My Professional Pet Peeve

I hate that so many teachers wear crap to work. When I was student teaching, I saw everything -- track suits, ugly gym clothes, and an unbelievable TUBE TOP in kindergarten. Sad and gross.

One of the reasons I really like my school is because there are enough teachers who take pride in their appearance. I remember my first day of school in my first year, I counted 3 men who wore shirts and ties -- for their first week of teaching. In elementary. I had college professors who couldn't take on that kind of professionalism. Now, I realize teachers need to be comfortable -- and especially if you teach kindergarten like me, there is something to be said for dressing the part -- paint, glue, and sitting on the rug doesn't warrant your best duds. But I get down and dirty in my classroom -- I crawl on the floor like a dinosaur, I dance around and paint and glue with the best of 'em -- and I don't wear jeans. Or track suits, or ugly gym clothes. I wear "business casual" -- a button down and nice pants, at least, because my kids deserve a professional running their classroom. They deserve my best effort -- and that includes my appearance.

That's why this ad in my e-mail really pissed me off -- why can't I teach in "The Law Office" or "The Ad Agency" attire? Why is the teacher "casual"? Boo. What makes me sadder is that so much of the teaching population adopts that mentality. No wonder we can't gain any respect.

Oh and ps -- that is way too much boobage for a teacher to show.