crazy concepts of a pre-service teacher

I am not afraid to admit it and I will gladly come right out and say it: as always, I am a juxtaposition. It just so happens that in general (I emphasize “general” because not everything works or can be considered favorable in every situation) I am in favor of uniforms in school. Here comes the juxtaposition: I am not particularly fond of dress codes themselves.

I will also admit that I did not always feel this way, in either instance. I favor uniforms for much the same reason that I dislike dress codes: individual freedoms.  Dress codes by nature provide guidelines of exclusion. They tell you what you cannot wear.  They separate the acceptable from the unacceptable, often identifying very specifically those personal characteristics which should be squelched.  In that sense, I believe that dress codes are rather discriminatory of specific styles belonging to certain types of individuals.

On the other hand, I find uniforms to be far more inclusive.  Please be aware that I do not think uniforms need to be precise in the sense that there is no longer any individualism.  I am not in favor of creating miniature die-cast models and mass replication of students.   However, I think that  uniforms can create an opportunity for students to look beyond superficial differences and may even be used as a catalyst in the formation of friendships that may not otherwise have been given an opportunity to develop.

In that respect, I speak from experience.  When I was in high school, I had the pleasure of attending Interlochen Arts Camp.  The summer I spent there altered my outlook on life and provided a plethora of people and ideals that I would not otherwise have met or entertained.  I grew-up in a rather rural part of Michigan and even though I was very open-minded, my life experiences reflected that of a rural town.  The students I met were from all over the world with all types of believes and varying bits of knowledge.  What I did not realize until the very last day of camp is exactly how the uniform brought all of us together.  I was surprised at the clothing choices of some of my friends, simply because I had not seen those styles before and felt a bit intimidated.  I am certain that this is not the only situation when such occurrences come to life and I was glad not to have such trivialities stand in the way of some amazing friendships.  BTW…the opportunity to express ourselves beyond the uniform made a dramatic change in my choice of style following my return home.

Truthfully, I enjoy hearing other viewpoints on this topic because that is how each of us grow and learn.  So, please feel free to share your opinions.  The decision to sit-down and write this blog was inspired entirely by a conversation that I had tonight with @petrock on twitter. I enjoy speaking with @petrock because he is not afraid to share his opinions and always stands by his convictions.

~ by mindelei on June 2, 2008.