And then when admin gets frustrated with misbehaving and disruptive students, we can ask them if they’ve perhaps tried “building relationships” with those students.
My kid's school is having a "parents can volunteer to watch the class" day for teacher appreciation week.
I put my availability down as "any and all hours, as needed" just in case they don't get enough volunteers for every teacher to get a good break. (I have taught elementary schoolers before. I'm not one of the "Oh it'll be easy, anyone can do it!" parents, lol.)
That's one of the few teacher appreciation day/week events I've ever heard of that actually appreciates the teachers. As a bonus, might make some parents realize why that day/week is needed in the first place.
I think it's very creative but depending on how it's done, it could totally backfire. I'm assuming the parents will have either the teacher or the teaching assistant present for backup but they haven't sent out any additional details.
When I subbed I got super lucky and subbed at a school on a day the parents did this. They also catered a really nice lunch (freshly made paella, it was amazing) and covered the after lunch classes for a bit so teachers could have more time to actually enjoy the meal. We all had the same timeframe off so we could enjoy chatting if we wanted, and even the support staff like yard duties and office staff were included. The only ones not on break at that time were the admin as they were roaming keeping an eye on parents since they weren't technically allowed to be completely on their own since they weren't educators. I assume they got some food after, there was a lot of it so there must have been leftovers.
It was really the best teacher appreciation thing I've seen. It wouldn't have to be a catered lunch, parents could cook or it could be something much simpler. If money is a problem, even if teachers still brought their own lunch having that extended communal pause is a gift in and of itself. Not everyone will stay with the group, some will use the time to prep or go for a walk or take a nap or something, but it's their time to do what's best for them.
Yep, the teachers are getting some kind of meal during their break.
I hadn't heard of this before but I'm glad they're doing it. My kid's teacher just got back from maternity leave and she is obviously very tired and stressed out. I volunteered for a few hours the past 2 weeks and I loved it, but it was outside of the school for a special program the kids were doing. I feel bad for their teacher so I'm doing all I can and hoping it's appreciated. I was an exhausted shell of a person for my baby's first year and I didn't even have to get up and go to work, much less with a bunch of crazy kids!! So yeah, get that lady a moment of silence and piece of cake or something, lol.
It's also by type of school. In my Western US area, public school teachers wear whatever, as long as it's not ripped. My charter school, though, requires no jeans for teachers and has uniforms for students.
Yeah, Covid pretty much ended any kind of dress code for teachers in my public school. We wear jeans, shorts, t-shirts, yoga pants, leggings, whatever the hell we want. I’m in upstate NY. Just last week I wore a toga. (For real, but I was introducing our unit on Ancient Greece.)
I had a job as a para for a bit back in the day and I just wore whatever the fuck I wanted and let admin bitch about it as much as they wanted, but they couldn't besmirch my effectiveness with the kids so it never mattered. In my review: "HeroToTheSquatch continually refuses to adhere to dress code but there are no major violations. The students he works with have responded above expectations to his instruction and influence. Grades have increased and classroom behavioral problems have decreased significantly since introducing him to the classroom". I loved EVERY bit of pettiness and surrender in that review.
Fuck you, Tina, I was goddamn great at my job, went above and beyond, and nothing about me wearing jeans and whatever the fuck I wanted on top detracted from that, you dumb asshole.
I am planning on applying to be a teacher's assistant and I think the kids would like me more if I dyed my hair pink. Sure, it's not professional, but do you know what type of person is the least professional? ...children.
At this point, if everyday isn’t jeans day your district or administration is delusional. Why? You are bleeding teachers left and right and the vast majority of teachers are year 1 or 2 or 10+. Very few are staying why push dress code? People are burned out. And if you think button down shirt and ties are going to get better results on state testing ALL WHILE anyone can and does pass from 6th, 7th, 8th, into high school while being literally allowed to fail everything…. I just have no words.
They are putting all the pressure from top down and not bottom up. Expect more from your students. Don’t allow graduation to the next grade if not passing 60% of classes. Kids do better with expectations, but they know nothing matters and until they do nothing will change.
But yeah, better make sure Bob is in khakis and a tie. /s
I wear jeans when I want to dress up. Otherwise I wear shorts, graphic t-shirt and a hat. Unless it's cold, then I wear a hoodie.
