Blogging a discussion about teacher identity

We did a small discussion in facebook, via "Teach Preschool" fan page. I am asking about the teacher identity in school and in the public.  I love the discussion, it really truly opened my mind about the profession.
So I save it in my blog for me to remember it always.
In this discussion we have peoples who contribute their comments :
Tom Hobson, Shara Lawrence-Weiss, Deborah J.Stewart and Jo Caller.
Here is the question:
Regency Kindergarten via Teach Preschool fan page : "should teachers be allowed to wear tank tops
& shorts when taking a walk on the plaza?" The larger question for teachers everywhere is: "does a teacher need to 'look' and 'act' like a teacher .... all the time? If so, then there's this: "what does a teacher look like?"

21 comments :
Tom Hobson at 16:15 on 22 April 2010

Naturally, teachers should wear superhero costumes all the time. =)
. . . alternatively, they may dress as owls or cowboys!
I know this is a serious question, but I couldn't help myself. =)
{Tom is a fun teacher , he is the frontliner in the school which's run by a lot of peoples : one teacher Tom and a group of parents. Parents make a very important role in the school. This is the model of communal homeschool}
Shara Lawrence-Weiss at 16:23 on 22 April 2010

HAHA! I agree with Tom. Of course...if your superhero costume is in the wash, you must reconsider. At that point, I think anything "non revealing" is probably okay. There are some tank tops that are fine...others are certainly not.
I was invited to join a new fan page this week - created by a mom who runs the PTA at her child's school. I can't even repeat the fan page name but I can tell you this much: if any Principal was looking to hire her for a classroom job and she/he Googled this mom's name...and that fan page popped up...she'd never get hired.
When polls are taken, the general public still expect certain career holders to demonstrate a higher standard of ethics: teachers, police, firefighters, etc. Might as well be safe - than sorry, eh? Otherwise, the teacher might just end up on the "Bad Teachers Wall" over at MomLogic.com. And nobody wants that :-)
Regency Kindergarten at 16:49 on 22 April 2010

@ Tom : Don't worry Tom, a teacher is full of fun and fun and fun............ :)
@ Shara : you are right Shara, a teacher is a public figure. Because we are teaching the future president :)
@ Tom : I wish I can wear that cape and still looks great just like you :)
Teach Preschool at 17:05 on 22 April 2010

@ Regency - You can't really judge the book by the cover. I have met some pretty amazing teachers through this online forum and they all look very different but I know after reading their posts that they love what they do so for that reason, I even like teachers who wear super hero outfits! LOL!
PS> I would wear my Cat Woman super hero suit but I don't want to end up on MomLogic as a bad teacher:)
Tom Hobson at 17:09 on 22 April 2010

Everyone looks good in a cape!
Shara Lawrence-Weiss at 17:17 on 22 April 2010

Or a pink cowgirl hat!
{Shara likes to wear pink cowgirl hat :) }
Teach Preschool at 17:24 on 22 April 2010

LOL! I got to get me one of those:)

Regency Kindergarten at 19:16 on 22 April 2010

I once ever wore a cap with a rotor, the rotor can be spinning.
I wore it in front of the children.
But never wear it in front of the parents.
Sometimes it's hard to make other peoples believe "don't judge the book by it's cover"
:)
But Tom wore a super hero suit with confident.
With his confidence, I start to believe that he really can fly :)
Shara Lawrence-Weiss at 19:20 on 22 April 2010

I agree...when I see Tom's image, I think - that guy can fly! Where is he going? What town is he saving? Who needs him?
Regency Kindergarten at 19:28 on 22 April 2010

I believe with suits, the children will always remember their teachers.
Even 20 or 30 years later, they will bring their kids or even grandchild to the same kindergarten as they had.
They will tell to their kids,"He/she was my teacher"
Jo Caller at 02:01 yesterday

@RegencyKindergarten...I would hope that children remember their teachers for more than their suits!
And what is it that I must do to 'act' like a teacher?
Dress should be appropriate for the environment that we work in and take into account issues such as sun safety, cultural expectations and comfort...I would be concerned to find a early childhood teacher dressed in a suit!
I have dressed as a fairy,train driver,clown to name but a few and have been proud for parents to see me! It's all part of the fun and the children and families LOVE it!
Regency Kindergarten at 07:55 yesterday

@Jo Caller : Good point Jo, I think I must add some confidences into me wearing those costumes.
Personally a formal suit is very boring to me, we have a formal teacher's uniform for teaching in the class.
Every teacher are not the same just like the uniform.
I think in these discussions I found something valueable.
'Act like a teacher' is = we don't need to act like a teacher because we are the real teacher and not an actor/actress.
The real teacher simply has the "teacher charming" inside :)
Jo Caller at 17:38 yesterday

@Regency....You got it !!!!! It is what comes from within...the passion, the caring, the love!
So glad this discussion has helped :)
Teach Preschool at 18:01 yesterday

"The real teacher simply has the "teacher charming" inside :)" Well said!
Deborah is the one who runs the Teach Preschool fan page.
She introduce us the new idea of teaching and connecting teacher with other teachers.
Good job!
Jia you , Deb!!! (English: cheering!)
Sent from BlackBerry® on 3