Business Casual

It's always nice to be noticed. I never imagined middle school students paid much attention to me around the halls. As the ESE teacher, I don't have a homeroom, or even a regular schedule, but the last couple of weeks of last minute substitute teaching for a couple of teachers has raised my visibility around the third floor.

Last week was very stressful and unfulfilling. I was beginning to let the low morale creeping around the building get to me. I made some decisions Sunday about how I was going to handle the problem and one decision was to dress like a professional again.

Let me explain. Many teachers tend to dress on the business casual side, with a strong emphasis on casual. When I began teaching twenty years ago, I vowed never to wear the "teacher uniform"- stretch pants, polyester/rayon shirts and sport a poodle perm. You know the look.

I wore mostly skirts, dresses and make-up. Jewelry and a good hair style completed the look. Years later, when I went back to work for a church, I dressed with the same high standards.

Last year, I began a new job teaching and most days I opted for pants and a sweater or simple top. I just didn't worry much about my wardrobe, being both perpetually broke and too stressed to care about my style.

I realized that my casual style was affecting the way I was approaching my job. When I had a meeting or had to go off campus, I dressed up and I felt like a professional. That feeling wasn't carrying over everyday, so I made some changes.

I went through my closet and pulled out more skirts. I took the time in the morning to accessorize and wore my hair differently. I walked into the building with more confidence and I felt terrific!

What I didn't expect was the student's reactions. Comments ranging from- "Wow, you're hair looks great," to,  "I love your outfit, necklace, etc...", came from both girls and boys!

Students began to stop by my room, talk to me in the hall, ask me advice, listen to my directives and generally, treat me like a professional!


I made a comment last summer at one of our meetings that we have to set the standard and be a positive role model for our students, particularly middle school kids. How can we explain to kids how to dress for success when many have no one to model this way of dressing? Some of their parents pick them up in pajamas or worse.

We can't just talk the talk, we've got to walk the walk. So from now on I am walking the halls in business/professional attire.