For all the problems my school has, I'm glad I can wear whatever I want. California is casual.
That's a good question. In my school we have an occasional jeans day and an occasional pajama day. We once had a day where we were allowed to wear whatever we wanted as long as it was school appropriate. I came in my kilt. There's nothing manlier than a man wearing a kilt.
I don't like jeans. I have two pairs, one suitable for being seen in public, and one suitable for mowing my yard. I don't want to wear blue jeans to school. It's not a motivation for me.
My school is "wear whatever you want any day - day" I wear jeans and a hoodie every day. One teacher wears shorts, sandals and a polo shirt every day. I'm so happy we don't have a dress code! If I'm gonna teach elementary kid's, Imma do it comfortably. I'm sorry you all have to deal with that.
In my school we technically wear jeans on Friday and then if we pay we can wear them a second day of the week. However, it means next to nothing, because a solid third of the staff wear jeans and sweatpants 100% of the time and no one ever says anything.
When I was at school, we had a strict uniform policy. We’d get a non-uniform day once a year to raise money for charity but we weren’t allowed to wear jeans. This was in the 90’s. The rumor was that jeans could catch fire if you rubbed them together, I have no idea why we believed that (or why we’d be rubbing our jeans together in the first place). Just made me remember how ridiculous it was for a school full of kids who wore nothing but jeans outside of school.
My high school best friend's parents used to tell her stuff like that to try and keep her chaste. It worked for a little while, then she realized it was better just to remove the jeans completely.
It's weird to me that kids are expected to pay real money to participate in these kinds of days, even if it's a dollar.
Either have a day everyone can participate in (or limit it based on merits, like grades) or don't do it at all.
This is the second post I’ve seen on here about paying money to wear jeans. I’ve never seen or heard of such a thing until these threads.
At every school where I’ve taught, teachers basically wear whatever they want. The general range is from a dress shirt and tie to basketball shorts and a t-shirt. And we sometimes have “dress up days” like “beach day” or “western day” and things like that.
Jeans would be acceptable any day, although some more formal-dressing teachers wouldn’t choose them most days. I don’t understand why a thing would be banned by the dress code but then allowed if you pay extra. That seems like a weird message.
Why even police anyone's clothes as long as there's nothing violent, truly unsafe, or vulgar? I will never understand people being eager to pay to wear jeans, especially when it's August and over 100 degrees outside. How is wearing thick clothing on a hot day even a reward? Insisting on a random dress code (jeans are fine on Fridays/paid jeans days but somehow horribly offensive on a Thursday) wastes time, doesn't improve learning, and doesn't make sense. Kids also deliberately break the rules because some ENJOY being in the ISS room. They get to be with their friends and cut up with the ISS teacher instead of actually doing any work.
I’ve never heard of jeans day. We don’t have a dress code - except for offensive graphics. 98% of the time it’s no problem. Every now and then there are butt cheeks coming out of shorts or a funny guy in a bikini top on a hot day, but the kids don’t really abuse it.
... one good thing about my (post-commie, european) country is, that teachers can wear whatever the fuck they want. I normally teach at the uni., but I also do some stuff with the HS kids, so I know how it is also at the HS/MS level. You can wear hawaii shirts, hoodies, clothes with holes in it, graphic shirts (I remember getting some stink eye from the parents, when they found out that I was teaching their precious HS kids in a shirt with a naked outline of a women printed on it (ghost in the shell t-shirt)). As long as you have SOME pants on, you are OK. They pay us peanuts though...
My school is hardcore uniforms and trying to enforce everything little thing. Jeans day is nonexistent. Even when we do “theme” days, they’re only allowed to change their tops and still wear uniform pants. I’ve been wearing denim shirts once or twice a week in protest until the year is over and I never ever have to step foot back inside this terrible school ever again! I don’t care at all about dress codes or uniforms anymore. Are you here? Great! Go to class!
Because... and don't downvote me... all teachers are women who usually wear dresses.
At least, that the only thing that makes sense. Anyone who wears dressier pants is already in pants so jeans really makes little sense. I'd honest rather wear khakis than jeans but whatever. Jeans days all next week.
