Overdressing
In my industry (audio recording) wearing a suit and tie to class would create an awkward dynamic between myself as an instructor and students interested in the industry.
I do spend time in my class discussing appropriate clothing for different roles in the audio industry. For example an on-location sound recordist need a totally different wardrobe than a hip-hop beat maker/producer.
I am also in a technical field where I think it is perfectly acceptable (and recommended) for students to wear business casual attire (such as slacks and a polo. I have a difficult time picturing and suggesting appropriate attire for female students. Myself, I would not want to dress like a man and I'm looking for some help trying to find a "slacks and polo" equivalent for women. Hopefully this question makes sense and someone can provide me with ideas. Thank you!
DAVID,
I think this is a good strategy to use. By dressing at this level you are showing your students that you are their learning leader and that you know what professionalism is all about. Thus, they can learn much and grow in their career development not only in drafting but as professionals.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I have a slightly different perspective on this. My students are studying to be Drafting and Design professionals. In the field you are expected to be business casual, wearing a pair of slacks and maybe a polo shirt type outfit. As the teacher I am more in the leader role and as such, I believe the leader should stand out from the rest of the classroom participants. Part of my job working in a professional trade school is to represent my department to perspective students and the like. Therefor, I find it more appropriate, professional and respectful to dress a bit more impressively.
Rhonda,
This is such a great way to get students to thinking about the professional they are going to become. They need to learn not only the technical skills but the soft skills as well if they are gong to become the professionals they want to be.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
David,
The key with dress it to reflect a professional image in relation to that career, be it crisp scrubs, business attire or business casual. You want to be seen as the learning leader that you are. From your comments it appears you have a very good understanding of this and are serving in that role well.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
In my field of Marketing/Business, I make sure that I am dressed appropriately in a suit as is expected in my industry. It is important to me to serve as a role model, and dressing accordingly is one of the ways in which I exemplify this position. I emphasize the importance of being dressed appropriately and how this impacts your career. I also discuss the different career titles within this industry and discuss how certain positions (graphic artists, production crew, copywriters) tend to dress more casually. Understanding the company's culture is part of my lecture.
