on the ground, I do not think these
teachers were doing much of that.

I am not employed. However if I was, I would cover up my tattoo until
I secured a job, and saw what the climate was in my work place. My
career training is in a conservative field.

wrote:


Ericka Kammerer wrote:

Personally, I see a huge difference between *casual* and
*suggestive*. I have worked in many places where I'd feel perfectly
comfortable in jeans and a t-shirt and my Birks, but I haven't
worked anywhere that I would have thought it a good idea to wear
a real mini skirt, wear midriff-baring tops, have a bare back, or
what have you. (I imagine there are jobs where that might be
appropriate, but I haven't had any of them, and I don't really
see preschool teacher as one of them, personally.)


I guess I don't read midriff-baring tops as necessarily suggestive. I
wouldn't wear one myself, mostly because even in my best days I had a
belly, and post-child mid-thirties are not my best days. :-) I read
them as extremely casual, in the same category as cut-offs; not
appropriate in any office I've ever been in, but okay for any job where
being outside is a big part of the job. In North Carolina in the
summer, a cropped t-shirt would mostly look like a heat adaptation to
me.

I think there's certainly room for variation in what
appears suggestive, and it certainly depends on the location/season
and the exact nature of the item of clothing. *I* wouldn't ever
wear such a thing while teaching because I think it's important
to take the more conservative route in that situation for a host
of reasons, but there are some cropped shirts I'd find a bit
much and others I'd probably find pretty reasonable, depending
on the circumstances. I would also find cut-offs inappropriate
as a teacher, because to me, they aren't "clean and neat"
enough. They're the sort of thing you wear to work in the garden,
not the sort of thing you wear when you give a fig leaf about
your appearance, IYKWIM. Teachers should look like they've taken
some care with their appearance because it shows respect for the
students, parents, and co-workers who all take that job, and the
people who perform it, very seriously.
Anyway, my point is that I agree there's room for some
interpretation, though my personal position if I were a teacher
would be that if I thought it likely that any reasonable person
would call it into question, I'd avoid it.

Best wishes,
Ericka

When someone is doing an internship, that is the MOST important time
to have professional clothing.

An internship/recomendation is what going to get you your first
real job in your field. Yes, these women are working with children, and
by all means they should be comfortable, and ready to crawl on the
ground. But they should also give a professional impression if they
wish to be taking seriously.

As to my husband, I simply do not see how he could not notice, how
they are dressed. Do I care? Not really, but I do think preschool/day
care is not the place to advertising your goods.

In the end, this is just a summer arrangement, that I did to support
a family members fledging business. I trust this relative, and my
daughters seem to enjoy the environment.

However, if I had walked off the street cold, I would have not have
been impressed, and would not have chosen that facility for my
children.
First impressions are VITAL in business, and when it comes to the
welfare of my children, I have to go with my gut feeling, which is
sometimes all you have.

After all, I have all the power in how I chose to spend my money.

Now can I ask a question about the difference between pre-K and
preschool without being accused of being a troll?

Mary

"Jeanne" wrote in message
...
Ericka Kammerer wrote:
Welches wrote:

"Ericka Kammerer" wrote in message
...

Barbara Bomberger wrote:



But the OPs objection was to the style, not to the function. And
wearing a shirt short enough to show a belly button does NOT mean
that
when you stretch your hands up, you automatically show everything.
Goodness, if it did, I would be in trouble, as I dress on the
"liberal
side" I guess. And I'm an old woman.


. For every parent who's cool with midriff
baring tops, low cut pants, and mini skirts, there'll be another
who isn't keen on that role model for her preschool-aged daughter


Do pre-school kids really want to wear the same clothes as their
teacher?


It's not so much that the child will want to wear the same
clothes right then. It's more that the teacher sets an expectation
for what is appropriate attire in a given set of circumstances.
Children are exposed to a wide variety of influences. I can't do
a lot about most of them, but I can ensure that the modeling they
see at home reinforces what I believe to be appropriate behaviors,
and I would certainly want at least the teachers at school to be
modeling what I would consider appropriate behaviors.
Actually, it occurs to me to wonder whether those who are
accepting of these clothing choices for a preschool would be
equally accepting of the same clothing on, say, an elementary
school teacher or a high school teacher? And if not, why not?

Best wishes,
Ericka


In DD's Montessori school, the junior high and upper elementary teachers
(who were male) were VERY casual in their dress. These men usually wore
Birkenstocks year-round (maybe rag wool socks in December and January);
shorts and t-shirts were not uncommon in the fall and spring. But I
didn't get the sense that they were unprofessional; in fact, they were
excellent teachers who commanded the respect of the other teachers,
parents and students.

But in general, I think the elementary and high school environments are
very different from a preschool environment. Thus, a different
expectation in dress isn't unusual or unreasonable. I wouldn't say one
teacher/staff is more professional than the other based on the formality
of their attire.

Similarly, when one gets to the college level, often you can find
professors dressed either in very casual attire or in more formal attire
with coat and ties or suits - often depending on the school or program -
but all the professors are expected to do research, teach classes and
behave in a manner consistent with their profession.

It also depends on the subject. When I teach elementary (or, currently,
preschool) music, I'm on and off the floor, dancing, and moving literally
all day long. So I live in lightweight slacks which are either relaxed fit
or slightly stretchy, knit tops (maybe sweaters in winter), and either
athletic shoes or dance shoes. Sometimes long, broomstick-type skirts or
jumpers, if I know that we might be getting visitors, with ballet or jazz
shoes, but that's about as formal as I get if I'm going to be teaching.
Because I have to be able to bend, stretch, and sit on the floor cross
legged without causing a riot. Also, I find a good sports bra essential.
And, when I taught in a school w/o air conditioning, I wore shorts (long,
knee length or just above). I don't wear capris, but that's because I don't
like them-I can definitely see where they'd be good for teaching little ones
in.

When I teach applied music (private lessons), I dress a little more
formally-perhaps a skirt and blouse (the blazer is probably on the back of
my chair, because I can-I'm not kneeling on the floor to play xylophone or
cuddling a crying 3 yr old in my lap.


Jeanne