Advice for new teachers: You are a professional, so dress accordingly
I have seen many new teachers enter the workforce with a wealth of content knowledge and educational pedagogy. However, as seriously as these new educators take their professional development, they increasingly overlook an area that continues to lose importance. That area is professional dress in the classroom.
The old adage “dress for success” still applies to the 21st century teacher. I know this may seem like one of the last items on a new teacher’s checklist. After all, there are a plethora of things to worry about, from lesson design to IEPs, but new teaching professionals should certainly rank this among the most important aspects of their careers simply because professional attire generates a Respectful relationship with students and others.
Teaching is a profession. Therefore, teachers need to be seen as professionals to gain professional level respect. If you were to schedule a meeting with your attorney or an appointment with your doctor, you would expect each to present themselves in a certain way. If they didn’t, I would no doubt question their professionalism and inevitability, their ability to perform well in their respective jobs. What most new professors don’t realize is that there is an air of authority in the way the professionals dress.
Therefore, teachers are required to dress in appropriate professional attire each day they are in the classroom or in front of parents and the educational community. First, you are modeling the correct professional behavior. Teachers are the first professionals students deal with daily in their lives, and it is imperative that students begin to see what is expected of them as they enter the professional ranks. Second, it distinguishes teachers from students.
You are the professional and the leader of the classroom and therefore you are the one who deserves respect in the classroom. So you need to stand out among those who wear jeans, yoga pants, shorts, and t-shirts. Now, this is not to say that there aren’t times when it’s appropriate to dress down. Certainly schools will have spirit days, anti-drug and alcohol drives, and a host of other events that encourage students and staff to wear different attire. And, yes, teachers must uphold the spirit of the day, but in a respectful way.
The dress and appearance of a teacher is part of his personal brand. Your brand is more than your professional image. It is the essence of who you are. It incorporates everything from his integrity to his personality. Your brand is how you will be seen by your students, their parents, your administrators, and your peers. It is part of your professional reputation.
Also, when we see someone dressed professionally, we get into the mindset that it’s time to get serious about the matter at hand. In this sense, the attraction of a teacher sets the tone for the learning atmosphere of the classroom. New teachers need to look at their appearance and ask themselves if they are representing the personal brand they want to promote to students, parents, administration, and the community at large.
Today’s teachers must adopt the mindset that they are professionals, professionals in charge of the most important tasks of youth development, and therefore deserve to be treated as such. This mentality must begin each morning before the educator walks out the door of his house. You are a professional, so dress accordingly. Be what is expected of you and your effort will be reciprocated with the required respect.
