Whether it’s during your student teacher or when you’re officially on the job, how you dress in the classroom is as important as how you dress in the interview to get you there, or even the work you do while teaching. How you dress will set the tone for what you expect of yourself – and your students.
Because teachers are held to the highest standards in the community, they’re expected to dress rather conservatively. When preparing for an internship, consider the following guidelines when building a wardrobe. Some of these address comfort, practicality, and professionalism. Outward appearance often has an effect on the amount of respect given by students and other faculty/staff. Typically, interns should dress in business-casual attire, unless otherwise instructed. Here are a few suggestions on how to dress while attending your internship:
Hair
Neat, natural styles. No extreme colors or cuts.
Tops
Shirts should be clean and without wrinkles. Avoid tight-fitting blouses, tank tops, and t-shirts. Do not expose midriffs, undergarments, or cleavage.
Pants and Skirts
Pants should be neatly pressed, clean, and should fit comfortably. Skirts should be no higher than 1 inch above the knee. Avoid jeans and pants with rips or tears.
Shoes
Closed-toe, closed-heel shoes are recommended. Remember, teaching involves pro- longed periods of standing, so take comfort into consideration when choosing footwear.
Accessories
Makeup should be natural, and jewelry should be tasteful and kept to a minimum. There should be no visible body piercings or tattoos.
Hygiene
Appropriate grooming and bathing should be reflected in appearance.
Your appearance is a social cue that signals to everyone around you how you’re expecting to act and what kind of interactions you’re planning to have. You want to your dress to say that you expect to do the best job possible – and that you expect your students to do their best, too.
