SECTION B: HOW CAN YOU FIND (AND HOLD ONTO) A JOB IN A
TRADITIONAL SCHOOL SETTING?
If you need to show off your great tattoos, insist on orange highlights in your hair, and just
“can’t go out” without your metal body piercings, I do not know if I can help you. But if you
are willing to tone down a bit so you can find and hold onto a job in a traditional school set-
ting, I have some tips that might not stretch your integrity too far.
I am a product of the 1960s, which is a polite way of saying that my appearance is a bit di-
sheveled and I am a prone to fits of self-righteous indignation. I have a 5 o’clock shadow by
10 in the morning on days I do shave, my shirt is never stuck in my pants, I do not own a hair
brush, and I like comfortable shoes. Stylish, I am not; professional looking, just barely.
I am starting with appearance because I think it is symbolic of your willingness to com-
promise in order to fit in and to discover flexibility in what can appear to be a rigid school
system. The way you deal with appearance gives some clue to how successful you can be
navigating a school.
School administrators tend to wear formal clothing: suits and ties for men, professional
suits for women, and leather shoes. I think they learn this dress code in administrator
classes. Rarely is someone promoted who does not fit this model; however, in most schools,
teachers are not expected to dress this way. I certainly did not. On the other hand, I think it
is a sign of respect to students to dress appropriately. I do not wear jeans, sneakers, or T-
shirts to class. It also helps establish that school is a serious place where we are all expected
to work hard and act in a responsible way.
I learned early in life that I hate ironing. I wear drip dry shirts and add a tie to cover most
of the remaining wrinkles. A discreet tie is also important because it shows you are willing to
try to fit in. Some of my ties are geared to lessons—a “Unicorn Tapestry” tie for studying
about the Middle Ages, an “Australopithecus” tie from the Smithsonian Museum for human
evolution, and maps of different parts of the world. I also fancy the “Save the Children” se-
ries. I did have a problem once when an administrator mistook a hammer and saw tie (from
the PBS carpentry program) for a hammer and sickle (a symbol for communism), so you
need to be careful.
Dry cleaning can be expensive, so I try to keep my wardrobe simple. I limit my school
clothes to shades of blue and brown so pretty much everything goes together. I wear
“Dockers” and corduroy pants and in the winter add a sleeveless vest. Stay away from wool
because it is a magnet for chalk dust. Because I am on my feet all day, I prefer lightweight
leather walking shoes. I am a big fan of the Eddie Bauer, L.L. Bean, and Land’s End catalogs.
The Lands End canvas briefcase is inexpensive, durable, stretches to hold everything, is
easy to sort through, and always looks presentable. And remember, if you go to an interview
and set off the metal detectors, you are wearing too much jewelry.
JOIN THE CONVERSATION—RACHEL GAGLIONE’S TIPS
FOR WOMEN ON DRESSING FOR TEACHING AND TENURERachel Gaglione is a middle school teacher and a mentor teacher in the Hofstra New
Teacher Network. You will meet her again in chapter 6.—Alan Singer
What should a young female teacher wear to ensure that students and staff see her as an
intelligent and respectable adult? Before you use the excuse of your first teaching job to
shop for an entirely new wardrobe, here are a few things to keep in mind. This is a job
you want to keep. In order to pave your way, move up the ladder, and, hopefully, get ten-ORGANIZATION 127