ED 601: Action Research Kristen Dailey

7/28/2019 ED 601: Action Research Kristen Dailey

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Action Research Project

Looking Sharp: Do a teacher's clothes matter in the classroom?

Western New England University

Kristen DaileyED 601

Research for TeachersJune 8, 2013

Looking Sharp: Do a teacher's clothes matter in the classroom? K. Dailey

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Research Question:

This study sought to pursue the correlations that exist between teacher's wardrobe and

the relationships and perceptions that they maintain. The basis of this study was formed

around one key question, specifically, does a teacher's dress code have any influence upon

student and teacher relationships? The hypothesis was that clothing shapes first impressions,

but that other factors change the dynamics of student / teacher relationships. The core of this

project aimed to answer whether or not a dress code for teachers is merited, to examine how

the clothing we wear influences the ways in which our students perceive us as professionals,

and to explore and develop whether what we wear as educators has a direct influence on the

ways in which we interact with our students.

Background:

My current workplace has few limitations for faculty dress code, and there are great

differences in the ways that the teachers dress. While some of the teachers come to school in

dresses, skirts, and collared shirts, others come in flip flops and jeans. I am curious to

explore what impression this gives the students about the staff.

With no formal dress code for teachers in place at my school, teachers are permitted

to wear whatever they like, from Bermuda shorts to flip flops. I was interested to see if I

could highlight any direct correlation between faculty dress and student behavior, and to

assess whether or not students pay much attention to what their teachers are wearing. Often,

rules are difficult to enforce at my school, particularly in terms of the student uniform. Can I

reasonably question a student's sandaled feet when some of my colleagues are also wearing

flip-flops? Should I challenge a rogue bra strap peeking out of a student's shirt when another

teacher is dressed similarly? The students are required to wear uniforms Monday through


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Thursday, and Friday is free dress day. I wonder if the school environment would change if

teachers had to adhere to similar rules.

This study uses surveys of students and teachers from the International School of

Monagas in Maturn, Venezuela. I also solicited responses from teachers I know who are

teaching in places other than Venezuela. Several of my past students also completed a

survey; they too are located in places other than Venezuela. In total, I received 62 student

responses from Venezuela, 11 from the United States, 1 from Canada and 3 from Taiwan.

The survey for teachers did not include a question of where they were located.

Review of Literature:

Clothing choices lead to personal style. The stores frequented and the purchases

made can help distinguish anyone as an individual. Whether a distinct pair of earrings, a

penchant for prints or pocket squares, or a bow-tiemost people enjoy a certain level of

personalization to a wardrobe. The clothing worn by educators is noticed by the students;

this is a point reinforced by numerous studies.

With stories of students like Jeff Bliss, the current viral sensation who questions the

role of his teacher in a world history classroom, it is important to reflect upon the fact that

our students are thinking, breathing people who look to us to guide them through their

academic experiences. Perhaps this student presents a valid criticism of his teacher; only

those in the classroom can really make a sound judgement. Perhaps he is just a disgruntled

adolescent who has fallen into the seemingly easy tendency to blame teachers for his own

student apathy. The message we can take from this is a simple one. Our students are

watching. They notice our behavior, the work we assign, the materials we present and the

clothing we wear.

The issue of profession attire in an educational setting is not a new one. Images of

high-collared, stocking clad school teachers reference another time; high heeled shoes have


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given way to ballet flats, and many men have cast aside their jackets and ties for a tucked-in

polo shirt and khaki pants. Students seated in teacher-preparation classes are advised to

dress professionally, to present themselves in a fashion which will command a level of

respect from their own students. Some schools within the United States have adopted formal

dress code policies for teachers, while others call into question whether or not it is a

violation of one's rights as an individual. In some instances, unions have stepped forward to

challenge these policies.

Although there has been an ongoing conversation about professional attire and

clothing choices for educators, there is little formal research which addresses this specific

topic. Some of the research supports the premise that teachers who are dressed formally are

viewed in higher esteem than their less well-dressed colleagues, while others suggest that a

teacher's wardrobe has little direct correlation to command in the classroom.

This review is presented with limitations. Much of the material found speaks to a

population of students in university settings, while the subject of this action research project

seeks to focus on high school students. Another limitation that manifested during the

research for this review was that much of the existing data is dated and consequently

unavailable.