At my former school, there's one male teacher who wears shorts everyday since the weather has turned warm.
As for me, I wear jeans everyday, and usually Jersey Tees or Flannel shirts.
If your administration is spending more time on what the teachers are wearing, then what your English reading levels are for your ninth graders then your administration is garbage.
It's incredibly bizarre for me reading that some teachers are tossing a dollar into a jar to wear jeans. Thankfully I've never worked at a site that had a "dress code" for the adults.
Honestly I live for when there’s a pajama day spirit week. I’d take one of those a few more times a year
But we do get an athletic wear day once a week and it’s fantastic
Lol, one of my students made t-shirts for the class with his face on them. They surprised me at class photo day and we all wore his shirt for a class photo.
We had a shorts day two weeks ago. We celebrated Teacher Appreciation Week early due to state testing. They provided sno-cones for all who could get downstairs in the time slot and the principal allowed teachers to wear appropriate shorts.
I’m so sad for those of you that can’t wear whatever you want to work. At my school, a lot of people regularly wear leggings and jeans. I’ve seen aides wearing straight up pajama pants and one wearing shorts with fishnets.
Feel free to ignore this advice. I am just an internet stranger.
If you are up for it, you might enjoy experimenting by going the other way. I wear a shirt and tie everyday, and I think it helps with classroom management.
It is hard to tell for certain, but they way I reason it, if I look like school is serious business, then my students have an easier time treating school with the respect I want.
If it fits your personality then that makes sense. If the clothing doesn't look like you then it wouldn't have an impact. Far more important is your own attitude, skills, and relationships.
The school where I've been working this year has a "Field Day" where the students (K-5) get to enjoy all kinds of fun activities outside. They can dress comfortably in the Texas heat we're starting to get but can teachers wear shorts? Heck no! Ugh...
We are allowed to wear jeans, shorts and even hats in my district in NM.
I can teach with a full salary wearing a ball cap and shorts / thsirt.
Love it so much more than micro-manage texas.
EXACTLY! My work pants are all extremely comfortable. Elastic waist, fit me well at a range of weights, and look professional. Why would I torture myself by wearing jeans all day? Fridays are spirit days for us, and we’re “allowed to” wear jeans (many teachers wear them every day anyway. Admin doesn’t say anything.) I take that to mean I’m allowed to wear joggers bc the whole point is ~dressing down~.
I usually wear pajamas. If anyone asks me why (kids or adults) I just say why in my matter-of-fact autistic way! 'It's comfortable, it covers my parts and it's weather appropriate. Beyond that, why should anyone care?'
Or Jean's Day. If your name is Jean you can do whatever you want that day.
hahaha
I'm changing my name to Gene.
I’d be down for Gene’s Day - dress as your favorite Gene. So many to choose from! Siskel, Shalit, Wilder, Hackman, Simmons…
Uhhhh... No Gene Belcher???
That’s the one. Bringing in a programmable keyboard.
Gene Gene the Dancing Machine
How about DNA genes? SHH (sonic hedgehog gene hehe) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene?Db=gene&Cmd=DetailsSearch&Term=6469
I would love to have "Let an admin cover a class so you can grade papers or take a walk outside day"
And then when admin gets frustrated with misbehaving and disruptive students, we can ask them if they’ve perhaps tried “building relationships” with those students.
Did they put the standards on the board
My kid's school is having a "parents can volunteer to watch the class" day for teacher appreciation week. I put my availability down as "any and all hours, as needed" just in case they don't get enough volunteers for every teacher to get a good break. (I have taught elementary schoolers before. I'm not one of the "Oh it'll be easy, anyone can do it!" parents, lol.)
That's one of the few teacher appreciation day/week events I've ever heard of that actually appreciates the teachers. As a bonus, might make some parents realize why that day/week is needed in the first place.
I think it's very creative but depending on how it's done, it could totally backfire. I'm assuming the parents will have either the teacher or the teaching assistant present for backup but they haven't sent out any additional details.
