Rivka Posted February 11, 2015 Share Posted February 11, 2015 I teach two classes at our homeschool center - a World Religions class for ages 8-12 and a Foundations of Math class that's ages 13-15. My invariable uniform for teaching is jeans and a funny or science fiction-themed T-shirt. I never gave a second thought to it until I was teaching on a day that the homeschool center had an open house, and it occurred to me to wonder whether visitors might think I looked "unprofessional" and be put off. For the record, when I see people in my professional capacity I don't wear jeans or Doctor Who paraphernalia - I wear something like khaki slacks and a nice tailored sweater. I don't know, I guess teaching a rowdy bunch of teens how to multiply decimals feels more like grungy work? Plus, my classroom gets hot. So, what do you wear when you teach other people's kids? Is it something you give much thought to? Do you care how your kids' co-op teachers dress? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted February 11, 2015 Share Posted February 11, 2015 I would not care what my kids' teachers wear - I care that they are experts in their subject. I'd rather have a brilliant man lecture barefoot in shorts than somebody who lacks subject expertise in a suit. Seeing that many of my colleagues at the university teach in jeans, I don't see a need to dress up for teaching in a homeschool coop, as long as you have the kids' authority. When I started teaching at the university, I had to dress up a bit because, as a young woman in a classroom full of tall men, I needed the external distancing in order for them to take me seriously (not fair I know). So, if the teens respect you, wear whatever you like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted February 11, 2015 Share Posted February 11, 2015 I don't care how my boys teachers dress. They can turn up in golf attire :) For their math and science enrichment class, the teachers wore dresses, cardigan and leggings most of the time. For German saturday class, the teachers are all dress in smart casual. Their teachers do get a heads up if the center is hosting an event or open house. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reign Posted February 11, 2015 Share Posted February 11, 2015 Not yoga pants. Lol you people have given me yoga pants fear. I think it depends on where you are teaching. I'd look at what the other teachers are wearing. Usually I wear jeans and a sweatshirt or black leggings and a dress/ long sweater coat. Those are really my only looks. One of my sweatshirts is a doctor who hoodie. I got compliments from two of the four year olds in one of my classes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny in Florida Posted February 11, 2015 Share Posted February 11, 2015 I teach at one of the large national chain tutoring centers. We are not allowed to wear jeans. I wear nice pants and a blouse and a cardigan or jacket of some kind. Most of the other teachers dress similarly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AK_Mom4 Posted February 11, 2015 Share Posted February 11, 2015 So, what do you wear when you teach other people's kids? Is it something you give much thought to? I give a great deal of thought and planning into what I wear. Not being dresed properly is a serious problem! Most days, I wear doubled polartec long johns, a wool sweater, and wool socks, I also have a classy wool-blend headband and lovely fleece-lined wool mittens. I teach cross-country skiing. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texasmama Posted February 11, 2015 Share Posted February 11, 2015 I wear jeans and a casual shirt or sweatshirt and tennis shoes to teach the co op class. It is a closed co op (no visitors) run by parents. Everyone dresses casually. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TechWife Posted February 11, 2015 Share Posted February 11, 2015 At the beginning of the semester I wear slacks and a blouse w/a jacket or a sweater. Towards the end of the semester I often substitute jeans for the slacks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan in TN Posted February 11, 2015 Share Posted February 11, 2015 Not yoga pants. Lol people have given me yoga pants fear. . Ha - I am glad you all taught me in time that yoga pants will not be mistaken for black dress pants! As for what I wear - 3/4 of the time I wear khaki's or dress pants w/a button down shirt or cardigan sweater-type outfit. The other 1/4 of the time I wear jeans w/same kind of top or occassionally an "official organization staff" shirt. I would wear jeans more often if I had any that were comfortable and looked nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz CA Posted February 11, 2015 Share Posted February 11, 2015 Yoga Pants. I want them to see what "dressed for success" looks like! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catz Posted February 11, 2015 Share Posted February 11, 2015 I usually dress very casually teaching in our co-op. I teach a computer based class to12-14 year olds. My class requires a fair amount of set up at the start and breakdown at the end, and I cannot imagine dressing up for it. The classes at our co-op are generally professionally taught and none of the teachers seem to dress up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
73349 Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 Khakis and a polo for tutoring, slightly better (maybe a blouse) for classes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isabella Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 Nice casual for tutoring remedial spelling. In my case that's usually a skirt, nice t-shirt, sometimes a scarf, and ballet flats. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-rap Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 I've only taught art classes, but I wear what I always wear: black jeans and a sweater. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 Whatever I feel like. I'm so not picky about this. I suppose if my favorite thing to wear was fishnets and tube tops, I might want to rethink, but jeans and a T-shirt seem fine to me. Sometimes I'm more dressy than that, but not by that much. I have zero judgement of what other people are wearing as well to teach my kids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plink Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 I dress like this (I'm obviously not a blend-into-the-crowd kind of gal): http://www.libertyhillhouse.com/2014/11/19/becoming-history/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joyofsixreboot Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 When I teach co-op I ususally wear jeans or leggings with a sweater and maybe a scarf. Usually boots. That's pretty much my everyday or grocery shopping outfit. If I'm teaching adults it upgrades to a skirt or dress pants, top and cardigan or jacket. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1bassoon Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 Ooh, I feel like the dissenting voice here!I teach bassoon at a local high school and biology at a local co-op (paid position, not parent-run). On my teaching days, I wear slacks and some kind of "dressier" top or a top with a tailored jacket. On dissection days I wear jeans and a t-shirt, since I'm covered by a lab coat. For me? It makes me feel. . . . . .more prepared? Gets my head in the game, maybe. Or it's a holdover from when I did teach outside the home. The kids aren't allowed to wear jeans, so I figure I shouldn't either ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuPanda Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 I wear yoga pants, but I'm the dance teacher at co-op. Today I wore jeans because it was too cold for yoga pants and I couldn't find my leggings to layer them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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