Much of the literature which exists on this topic supports the premise that teachers

who are dressed formally are perceived in the most positive way. According to Morris,

Gorham, Cohen & Huffman (1996), a study done by Rollman in 1980 determined that

"teachers dressed formally were seen as more organized, knowledgeable and better

prepared; those dressed informally were seen as more friendly, flexible, sympathetic, fair and

enthusiastic than the other modes of dress. Males were rated as most stimulating in

moderately formal attire, and both males and females score highest on perceived clarity in

the moderately formal condition(137). This stands as one example among several which

support the idea that dressing formally puts forth a greater perception. The disconnect


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occurs, it seems, in terms of approachability; this study suggests that those dressed more

casually gain more friendship points. Perhaps this is what caused faculty attire to yield to

more casual selections.

Rollman's study, like many of the others referenced, was conducted more than thirty

years ago. Today's classroom hosts students quite different from those thirty years their

senior. Today's students are unfamiliar with a time before the internet, with card catalogs or

VHS tapes. For this reason, one might question how relevant studies conducted with the

students of thirty years ago is for today. Have opinions changed regarding whether or not

teacher attire is important? In a more recent study conducted by Morris et al (1996), guest

lecturers were invited into classrooms wearing various modes of dress from casual to formal.

The findings showed that the instructors dressed more formally had the most consistent

results for "cool" perceptions, such as competence, composure and knowledge. This study

also supports preexisting studies on this topic which suggest that clothing which raises

perceptions in "cool" categories creates a greater distance for students and teachers in the

"warm" categories, which include sociability, extroversion, kindness, empathy and being

interesting. Casually dressed teachers were rated highest in the warm categories. One key

distinction between this present study and others before it is that it evaluates perceptions in a

live context; studies done previously used photographs. The study found that the effects of

attire in a live setting was not as apparent as results found in studies using photographs. It

seems impossible to eliminate the notion that the human factor of a live study introduces

many more variables than clothing alone.

As a way to follow the initial study conducted, Gorham, Cohen, & Morris (1997)

sought to recreate and reevaluate their previous findings the following year. Many of the

variables remained the same; once again psychology classes were used, with a new year

bringing a new pool of students. The modification introduced into this second study was the

idea of teacher immediacy, or behavior. The study determined that their "results parallel


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previous findings (Morris, Gorham, Cohen & Huffman, 1996) that have indicated less

pronounced effects of attire on personal perceptions studied in a live interaction setting

rather than as responses to photographs... behavior was clearly of more importance in

influencing rater judgements" (pgs. 18-19). This brings forth a series of questions. Do the

clothes truly make the man, so to speak? Could a professional wardrobe guarantee academic

engagement while earning respect from the students? Do Birkenstocks and a graphic tee-

shirt ensure that someone is approachable? In education, there are so many factors which

influence the success of a lesson, clothing is just one of them.

Gorham, et al., assembled for a third time to evaluate the role of teacher attire on

student perceptions, with the framework of the study again altered slightly. "The third

principle of attribution concerns homophily, the degree to which two people perceive

themselves as similar to one another. Homophily has been found to be related to voluntary

exposure to communication and the ability to influence (Morris, Gorham, Cohen & Huffman,

1996, 1999, p. 285). As Gorham et al. (1999) predicted, much of the study reinforced

previous findings. In terms of homophily, gender played a large role. "Much of the research

on clothing and person perceptions concludes that females are more responsive to clothing

cues than are males" (p. 292). Findings suggest that in addition to perceptions formed by

one's gender, age was influential in the results of this study. After three studies, the team has

determined that conventions of dressing for success do not have a direct correlation to

student perceptions of instructors in a university setting; "based on findings...we are

convinced that conventional wisdom does not in this case apply" (Morris, Gorham, Cohen &

Huffman, 1996, 1999, p. 296).

Experts within the field of education suggest that clothing does, in fact, matter. While

a great deal of the information is anecdotal, the volume of people speaking to this concept

suggests that it is worth reflecting upon. Ronald Lemos (2007), for example, claims that "[f]

ormality provides a useful structure for helping students accomplish their academic


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objectives" (p. 46). Perhaps he stands as a figurehead for a time rapidly fading into antiquity.

Set against the backdrop of the studies conducted by Gorham et al., Lemos represents the

part of academia wishing to hang onto the formality of a classroom. He claims that "[h]ow

faculty members present themselves in class influences how students respond to them.

Using etiquette in the classroom shows respect for students and demonstrates their

importance" (p. 47). After listing an Emily Post-esque list of dos and don'ts for teachers, he

reaches his point, [if] "you would not do this when presenting a paper at a professional

conference; do not do it during your lectures" (p. 47). Within the field of education exists a

vast span of topics which can be debated and disputed; with the material that currently exists

regarding the issue of teacher attire, it is possible that this may just come down to personal

and professional opinion.