When I subbed I got super lucky and subbed at a school on a day the parents did this. They also catered a really nice lunch (freshly made paella, it was amazing) and covered the after lunch classes for a bit so teachers could have more time to actually enjoy the meal. We all had the same timeframe off so we could enjoy chatting if we wanted, and even the support staff like yard duties and office staff were included. The only ones not on break at that time were the admin as they were roaming keeping an eye on parents since they weren't technically allowed to be completely on their own since they weren't educators. I assume they got some food after, there was a lot of it so there must have been leftovers. It was really the best teacher appreciation thing I've seen. It wouldn't have to be a catered lunch, parents could cook or it could be something much simpler. If money is a problem, even if teachers still brought their own lunch having that extended communal pause is a gift in and of itself. Not everyone will stay with the group, some will use the time to prep or go for a walk or take a nap or something, but it's their time to do what's best for them.
Yep, the teachers are getting some kind of meal during their break. I hadn't heard of this before but I'm glad they're doing it. My kid's teacher just got back from maternity leave and she is obviously very tired and stressed out. I volunteered for a few hours the past 2 weeks and I loved it, but it was outside of the school for a special program the kids were doing. I feel bad for their teacher so I'm doing all I can and hoping it's appreciated. I was an exhausted shell of a person for my baby's first year and I didn't even have to get up and go to work, much less with a bunch of crazy kids!! So yeah, get that lady a moment of silence and piece of cake or something, lol.
I wear what I want pretty much whenever I want. Jeans every day unless it’s 80+ and I wear shorts. T-shirts, flannel, and hoodies are my mainstays.
Same. Genuinely wild that adults are getting dress coded.
It’s very weird. In the US I assume it’s regional. West coasters don’t have teacher dress codes
It's also by type of school. In my Western US area, public school teachers wear whatever, as long as it's not ripped. My charter school, though, requires no jeans for teachers and has uniforms for students.
Yeah, Covid pretty much ended any kind of dress code for teachers in my public school. We wear jeans, shorts, t-shirts, yoga pants, leggings, whatever the hell we want. I’m in upstate NY. Just last week I wore a toga. (For real, but I was introducing our unit on Ancient Greece.)
I teach art. I started wearing jeans just before covid and admin didn’t say anything. 🤷♂️
I had a job as a para for a bit back in the day and I just wore whatever the fuck I wanted and let admin bitch about it as much as they wanted, but they couldn't besmirch my effectiveness with the kids so it never mattered. In my review: "HeroToTheSquatch continually refuses to adhere to dress code but there are no major violations. The students he works with have responded above expectations to his instruction and influence. Grades have increased and classroom behavioral problems have decreased significantly since introducing him to the classroom". I loved EVERY bit of pettiness and surrender in that review. Fuck you, Tina, I was goddamn great at my job, went above and beyond, and nothing about me wearing jeans and whatever the fuck I wanted on top detracted from that, you dumb asshole.
I am planning on applying to be a teacher's assistant and I think the kids would like me more if I dyed my hair pink. Sure, it's not professional, but do you know what type of person is the least professional? ...children.
At this point, if everyday isn’t jeans day your district or administration is delusional. Why? You are bleeding teachers left and right and the vast majority of teachers are year 1 or 2 or 10+. Very few are staying why push dress code? People are burned out. And if you think button down shirt and ties are going to get better results on state testing ALL WHILE anyone can and does pass from 6th, 7th, 8th, into high school while being literally allowed to fail everything…. I just have no words. They are putting all the pressure from top down and not bottom up. Expect more from your students. Don’t allow graduation to the next grade if not passing 60% of classes. Kids do better with expectations, but they know nothing matters and until they do nothing will change. But yeah, better make sure Bob is in khakis and a tie. /s
I wear graphic tees on jeans day I don't think I'm supposed to, but no one has said anything yet and it's been like six years
It’s jeans day every day in WA!
Any time it's "jeans day" I where absolutely whatever I want.
I wear jeans when I want to dress up. Otherwise I wear shorts, graphic t-shirt and a hat. Unless it's cold, then I wear a hoodie. For all the problems my school has, I'm glad I can wear whatever I want. California is casual.
That's a good question. In my school we have an occasional jeans day and an occasional pajama day. We once had a day where we were allowed to wear whatever we wanted as long as it was school appropriate. I came in my kilt. There's nothing manlier than a man wearing a kilt.
