It’s officially been one year of The Teacher Dress Code! Morgan Harper Nichols’s quote has beautifully captured my journey over the last year.
“How wonderfully you have grown since July of last year. Over rivers. Over mountains. Through an ocean of your fears, learning to believe over and over again, no matter the darkness, the light is still pouring.”
Not as much as adventure into the blogging world, but my life over the last year.
During the instagram question and answering sticker, I was asked the question, “what was your inspiration behind The Teacher Dress Code?” I knew the answer. However, I still stopped to think about my why and purpose. I wondered: is my why and purpose behind The Teacher Dress Code still the same? What inspired me to start, does it still stand true? The answer is yes.
I started The Teacher Dress Code after eight months of intense and draining student advocacy. As a childhood trauma thriver, I feel like the way I see children is very different than a lot of teachers. Shortly after I was involuntarily transferred, I found myself up against deep rooted and different teacher belief systems. You can add communication styles and teacher expectations to the list as well. Teacher bullying is real. Don’t let anyone ever try to tell you it’s not.
I was taken from my home and placed into a very different environment that felt unsafe and unpredictable. Within that space, I realized my purpose for being there: the kids. I found comfort and safety in knowing that I needed to be the champion of these kids–no matter the cost. About two months into my journey, I realized part of the cost was myself. The situation I was in with a colleague had triggered PTSD symptoms for me, yet from 8:00-3:00, I powered through it… for 7 months at least.
By June of last year, I found myself selectively confined to my classroom. No PDs, 7:00 am arrivals to make copies, mandatory meetings only, and that was it. I had lost my voice and realized I was losing myself as a professional educator– not as a teacher, but as an educator participating in a larger community… anything that was outside of my safe place: my classroom.
Starting a fashion blog was something I had wanted to do since college but found 101 reasons not to start. After losing my voice and making the choice to stay at my school for my students, I realized I had to do something that would empower me to push through the growing pains, hence The Teacher Dress Code. Fashion + teaching truth speaking. I had rationalized if I could take the risk to fully put myself out there, I could speak my truth during a professional development at school. Back up– actually attend a professional development at my school.
In the first months of The Teacher Dress Code, I had connected with so many educators who showed me so much kindness without even knowing how much I needed it. I had started debating if I had what it took to stay in public education. When school started, I had joined my schools leadership team, created a mini-behavior intervention plan for myself and spoke. While scared, my voice started coming back. In writing, in person, during meetings, it was back. I felt the fear slip away and my strength growing. I had grown into a way better educator than I was before.
Last year was more challenging than the previous year– in different ways of course. Except this time around, I didn’t lose myself, I gained more of myself. I learned to find the light within any situation. Through the oceans, through the rivers, over the mountains, and into moments full of darkness. I can’t say for sure, but I don’t think I would be in this place of strength if I would not have started The Teacher Dress Code.
So what was my inspiration? Creating light within myself so that I can continue to help students grow into the wonderful tiny humans we all want them to be.
If you “follow” me on any sort of anything, you’re not a follower to me, you’re a part of my team. Team work makes the dream work and my dream would not be working if it wasn’t for my team. Thank you for being apart of it. I legitimately would not be as strong if it wasn’t for you.
With kindness, Ashley