Ronald Lemos is not alone in his support of formality in the classroom. Karen

Thickstun (2007), a music teacher, reinforces the necessity of dressing as a professional in

order to gain the professional respect of others. Sebastian & Bristow (2008) reference studies

which reinforce their ideas. They cite others before them who have determined that formality

in the classroom has favorable results. They reference Molloy (1988), who "inferred that

formal dress strongly affects how people are treated and that formal codes on dress improve

performance, motivation, and attendance. 'We are more likely to believe, respect, and obey

the man who wears a suit than the man who does not...In any level of society, suits are

associated with authority, with position, with power' (Molloy, p. 41)" (Sebastian & Bristow,

2008, p. 196). Research aside, this sentiment is still held by many within the field of

education.

When Sebastian and Bristow conducted their own studies, they concluded, like

Gorham's study before them, that "formal dress led to greater attributions of expertise than

did casual dress, whereas formal dress led to lower feelings of likeability on both indexes

than did casual dress. It can thus be asserted that either style of dress can be effective,


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depending on the professors impression management objectives, in university

classrooms" (p. 200). Research shows that there are many other factors which play into

student perceptions of an educator; perhaps it is nearly impossible to isolate the

presentations of clothing alone to gain a complete understanding of how educators are

perceived.

It is fair to suggest that certain clothing styles immediately lead to a judgement of the

type of person someone is. It may result in whether or not people are deemed intelligent or

trustworth. In the 1950s, John T. Molloy, America's first wardrobe engineer, claimed that

clothing possessed its own psychology. "During his early research, for example, he

discovered that the Boston Strangler invariably wore beige or gray repairman-like outfits; the

light colors tended to reassure housewives and helped him get into their homes" (Time,

1972). He researched the psychological implications that wardrobe had on others and made

an enterprise from it. His interest in this subject was piqued while working as a teacher.

Does this same idea still hold true forty years later?

While existing research may not support the benefits of a professional wardrobe, many

teachers still maintain that dressing up changes the feeling of a school for the better. In 1996,

Joe Catalano and his colleagues from Niagara Falls, New York collectively decided to dress

up on a daily basis to heighten the level of academic expectations from their students. They

chose to do this without a district mandate or suggestion from their administration (Bradley,

1996). It is possible that the key points Molloy was making thirty years earlier still rang true

for the students in Catalano's classroom; that his own presentation of himself as a

professional who took his work seriously had a direct influence on their behavior and

approach to their own educational experiences.

Everyone involved in a classroom setting has opinions about certain rules of conduct.

In public schools, there are often norms stated in handbooks and teacher manuals that

specifically dictate modes of behavior. Prenni and Lord (1992) focus on the differences


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which exist between school administrators and teachers in the clothing discussion. Much of

their findings were anecdotal, articulating the personal preferences of several hundred staff

members, including both administration and faculty. Their findings reinforce the work of

Butler and Roesal (1989), who "found that while the teacher's attire did play a role in student

learning, no single, particular style was better than another" (Prenni and Lord, 1992 p. 581).

This supports the idea that clothing style is often a mode of professional and personal

preference. Even though the research suggests that attire is secondary to the success of a

teacher in a classroom, they point out that "strong differences of opinion between school

administrators and teachers on the appropriate dress for effective teaching tend to exist in the

nation's schools" (p. 579). Overall, this study found teachers and administrators split on the

role clothing plays in the classroom. Million (2004) also found that many administrators

support a professional dress code, "teachers should dress for the business of school" (p. 59).

In a series of studies conducted by Carr, Davies, & Lavin, the question of perception

and attire is again tested. While seeking to determine a correlation between student

perceptions of a professor in terms of professionalism and instructional quality, a study was

done with students in business classes. They found, similarly to the work of Gorham, et al,

that "[i]t has been documented that attire has communicative power and that nonverbal

messages may be much more powerful than the spoken word. As educators strive to prepare

students for their futures, it is important to be mindful of the fact that all which is conveyed

plays a part in the educational process, be it spoken or unspoken" (Carr, Davies, & Lavin,

2009, p. 59). It is clear that other factors reinforce student perceptions of their teachers.

To further their research, Lavin, Carr & Davies (2009) sought to examine perceptions

of professor attire according to gender. The studies demonstrated that opinions of both males

and females were ranked similarly in terms of professional dress. "An examination of the

results indicates that in almost all cases, students had a higher opinion of the model female

instructor when she was depicted in professional attire" (Lavin, Carr, Davies, 2009a, p. 9).