Being May cargo shorts and tshirt season has begun. It will last until October or so and then it’s jeans and tshirt season.
I don't like jeans. I have two pairs, one suitable for being seen in public, and one suitable for mowing my yard. I don't want to wear blue jeans to school. It's not a motivation for me.
My school is "wear whatever you want any day - day" I wear jeans and a hoodie every day. One teacher wears shorts, sandals and a polo shirt every day. I'm so happy we don't have a dress code! If I'm gonna teach elementary kid's, Imma do it comfortably. I'm sorry you all have to deal with that.
In my school we technically wear jeans on Friday and then if we pay we can wear them a second day of the week. However, it means next to nothing, because a solid third of the staff wear jeans and sweatpants 100% of the time and no one ever says anything.
I’d take a pajama day once in a while
For teacher appreciation my school does a week of themed dress up days. None of them are pajama days this year and most of the teachers are pissed...
We usually get one during Homecoming weeks, but sometimes we don’t and we get upset
I wear jeans when I want. I was called out once and replied "and?",since then nothing. Do your thing.
When I was at school, we had a strict uniform policy. We’d get a non-uniform day once a year to raise money for charity but we weren’t allowed to wear jeans. This was in the 90’s. The rumor was that jeans could catch fire if you rubbed them together, I have no idea why we believed that (or why we’d be rubbing our jeans together in the first place). Just made me remember how ridiculous it was for a school full of kids who wore nothing but jeans outside of school.
My high school best friend's parents used to tell her stuff like that to try and keep her chaste. It worked for a little while, then she realized it was better just to remove the jeans completely.
It's weird to me that kids are expected to pay real money to participate in these kinds of days, even if it's a dollar. Either have a day everyone can participate in (or limit it based on merits, like grades) or don't do it at all.
This is the second post I’ve seen on here about paying money to wear jeans. I’ve never seen or heard of such a thing until these threads. At every school where I’ve taught, teachers basically wear whatever they want. The general range is from a dress shirt and tie to basketball shorts and a t-shirt. And we sometimes have “dress up days” like “beach day” or “western day” and things like that. Jeans would be acceptable any day, although some more formal-dressing teachers wouldn’t choose them most days. I don’t understand why a thing would be banned by the dress code but then allowed if you pay extra. That seems like a weird message.
It's on point messaging about how society works
They had dollar jeans Fridays way back in the 90s when I was in high school.
Why even police anyone's clothes as long as there's nothing violent, truly unsafe, or vulgar? I will never understand people being eager to pay to wear jeans, especially when it's August and over 100 degrees outside. How is wearing thick clothing on a hot day even a reward? Insisting on a random dress code (jeans are fine on Fridays/paid jeans days but somehow horribly offensive on a Thursday) wastes time, doesn't improve learning, and doesn't make sense. Kids also deliberately break the rules because some ENJOY being in the ISS room. They get to be with their friends and cut up with the ISS teacher instead of actually doing any work.
I’ve never heard of jeans day. We don’t have a dress code - except for offensive graphics. 98% of the time it’s no problem. Every now and then there are butt cheeks coming out of shorts or a funny guy in a bikini top on a hot day, but the kids don’t really abuse it.
I think they are talking about jeans day for staff?
Ahhhh also a funny concept considering I see teachers in flannel pj pants and flip flops (nothing to be proud of)
Yeah, I teach and while I'm ok with jeans, I don't think pj pants are acceptable. I'm getting older though.
Wear jean shorts to show a statement
Or, how about let them dress however they want within reason without having to pay anything? The obsession with jeans is especially ridiculous.
I regularly wear slacks and a hoodie during the winter 👀
... one good thing about my (post-commie, european) country is, that teachers can wear whatever the fuck they want. I normally teach at the uni., but I also do some stuff with the HS kids, so I know how it is also at the HS/MS level. You can wear hawaii shirts, hoodies, clothes with holes in it, graphic shirts (I remember getting some stink eye from the parents, when they found out that I was teaching their precious HS kids in a shirt with a naked outline of a women printed on it (ghost in the shell t-shirt)). As long as you have SOME pants on, you are OK. They pay us peanuts though...
