secondary teaching + tattoo

Shadow Lady

hey, just got accepted to the h dip in UCD and was planning on getting a tattoo on the inside of my forearm, should this pose problems for my teaching career?

gaeilgegrinds

I've a friend with seven who has a job as a secondary teacher. I'd say it totally depends on the school.

Shadow Lady

are they visible while working or does s/he have to cover them up?

spurious

It certainly would not be an issue in our school.

ytareh

Its hard enough to get a job in teaching ....lots of very narrow minded and/or older individuals on interview panels...Unless youre sure it can be covered up by shirt sleeve etc I think youd be mad...

Toto Wolfcastle

It very much depends on the school. In my school I was specifically told that tattoos and mad hair colour, etc were perfectly acceptable. I suppose if it came down to it it could be covered.

gaeilgegrinds

Oh they must be covered up in her school and in mine probably would not be welcomed.

TheDriver

Again, its officially not a problem but there would be someone somewhere who would take issue, remember interview panels are made up of non teachers and some narrow minded individuals. Be careful, especially at start of your career, no one would say anything once you are in the door and settled

Shadow Lady

Thank you everybody who replied. It has been very helpful.I think I will either be postponing the tattoo...until i'm at least settled in my career, or getting it in a less visible or obvious place. Anyway, thanks again

RealJohn

It would depend on the school. I know at least one teacher where I'm working has a tattoo (though it's on her upper back so it's rarely visible).

Personally though, I'd consider it very unprofessional to have a tattoo anywhere the students are likely to see it.

It's a free country but teachers are supposed to be professionals. Tattoos obvious tattoos are frowned on in office jobs (as far as I can tell anyway) so why should a teacher be any different? Why do you have to get it on your forearm? Why not get it somewhere the students won't see?

Shadow Lady

The tattoo is extremely meaningful to me and the reason I wanted it on my forearm is because it is for me my most vulnerable part, as is the meaning of my tattoo, if that makes any sense.

ytareh

Actually while originally advising the OP against this I must say there is an awful load of rubbish (eminating from our beloved Teaching Council I reckon )about 'professional' dress code/appearance in schools.
1 We are not and never will be 'professionals' in the mould of Doctors/Lawyers/Architects etc etc ...we are meant to be caring /sharing types like nurses / social workers (Ha I love the way I used capitals for the former crowd and lower case for the latter -some freudian slip)Would we even want to be seen to be 'like' Solicitors/Lawyers /Auctioneers/Sales Reps et al?!So why the heck should we try and look like them?And if you think dressing like them will make us be treated like them you are exceedingly naieve.
2 This is just one of the many ways 'THEY' are trying to follow us down the British road to ruin.
3 Our principal has told us recently we must dress in a 'smart casual' fashion ...mmm is that like Golf Club Bar smart casual or Cappuccinos in BTs smart casual...What a load of ****!

TheDriver

ytareh wrote: »

Actually while originally advising the OP against this I must say there is an awful load of rubbish (eminating from our beloved Teaching Council I reckon )about 'professional' dress code/appearance in schools.
1 We are not and never will be 'professionals' in the mould of Doctors/Lawyers/Architects etc etc ...we are meant to be caring /sharing types like nurses / social workers (Ha I love the way I used capitals for the former crowd and lower case for the latter -some freudian slip)Would we even want to be seen to be 'like' Solicitors/Lawyers /Auctioneers/Sales Reps et al?!So why the heck should we try and look like them?And if you think dressing like them will make us be treated like them you are exceedingly naieve.
2 This is just one of the many ways 'THEY' are trying to follow us down the British road to ruin.
3 Our principal has told us recently we must dress in a 'smart casual' fashion ...mmm is that like Golf Club Bar smart casual or Cappuccinos in BTs smart casual...What a load of ****!

If our principal told us that, everyone would be in jeans the following day. I was told once by DP to shave as it was bit rough looking, he had to back down when I asked how come the principal has a beard. At end of it all, it takes all sorts to teach though naturally don't rock the boat until you are settled into the job and established.

Terri26

There is a big difference between having a beard and having that tatty unshaven look. remember your students are looking at you all day! I doubt a visible tattoo in my school would go down well. depends on how strict the school is I guess!! my cousin teaches in a school where they are all expected to wear suits!!

ytareh

What sort of a school is that?!Im sure there are schools where the staff still wear black gowns -there were up until 10 or 15 years ago anyway ,but that doesnt mean its normal or desirable.I believe the 'ethos' (bleurggh!!!I mean that in the true sense not the fake "we're only doing this to satisfy recent legislation " way most schools do )of a good school should be such that the pupils are 'exposed' to a variety of INDIVIDUALS with different outlooks and attitudes from the prim and proper young preppie sort doing Economics to the, God forbid, tattooed,nose stud wearing Art or Drama teacher (or vice versa!)

And stubble has been a legitimate 'look' since the early 80s!

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_AzT5pruwnbg/R2CIAztVozI/AAAAAAAAC9k/xCsxqEN9NNY/s400/designer+stubble.jpg

Seriously it drives me mad when 'they' try and make schools into stockbrokers offices !We should be far more like the innovative IT sector in outlook and fashion sense. More this ,

http://www.airside.co.uk/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/crowd.jpg


and less this ,

http://www.cartoonstock.com/lowres/sbl0010l.jpg

I Shot J.R.

I think you should get an insanely racist/fascist one, if they give you any **** over it, use the old freedom of speech ****e, blame it on your religion, Gangsta rap made me do it.
Be champions

Toto Wolfcastle

Let's not go down the route of giving silly advice people, no matter how funny you think it is.

RealJohn

ytareh wrote: »

1 We are not and never will be 'professionals' in the mould of Doctors/Lawyers/Architects etc etc ...we are meant to be caring /sharing types like nurses / social workers

We are supposed to care yes but that doesn't mean we're not professionals and don't have to act like professionals.

While it is true that it doesn't do students any harm to be exposed to a variety of individuals, I feel the relaxing of standards has been to the detriment of the education system as a whole. When the students get out into the real world, they will be expected to conform to certain standards and I feel that teachers should set them a good example by showing some restraint in their "freedom of expression".