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Similarly, "results presented in this paper suggest that both male and female students

generally had a higher opinion of the model male instructor when he was depicted in

professional attire versus casual or business casual attire" (Lavin, et al., 2009a, p. 11). The

gender difference was presented in professors dressed in casual attire, "[w]hen the sample

was split based on the gender of the respondents, there were significant differences in male

and female student perceptions of male instructors dressed in casual and business casual

attire" (Lavin, et al., 2009b, p. 10). Overall, the two studies determined that women were

more inclined to evaluate a professor favorably, stating that women "rate faculty more highly

than male students do, even when the instructor is not of their own gender" (Lavin, et al.,

2009b, p. 11). The findings of these two research studies conclude that gender plays a role in

student perceptions of professors in the university setting.

How much does our credibility impact our capacity to teach well? Does whether or

not a student views us as a credible source of information influence the way they behave in

class? In a 2010, another study led by Lavin, Carr, & Davies was conducted to examine

perception of the credibility of the professor from clothing. "On the surface, this finding

suggests that students tend to rate the professor, the quality of instruction and the overall

educational experience more positively when the professor's attire is perceived to be

professional when compared to a less professional, more casual instructor

appearance" (Lavin, et al., 2010, p. 51). It appears that the research throughout these studies

is the same, while the points of evaluation change. Additionally, this study focuses upon the

other traits and characteristics that may impact student perceptions of their professors, which

they determine have a significant impact upon the students. These traits include "the

instructors level of preparation, knowledge of the subject matter, and ability to prepare

students for a career" (Lavin, et al., 2010, p. 56). The findings of this study suggest that

professors who are respected and considered more credible than others have less disciplinary

issues from their students. Students who behave make any instructor's life easier.


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What other points of judgement are influenced by the clothing educators wear? Carr,

Davies, & Lavin, 2010, reference an earlier study, noting that "Lukavsky, Butler and Harden

(1995) studied the impact of attire on the personal characteristics of approachability,

inflexibility, and respect. They found significant differences in student perceptions of those

three characteristics based on whether the instructor was formally or informally dressed. The

instructor who dressed informally was rated most approachable and most flexible but at the

same time commanded the least amount of respect" (p. 3). While much of the existing

research questions the merits of a professional attire on student perceptions, is it possible that

professional clothing does in fact earn a deeper level of respect from students?

In the ways that our students make judgements about us based upon the clothing we

wear, often teachers make judgements about their students upon these same principles. A

different perspective on the influence of clothing and the perception of others is addressed by

Dorothy Behling, 1995. In contrast to most of the studies presented in this review, she

discusses the ways in which a student's clothing can guide a teacher to make an opinion

about his or her potential and capacity to learn. She references Behling & Williams, 1991,

who suggest "clothing alone can create [a] 'halo effect'." Research indicates individuals who

follow the cultural dress norms (e.g., suits are "good" and ragged jeans and worn t-shirts are

not) are viewed more positively, even being perceived as a student with academic

potential" (p. 11). Could this same philosophy apply to our students' perceptions of their

teachers? Would a well-dressed person not seem more knowledgable and prepared than

their flip-flop wearing, tousled colleagues? In an article by Stacey Patton, 2012, Ernest L.

Gibson III speaks to a different necessity to dress well. He states, "[a]s a person of color, I

feel that I must be 10 times more invested in how I present myself. As one unable to escape

the markers and significations of a black body, I am always aware of the role my race plays in

coloring people's perception of me, especially as an intellectual" (p. 3). If research is correct

and many other factors influence student perceptions of their educators, does Gibson present


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a valid argument? In a profession that is largely represented by people from ethnic

backgrounds other than African-American, are his feelings justified in feeling as if he has a bit

more to prove?

James Lang (2005) directly addresses the motivations for teachers to select the clothing

they do in an opinion essay. "I will confess that I wonder about the motivations of the sharp

dressers. I wonder whether they use sharp dressing as a means to establish their authority

with students: 'Within these pointy shoes are contained the wisdom of the ages. The pointy

shoes make me the boss.' I'm tempted, too, to equate sharp dressing with teaching style.

According to reports from his students, the sharpest-dressed faculty member I ever knew

expensive suits hanging off a sculpted body presented his views forcefully in his

humanities classes, in lecture form, and expected students to repeat those views back to him

on papers and exams" (p. 2). Is it possible that the clothing we wear is in fact reflective of the

teachers we are? Is it fair to equate formality with a formalized, more traditional approach to

education as a whole? Is this a statement we can make about the selection of clothing across

the spectrum?

At this point, current research reinforces that the role of clothing on student

perceptions of their teachers is a limited scope of vision. Our clothing only plays a minimal

role; many other factors determine the relationships we are able to develop with our

students. The studies have demonstrated that there is existing support for both casual

presentation of clothing as well as a formal presentation; one gives the perception that the

subject matter is taken seriously, while the other presents a level of approachability. If the

studies demonstrate that other factors are more important to the ways in which we are

perceived by our students, it seems that teachers can dress the way they feel best works for

them and fill in the gaps later.