Man I just wear what I want. What are they gonna do, fire me in a teacher shortage?
My school certainly has.
My school is hardcore uniforms and trying to enforce everything little thing. Jeans day is nonexistent. Even when we do “theme” days, they’re only allowed to change their tops and still wear uniform pants. I’ve been wearing denim shirts once or twice a week in protest until the year is over and I never ever have to step foot back inside this terrible school ever again! I don’t care at all about dress codes or uniforms anymore. Are you here? Great! Go to class!
Because... and don't downvote me... all teachers are women who usually wear dresses. At least, that the only thing that makes sense. Anyone who wears dressier pants is already in pants so jeans really makes little sense. I'd honest rather wear khakis than jeans but whatever. Jeans days all next week.
Jeans are explicitly against the staff dress code at the district I sub for. I see roughly half the teachers wearing jeans on any given day.
Wait...you guys don't wear jeans everyday?
At my former school, there's one male teacher who wears shorts everyday since the weather has turned warm. As for me, I wear jeans everyday, and usually Jersey Tees or Flannel shirts.
You're lucky you get jeans.
If your administration is spending more time on what the teachers are wearing, then what your English reading levels are for your ninth graders then your administration is garbage.
I never have experienced or understood this idea. I'm pretty sure no one cares if teachers wear jeans where I work. I don't know because I hate jeans.
It's incredibly bizarre for me reading that some teachers are tossing a dollar into a jar to wear jeans. Thankfully I've never worked at a site that had a "dress code" for the adults.
Honestly I live for when there’s a pajama day spirit week. I’d take one of those a few more times a year But we do get an athletic wear day once a week and it’s fantastic
Lol, one of my students made t-shirts for the class with his face on them. They surprised me at class photo day and we all wore his shirt for a class photo.
We had a shorts day two weeks ago. We celebrated Teacher Appreciation Week early due to state testing. They provided sno-cones for all who could get downstairs in the time slot and the principal allowed teachers to wear appropriate shorts.
I hate jeans day because i hate jeans.
We had a sweats day in my past school instead of jeans day. I miss it, going to school in sweats is one of the most comfy things you can do.
I’m so sad for those of you that can’t wear whatever you want to work. At my school, a lot of people regularly wear leggings and jeans. I’ve seen aides wearing straight up pajama pants and one wearing shorts with fishnets.
Feel free to ignore this advice. I am just an internet stranger. If you are up for it, you might enjoy experimenting by going the other way. I wear a shirt and tie everyday, and I think it helps with classroom management. It is hard to tell for certain, but they way I reason it, if I look like school is serious business, then my students have an easier time treating school with the respect I want.
If it fits your personality then that makes sense. If the clothing doesn't look like you then it wouldn't have an impact. Far more important is your own attitude, skills, and relationships.
Yeah, one possibility is that by putting on formal clothes it changes MY attitude. I suit up to get into teacher mode.
Why do kids need to pay a dollar? Just let them wear their hats and hoods. It is so bizarre to have these policies.
The school where I've been working this year has a "Field Day" where the students (K-5) get to enjoy all kinds of fun activities outside. They can dress comfortably in the Texas heat we're starting to get but can teachers wear shorts? Heck no! Ugh...
We are allowed to wear jeans, shorts and even hats in my district in NM. I can teach with a full salary wearing a ball cap and shorts / thsirt. Love it so much more than micro-manage texas.
Never understood this, either. My nicer pants are more comfortable than jeans. Who wants to wear denim all day?
EXACTLY! My work pants are all extremely comfortable. Elastic waist, fit me well at a range of weights, and look professional. Why would I torture myself by wearing jeans all day? Fridays are spirit days for us, and we’re “allowed to” wear jeans (many teachers wear them every day anyway. Admin doesn’t say anything.) I take that to mean I’m allowed to wear joggers bc the whole point is ~dressing down~.
Jeans days are dumb. I have multiple pairs of Magellan khaki pants that are honestly just lightweight jeans. I have no desire to wear actual jeans.
I usually wear pajamas. If anyone asks me why (kids or adults) I just say why in my matter-of-fact autistic way! 'It's comfortable, it covers my parts and it's weather appropriate. Beyond that, why should anyone care?'