Well, you're still very young, and I've no doubt that you're an excellent teacher. But one day you will agree that clothes don't maketh the man.

Being mistaken for a student shouldn't be a problem if you're a good teacher.

Whether you wear a suite and tie or not will mean nothing if you can't gain the respect of the kids. Wearing the suite will not give you either respect or credibility, in fact if you insist on the suite when others suggest you might be a tad overdressed you could jeopardize your chances of getting a permanent contract.

You have to learn how to "play the game" i.e be a team player not stand out like a stubborn mule because you think you're right.

Perhaps you can do that once you get that elusive permanent contract but until you do make as few waves as possible.

All the best in your endeavours.
Steve

Lighten up, Steve, you old foggie. We all have to learn for ourselves.

But some of us don't learn how to play the game until it's way too late.

Like me!!!!

Well if you'd had a school uniform it would've made all the difference. Or possibly not.

Okay I have just jumped onto this thread after discussing it with a good friend of mine. I am definately 'for' school uniforms for the following reasons;
1) My 8 year old never argued about what she was going to wear in the UK
2)School uniform was always 'cheap and cheerful' and there was no obvious differences in 'wealth'.
3) Their 'best clothes' remained 'best'.
4) Its not a case of taking a childs identity away, for gods sake they are going to school to learn.
In London, my kids wore a school uniform every day since they started nursery in fact- nothing fancy only a pair of navy trousers/skirt and a white polo shirt and a sweatshirt/cardi with the school logo. My eldest son who was in secondary school, wore a pair of smart(ish) trousers, shirt,tie and blazer with the school badge on the breast pocket. Obviously he hated it but didn't we all! Don't even ask about what I had to wear!!
All three of my kids weren't allowed to wear trainers, only 'proper' shoes. Personally I don't agree with kids wearing trainers all the time but thats another issue. They weren't 'posh' or going to an exclusive school - this was the norm.
As a Mum I really don't see the problem with school uniforms. Personally I think they are a blessing. When your eight year old daughter has a 'hissy' fit on a Monday morning because she wants to wear her 'crocs' or your teenager wants to go to school with his trousers hanging round his 'ar*e' 'cos its the fashion you might want to reconsider your views on the uniform issues!!
I am sooo for school uniform! Obviously, the price will become a factor at some stage but knowing Walmarts, they will soon 'jump on the band wagon' and offer a full outfit for less than $20, much like Asda/Tesco/Sainsbury etc in the UK.
Just as a quick 'add on', my teenager is hovering around waiting to go on MSN(!!!!) and has read this thread. He has agreed with my comments totally. He would willingly wear a school uniform again (blimey!) and has agreed with my reasons. Has it got to the stage that my son is sick of having a 'fashion parade' every morning?
Good on on Raine66, so totally agree with you! For all of you that have a problem with the school uniform issue - have you got kids!!??:curse:

Steve? I'm unpopular enough on here as it is.

I have and most of my kids went through school in uniform even though I don't see the point of it. I'm really quite surprised at just how much support school uniform clearly has though I've yet to see a reason (and many of them have been repeated) that sounds remotely convincing apart from maybe simply the tradition of it.

Whoa, you're certainly reading a lot into my post! And there's a slightly condescending tone to your reply along the lines of 'now listen here, young whipper-snapper.' Trust me, I'm well aware of how to 'play the game', otherwise I wouldn't be where I am today.

After that first day of my practicum where I was basically wearing a suit, I dressed down to blend in with the other teachers. At the middle school where I taught for my second internship, all of the male teachers wore shirts and ties. I did the same. I will do what I have to fit into the school culture until I do get a pemanent contract but will start out with shirts and ties when substitute teaching as it makes a good impression. I guess I didn't really make that clear in my original post. However, once I get a permanent contract, I'll wear what I want. If the other teachers want to look like crap, that's fine with me.

And, I do realize that wearing a shirt and tie cannot take the place of good classroom discipline. I've been teaching for about 5 years. I would hope that I'd have learned that by now.


As an aside, during my second internship my co-operating teacher told me that Fridays were casual days for staff. We could wear jeans if we made a donation to charity. So, Friday comes and I'm wearing nice jeans (non-ripped or faded) and a buttoned down collared shirt, with a wool sweater over top and nice leather shoes. I happened to have my shirt tails sticking slightly out of the bottom of the sweater but I still looked very neat and well put-together. So, I'm in the office making some copies when the Principal comes up, sucks in his breath and tells me that my shirt tails sticking out is a little 'much'
I (being a lowly intern) apologized and later on, tucked my shirt tails in. Meanwhile, the other teachers arrive to school wearing old t-shirts, old faded, worn jeans, stretch pants, sweatshirts, sneakers etc. I found that a little hard to swallow. But still, after that casual day I never wore jeans again and got a good reference from the principal (even though I thought he was a dink).

I agree. My 4 children all wear uniform in the UK. Whilst I don't feel so passionately that it would influence my choice of school (I would pick the best school for them uniform or no), some adults just like kids looking orderly....everyone dressed alike.

Why else do parents dress their younger children in matching outfits....try getting them to wear them when they are 14 and you will have a battle on your hands.

...point taken young whipper snapper.

Good.

Yes.

What's more, I myself wore a uniform throughout my school years.

Its not a case of 'tradition' and its not a British thing either.! Its more to do with the practicalites(?). What do you do when you 8 year old daughter has a 'hissy' fit on a Monday morning because the clothes you have laid out for her are not 'trendy' enough. Your 15 year old son brings out a pair of 'bum skimming' shorts (hope those boxers are clean), and your 6 year old starts arguing that knee length shorts aren't trendy. In the UK (here we go again), I ironed my eldest sons shirt, rubbed an iron over the little'uns tops and trousers/skirts, if they were lucky they might even have got their sweatshirts ironed on a good day(!!). My eldest son has even kept his tie as a momento. No arguments, school uniform was as it was. You went to school looking like everyone else 'cos you were learning like everyone else - immigrant/high flyer/needs to concentrate more/average 'joe'/plonding along/etc So what! At the weekend Mum and Dad bought you nice clothes to go out in.
Wheres the problem?
Anyone that has a problem with the issue if school uniform has obviously not got nothing better in their lives to argue about!!

and with 3 kids to get dressed sorted etc, uniform is there waiting for them monday morning
All 3 kids dressed with little arguing, only my eldest as her pony tail was not just so and staight.
Sunday morning we was going out, so picked her clothes and guess what, went out in something totally different, if that was a school morning id of gone nuts.
I do admit that once we move i will miss the uniform if the school doesnt have them, but hey i could start working again "anyone for school uniforms in ontario" and i can design and embroider your badge as well

gill