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Methodology:

The data for this study was collected through two online surveys. One was written

and drafted for teachers (Table 1) to determine feelings about the clothing they wear and

gather opinions on dress codes. The second was written for students. This first portion (Table

2) of the student survey solicited opinions about clothing choices in general; the second

portion (Table 3) presented ten models wearing a variety of outfits, and asked students to

assess the "teacher" based upon the clothing they were wearing.

Two online surveys were used for the purpose of this project. The International School

of Monagas has a relatively small number of students; the entire population of the school is

under two hundred. Creating a survey that was accessible online allowed for a broader range

of students and teachers to provide information, and offered a consistent method of data

collection for all participants.

Students from Venezuela were taken to the computer lab in groups to complete the

student survey. The average time of completion was between ten and twelve minutes.

Several of the students were unable to submit their results as the internet failed, which

presented difficulties. Teacher surveys were solicited through email and an online posting.

The results of both surveys were compiled to try to form an answer about the core

question of this project, assessing whether or not the clothing a teacher wears influences the

perceptions of that teacher held by the students. The surveys provided an opportunity to

conduct research with two populationsteachers and studentsaround a similar topic,

teacher wardrobe.


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Teacher Survey: ardrobe

1. What is your gender?

Male

Female

2. What is your age?

18 to 24

25 to 34

35 to 44

45 to 54

55 to 64

65 or older

3. What grade(s) do you teach?K-5, Sixth, Seventh, Eighth

Ninth, Tenth, Eleventh, Twelfth

4. Do you think that teachers' wardrobes influence theway they are perceived by colleagues?

Care to explain?

Yes

Sometimes

Rarely

No

5. Do you think that teachers' wardrobes influence the

way they are perceived by their students?

Care to explain?

Yes

Sometimes

Rarely

No

6. Do you think teachers' wardrobes influence the ways

they are perceived by the parents of their students?

Care to explain?

Yes

Sometimes

Rarely

No

7. Do you feel that student behavior can be influenced by

a teacher's wardrobe?

Care to explain?

Yes

Sometimes

Rarely

No

8. Do you feel that a teacher's wardrobe can influence

student success?

Care to explain?

Yes

Sometimes

Rarely

No

9. Do the clothes you wear influence how professional

you feel?

Care to explain?

Yes

Sometimes

Rarely

No

10. Do you support a dress code for teachers?Yes

No

Table One:SurveyLink to Survey


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https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/M65SXRDhttps://www.surveymonkey.com/s/M65SXRD


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Student Survey: Teacher Wa drobe, Part One

1. What is your gender? Male, Female

2. What is your age? 12 or younger

13 to 17

18 to 24

25 to 34

35 or older

3. What grade are you in? K-5

Sixth

Seventh

Eighth

Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, Senior,Undergraduate, Graduate

4. Where in the world are you? (Country, state, etc.) Open Answer

5. How often do you pay attention to what the people

around you are wearing?

Always

Sometimes

Rarely

Never

I don't know

6. How often do you pay attention to what your teachers

are wearing?

Always

SometimesRarely

Never

I don't know

7. When you meet someone new, how much does what

they are wearing influence your first opinion of him or

her?

Very much

A little

Not at all

I don't know

8. Do you think the clothes your teacher wears

influences the way you think about him or her as a

person?

Always

Sometimes

RarelyNever

I don't know

9. Does clothing tell you about someone's personality?

Please explain

Always

Sometimes

Rarely

Never

10. Do your clothes reveal anything about your

personality?

Please explain

Always

Sometimes

Rarely

Never

Table Two: SurveyLink to Survey


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https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/X2WGKFRhttps://www.surveymonkey.com/s/X2WGKFR


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For the second part of the survey, students were shown ten individual photographs of models

wearing a variety of clothing combinations. For each photograph they were asked to

respond to the following questions:

Student Survey: Teach r Wardrobe, Part Two

1. What adjectives would you use to describe the

teacher pictured above?

(check all that apply)

Organized, Strict, Kind, Knowledgeable, Distant,

Interesting, Unprofessional, Disorganized, Easygoing,

Mean, Unprepared, Approachable, Boring,

Professional

2. Are there any other adjectives you can think of? Open Answer

3. Would you like it if your teacher dressed this

way?

Care to explain?

Yes

No

No opinion

4. Does this seem like a teacher who would have a

good command of his students?

Yes

No

No opinion

The images below were presented in the survey. They were created using H&M's online

dressing room. They are presented larger in the results portion.

