What Should A Middle School Teacher Wear?

It isn’t easy for middle school teachers to balance their need for self-expression with the importance of appearing professional and approachable to their teenage students. This issue is only complicated if their institution doesn’t have an official dress code. So, what should a middle school teacher wear?

A middle school teacher should wear sensible, modest clothing appropriate for an office workplace environment. Doing so lets them appear mature and professional, creating healthy student-teacher relationships. Educators should avoid casual or revealing clothing or outfits with inappropriate imagery.

Now that we grasp the basics of a middle school teacher’s wardrobe, we can examine these guidelines in more detail. While many institutions have an official staff dress code, others do not, so it’s essential to see what general rules we can find.

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Guidelines For What A Middle School Teacher Should Wear

Although not every middle school has a comprehensive staff dress code, there are still commonalities and general guidelines that educators should follow.

Juniper Education stresses the importance of balancing freedom of expression with professional attire.

Similarly, teachers need to make an excellent first impression on their students, students’ parents, and other colleagues, so looking stylish and presentable goes a long way.

Education is also strenuous, and middle school teachers work long hours. Therefore, a teacher’s outfit should be comfortable and practical to reflect those conditions.

As they can be on their feet for several hours at a time, comfortable shoes are essential. Unfortunately, this is not a license to wear sneakers. Instead, smart-casual shoes are a safer option.

Therefore, a middle school teacher should wear professional, sensible, modest, and age-appropriate clothing. Dressing for a business or office environment is recommended.

Wearing multiple layers is also good advice. Removing a sweater or cardigan in hot weather is far easier than the trouble of not having an extra layer of clothing if you feel cold.

These guidelines already exclude many clothing choices. For instance, low-cut or revealing clothes are never appropriate for middle school teachers.

Likewise, clothing with political slogans or offensive imagery is a poor choice. Tracksuits, flip-flops, and shorts are also not encouraged in an office setting.

Whether jeans, sneakers, or polo shirts are acceptable varies between school administrations. CareerAddict recommends them, and EducationWeek adds that, after the COVID-19 pandemic, many schools relaxed their dress codes to allow these items.

However, this standard is not universal. Any teacher planning to wear jeans should consult their colleagues or the staff dress code before wearing them to work.

Good grooming is also a crucial aspect of professionalism. Under no circumstances should educators wear dirty or damaged clothing.

Likewise, their hairstyles should not deviate too much from business casual norms. While dyed hair is fair game, dying one’s hair bright or unnatural colors can draw unwanted attention so it is not recommended.

Teachers may also have tattoos, although they cannot display offensive, violent, or explicit imagery. For example, if an educator has a skull tattoo on their forearm, school policy might require them to wear a long-sleeved shirt to cover the tattoo.

Last, according to the American Association of Educators (AAE), we should also be aware that these guidelines have exceptions.

Physical education teachers need to move around and play sports. In that case, it’s more acceptable for them to wear sports tops, tracksuits, or shorts. Likewise, a teacher could also have a medical obligation to wear specific clothing.

Clothing Guidelines For Female Teachers

Typically, staff dress codes encourage female middle school teachers to wear the following:

Blouses with sleeves

Plain t-shirts
Skirts and dresses that are at least knee-length
Cardigans

Blazers
Capris
Chinos or casual slacks

Dark jeans without holes
Closed-toe flats
Low heels

Furthermore, female teachers are welcome to wear makeup as long as it isn’t flashy or excessive. Jewelry is also acceptable, although ThoughCo. reminds us that middle schools are not always the ideal environments to bring expensive accessories into.

This video gives some excellent fashion advice for female teachers, especially for those on a budget:

Clothing Guidelines For Male Teachers

Generally, male middle school teachers should consider wearing the following:

Dress shirts
Ties or bowties
Sports coats, suit jackets, blazers

Sweater vests
Cardigans
Dress pants

Dark colored jeans without holes
Chinos or casual slacks
Formal shoes

Additionally, male teachers should be clean-shaven or have neat facial hair. Some school administrations allow them to wear earrings but may forbid other types of piercings.

Consider the Official Staff Dress Code

A middle school will often include a dress code for teachers in its Staff Code of Conduct, handbook, or manual. This resource is beneficial for prospective teachers concerned about their outfits.

Terms like ‘casual’ and ‘formal’ are subjective, as is workplace culture. Therefore, consulting the official dress code is crucial, mainly if it offers clothing examples.

Not all middle schools share a dress code or define theirs similarly. Because of that, the clothing appropriate for one institution could be frowned upon by another.

For instance, the Lakewood Public School District, New Jersey, has a formal, comprehensive dress code. They forbid teachers from wearing sandals or jeans, and men must wear a dress shirt and tie.

On the other hand, veteran educator Suzanne Capek Tingley explains that her rural school had a lax, casual dress code. She mentions that she used to wear jeans and sneakers to work, as did her colleagues.

Therefore, the staff dress code is an ideal basis to start answering the question of what a middle school teacher should wear in the classroom.

Not only are they a source of appropriate outfits, but they can also clarify some unique rules. For instance, certain institutions can have regulations that are not intuitive, like mandatory manicures or allowing Bermuda shorts in the classroom.

Inconveniently, not all dress codes are equal. Some are vague or subject to interpretation. The AAE explains that many public middle schools also lack a staff dress code. Because of that, teachers are often at a loss for what to wear.

The AAE stresses that teachers should still use common sense and social prudence if a school lacks a dress code. Although these terms are subjective, we can still default to community consensus.

Why Is A Staff Dress Code Helpful?

Staff dress codes help clear up confusion on what is appropriate workplace attire. By doing so, they protect the school’s image and encourage professionalism.

A formal dress code can help teachers appear proficient and professional to students, parents, and colleagues.

Furthermore, these regulations are essential for younger teachers, too. As this experienced teacher recalls, she was mistaken for a high-schooler during her first years on the job due to her lax approach to how she dressed.

While the issue of being mistaken as a student may be less likely for a middle school teacher, a proper dress code still helps draw a line between educators and students. This encourages healthy classroom relationships.

Not only that, but middle school is the period when children undergo puberty. It is vital that an educator’s clothing doesn’t distract or entice them in any way.

Health and safety issues also necessitate a dress code. Different clothing standards are appropriate for physical education teachers or those who teach home economics due to the nature of the tasks they perform.

Jewelry or long untied hair can also present hazards. Likewise, chemistry teachers shouldn’t risk wearing open-toed shoes and spilling potentially dangerous material on their feet.

With those examples, it should be clear that staff dress codes also protect teachers.

Conclusion

Middle school teachers need outfits that portray them as professional, capable role models.

At the same time, teachers should dress comfortably and accessorize where appropriate to ensure that they feel comfortable and happy while teaching.

Therefore, business casual is an excellent rule-of-thumb for middle school teachers. Dress shirts, formal blouses, cardigans, and chino trousers are all reasonable choices.