Table Three: Survey


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Weeks Action

Monday, May 6thSunday,May 12th, 2013

1. Review literature.2. Create and prepare materials for data collection: sample photographs, survey

questions, response forms for teachers and students.

Monday, May 13thSunday, May 19th, 2013

1. Contact friends/previous students and solicit involvement from other schools.2. Prepare final copies of survey questions and materials.3. Begin administering surveys in school, and post to Facebook.

Monday, May 20thSunday, May 26th, 2013

1. Conduct research and have students complete surveys and response forms.2. Collect and organize data.

Monday, May 27thSunday, June 2nd 2013

1. Compile and analyze data.2. Create data representationscharts, graphs, etc.3. Determine if professional attire influences student perceptions of their

teachers.

Results/Analysis:

43 teachers completed the survey on teacher wardrobe; twenty-nine are female, and

fourteen male. A majority of the teachers are aged 35-44, and most are high school teachers.

The participants are located in Venezuela, Taiwan, Japan, the United Arab Emirates, Korea,

Oman, Vietnam and the United States.

60.47% of the teachers polled feel that teacher wardrobes influence the ways they are

perceived by their colleagues. 39.53% feel that this is true sometimes. Several comments

suggest that a professional appearance influences the perceptions made about a person's

intelligence and ability to teach and that someone with a professional wardrobe is taken

more seriously. Others suggest that clothing can make a teacher appear too uptight, or too

liberal. Three people commented that once you know someone, looks can be deceiving.

When asked if teacher wardrobes influence the ways that students see teachers,

67.44% chose yes, 27.91% chose sometimes, and 4.65% chose rarely. The comments

section revealed that quite a few teachers feel that this is increasingly more important for

young teachers, as they can use clothing to distance themselves from students who are close

in age. Affirmative numbers rose when addressing whether teachers' wardrobes influence

Table Five: Research Timeline


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the way they are perceived by their students' parents. 74.42% chose yes, 23.26%

sometimes, and only 2.33%, one person, chose rarely. Several of the comments pointed to

the tendency of most teachers to dress up nicely for parent meetings and Back to School

night functions. Others pointed out that adults have a greater consciousness of

professionalism and the need to dress appropriately for school.

The participants of this study were split on whether or not a teacher's wardrobe can

influence student behavior. 32.56% chose yes, 39.53% sometimes, 9.30% rarely and

18.60% no. The comments reflect that personality and rapport with students has a greater

influence than clothing, but dressing too casually may convey a message that the teacher is

not taking the class seriously, so the students do not need to either. A similar split was

demonstrated regarding whether or not a teacher's wardrobe can influence student success.

23.81% chose yes, 30.9% sometimes, 19.05% rarely and 26.19% no. Many of the

comments suggested that a teacher is a role model, and that teachers lead by example; quite

a few of the participants suggest that there are much better ways to motivate students than the

clothing they wear.

68.29% of the teachers polled state that the clothes they wear can influence how

professional they feel. 19.51% said sometimes, 2.44% rarely, and 9.76% no. "When I am

dressed like a teacher, I feel more like a teacher," said one of the participants. Overall, a

greater percentage of participants favor a dress code, with the count coming in 34 to 9. One

flaw in these results occurs because there are so few participants. While responses were

solicited several times, only 43 people completed the survey. This answers indicative of what

was expected.

It would be interesting to develop this study and complete it on a larger, more

international scale. In Japan, all teachers are required to wear suits to school for a large

portion of the year; in the hot months, a "cool biz" dress code is acceptable. In Taiwan,

many of the women tend to wear clothing that is tight, and casual. In Venezuela, a nice pair


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of jeans with high heels is considered dressed up. Examining cultural norms of expectation

for clothing may help to advance this study and give clarity to cultural differences in clothing

style.

The student survey had a total of 77 participants from the United States, Venezuela,

Taiwan and Canada. The participants consisted of, 16 grade 7 students, 9 grade 8 students,

11 students in grade 9, 10 students in grade 10, 12 juniors, 6 seniors, 5 undergraduates, and

7 graduate students. The survey sought to determine student perceptions of teachers based

upon the clothing that they wear. It built upon similar ideas as the teacher survey, while

allowing an opportunity to compile data with a practical application. The data was compiled

using ten different photographs with the same questions for each. Ten images were used to

present both male and female teachers in a range of clothing from very casual to dressy.

Since the participants are mostly in grades 7-12, ten images with the same questions may

have been too many. The rate of skipped questions increased the further into the survey they

got. This age bracket represented the highest rate of skipped questions.

Students were asked to complete a series of questions based upon their observations

of others based upon clothing. 63.64% of students say that they pay attention to what the

people around them are wearing sometimes, and 22.08% said they notice always, 10.39%

rarely, and 3.90% never. 49.35% said that they sometimes notice what their teachers are

wearing, 25.97% always notice, 15.58% rarely notice, and 7.79% never notice. More

females than males chose yes for these two questions, and the only never votes were from

males. The hypothesis for this study considered that clothing would have a greater impact for

first impressions. Only 18.8 % of the students demonstrate that clothing has a great impact

on a first meeting of someone, while a majority of students, 57.14% said that clothing

matters a little. 20.78% suggest that clothing matters not at all in a first impression, and

3.90% said that they don't know whether or not it matters. Many of the comments

suggested that you can often determine how much wealth a person has according to his or


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her clothing. Others indicated that clothing is a good way to convey style, so clothing

provides insight into someone's personality.

When asked specifically about teacher wardrobes, 16% of students said that their

opinions of a teacher are shaped by the clothing he or she wears, 44% suggest that this

occurs sometimes, 24% rarely, and 16% never. The high ranking from sometimes suggests

that largely students use clothing as only one component of judging a teacher. In response to

a question about the correlations between clothing and personality, 16.88% said clothing

always tells about someone's personality, 67.53% sometimes, 10.39% rarely and 5.19%

never. Comments from the students highlight the links between clothing choices and style,

personality and interests. A few point out that looks can be deceiving. When asked about

their own clothing choices in relation to their personalities, 23.38% said their clothing

always reveals something about their personality, 58.44% said sometimes, 11.69% rarely,

and 6.49% said clothing never reveals anything about their personality. In the comments,

students suggest that clothing choices can be indicative of mood; darker colors or

comfortable clothing are more appealing when a person is feeling sad, brighter colors or

dressing up shows when someone is happy.

The charted data below demonstrates the responses yielded from the students

regarding each photograph and their stylistic preferences for each. Each student was asked

to apply a series of adjectives and an opportunity to add additional comments, as well as to

vote whether or not this is how they would like a teacher to dress, and whether or not this

teacher appears like someone who could manage a classroom well. There were few

common themes to draw from the comments sectionoften these yielded perceptions based

upon other factors and building upon stereotypes, for example Asians are smart. Perhaps

with the amount of options provided students had difficulty applying additional terms to each

photograph. Also, as the students worked further through the essay, the amount of comments

rapidly dwindled.


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Table Six: Male Teacher Results


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What adjectives would you use to describe the teacher pictured above?(check all that apply)


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The students determined William One, wearing one variation of casual dress was the

least interesting and mean of the teachers presented. They decided that David Two, the most

dressed up, was the most organized, strict, knowledgable, and professional, and the least

unprofessional, distant, easygoing, and unprepared. William Three, wearing an outfit

indicative of the more casual end of business casual dress, had the most preferred style for

students, and was voted the least distant and boring of all the teachers. David Four, wearing

a business casual outfit, had rankings in the middle of the spectrum, reaching neither

maximum highs nor lows for the students. William Five, was the most casual and the least

desired from students. He was viewed as the least organized, strict, kind, knowledgable, and

professional. Students also determined that he was the most easygoing, distant,

unprofessional and unprepared of his peers.

Table Seven: Adjectives for Males


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Table Eight: Female Teacher Results



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Claire One, the most dressed up of the teachers presented, was found as the most

organized, strict, knowledgable, and professional. She was also perceived as the least

unprofessional, distant, easygoing, and unprepared. The students determined that while she

may have the greatest command of a class, they would not like a teacher who dresses this

way. Leah Two, the most casually dressed of the styles presented, was seen as the least

organized, strict, knowledgable, and professional. She ranked highest for unprofessional,

unprepared, easygoing and distant. Students determined that she would have the least

command of a classroom out of the teachers presented, and also found her look to be the

least desirable. Claire Three, in a casual dress with a sweater, had the look most preferred by

students. She was perceived as the most kind, interesting and approachable, and the least

Table Nine: Adjectives for Females


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distant. A great percentage of students also determined that she would have a strong

command of her classroom. Leah Four ranked in the middle of the spectrum. Students had

the least opinions about her of all the teachers presented. The final teacher was Claire Five.

In a pair of jeans and a blazer, students determined that she was the second most

professionally dressed. Statistics show that she was in the middle of the spectrum for all

categories. A majority determined that they would like a teacher who dresses this way, and

that she appears as someone who would have a good command of a classroom.

Conclusions / Interpretations:

The results yielded from the male models in this study were varied. According to the

students, most would like a teacher who dresses like the third one presented in the series,

William Three. Interestingly, this is the clothing style worn by most of the teachers at the

International School of Monagas, as a collared shirt and dark jeans are permissible according

to the dress code. The least preferred style was that of the last teacher, William Five, who

dons flip flops and a tank top. This dress code also yielded negative results about

professionalism and preparedness, and although he was ranked as the most easygoing,

students determined that he would have little control over a classroom.

David Two, who wears a bow tie, was the clear leader in professionalism, knowledge

and organization. Additionally, the students found that out of the five teachers presented,

David Two was perceived as someone who would have the greatest command of a

classroom. This demonstrates that students associate someone who is well dressed with

positive character traits. Interestingly, he was not ranked highly for any of the negative traits,

although he was voted the least easygoing of the teachers profiled. William Three was

ranked as the kindest and the most preferred dressing style, and David Four was ranked in the

middle for almost all categories, except he seems the most distant of all the teachers by a

small margin.


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This study yielded a great number of responses from the students who took this survey,

and a large percentage demonstrated that when it comes to teacher wardrobe and what

teachers choose to wear, they have no opinion. The comment portion of these survey

questions indicated that there are many other contributing factors for the way a teacher

manages a classroom, so clothing does not play a large role in that. Other comments spoke

to the aesthetics of the clothing in general, questioning pairings of shirts and pants, shoes,

etc.

The results yielded from the female models in this study were less varied than that of

the male teachers. According to the students, most would like a teacher who dresses like

the third one presented in the series, Claire Three. Just as the most preferred clothing style of

the males most resembled the teachers at the International School of Monagas, it was Claire

Three who inspired the most comments about how it seems like something several of the

teachers at school, myself included, would wear. It is curious to wonder if these added a

more personal element to the ranking given by students. The least preferred style was that of

the second teacher, Leah Two, pictured wearing tennis shoes, jean shorts and a sleeveless

shirt. Students determined that she looked like someone with limited knowledge,

preparedness and professionalism. A large percentage of students assessed that she would

not have great control over a classroom while determining that she was the most easygoing.

Claire One was rated as the teacher with the greatest control over a classroom either

male or female, and the least easygoing. There appears to be a correlation with someone

being easygoing and having an out of control classroom. The students also determined that

David Two had the best command of a classroom; he was also ranked the least easygoing. It

is easy to find similarities between Claire One and David Two, as they are paired together as

the most professionally dressed of the lot. Additionally, statistics students give strong

credence to the idea that a person who is dressed professionally will behave accordingly, and

the converse also appears true.


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From the data collected, it is clear to see that there are limitations to a full assessment

of teacher wardrobe and the dynamics of a classroom. There are many other factors which

influence student perceptions, and, for that matter, teacher success. The one point that seems

most clear from the data collected is that there is such thing as too casual, as the teachers

wearing shorts and tank tops were given very little credit in terms of professionalism,

preparedness, knowledge and management. Even though personality may greatly influence a

teacher's success in the class and his or her students' perceptions, it may be difficult to

transcend the opinions formed by students when the teacher dresses in an unprofessional

manner.

Reflections:

This project may have worked differently at a different time in the school year. It

would be interesting to see how the results may have been different if a new teacher at the

beginning of the year with students who did not know the teacher manipulated wardrobe to

see if it in any way changed the dynamics of the classroom. The results, however, would be

difficult to analyze as there are many factors which contribute to classroom management and

student behaviors. The goal of this project was to collect as much data as possible to gain

insight into the feelings held by both teachers and students about wardrobe.

In the future, it would be more beneficial to work with a larger population of students

and teachers from different areas, and to try and develop the cultural implications of teacher

dress code. With the teacher survey, it would be nice to include a geographical component

to determine a point of origin and a current place of residence. This would help to support

the cultural norms and boundaries presented in the opinions held by teachers regarding

teacher wardrobes.

The second survey was a bit long, as the students continued and the photographs of

the women teachers began, there were far fewer responses from students in the comment


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portions. It is difficult to discern whether this is because the process was becoming tiresome

or whether the women teachers inspired students to say less. For future studies, it might be

advisable to randomize the presentation of the photographs and questions, to determine if it

is order, or the photograph itself that triggers certain responses. Administering this survey to

teachers may also help to compile information of the differences between student and

teacher perceptions about wardrobe. To do this, a modified version of the second survey

would need to be developed, perhaps changing the grade to age, and offering an opportunity

to declare whether the participant is a teacher or a student.

This project was successful in collecting information about student perceptions about

teacher clothing styles and the correlations to personality and skill sets. Although this study

was able to yield enough information for analysis, the scale through which it was conducted

is limited. It might be beneficial to further research of this nature to manipulate different

factors to determine whether results would vary.


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ED 601: Action Research Kristen Dailey