If the Shoe Fits
Middle school teacher, Mrs. Bluebird says the most important piece of advice she can offer new teachers is forget the latest styles and invest in some comfy footwear:
“One of the biggest revelations I had when I started teaching was that you are on your feet nearly all day long. I had moved from the corporate world where I sat all day long at a keyboard or in meetings, and all of a sudden I was on my feet constantly. From the looks of the footwear I've seen on the various education majors that have observed in my room, no one has told these kids about the standing on your feet all day thing either. It rapidly occurred on me that if I was going to be standing all day long, I was going to have to spend money on really good shoes.”
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Comments
Isn't that the truth. I remember wearing heals everyday that first year. How stupid was that. Today my motto is...Birki's baby Birki's
Posted by: Jeanie Robinson | July 1, 2008 8:47 AM
When I was student teaching, my mentor told me that a good teacher never sits behind her desk. I immediately invested in good "teacher shoes". It helps me stay on my toes :)
Posted by: Chris Hojnacki | July 3, 2008 8:41 AM
My first year, I complained about how much my feet hurt by the end of the day - the gym teacher told me shoes are the one area a teacher can not afford to cut corners in. I learned to love my Nikes. My students thought my taste in shoes was pretty cool, too.
Posted by: Nancy Hahn | July 3, 2008 10:14 AM
One of the best principals I have ever known was famous for the athletic shoes that she wore every day with her suit. She could really travel the hallways.
Posted by: Margo/Mom | July 3, 2008 10:19 AM
Love my Dansko shoes. Good thing they last for years :)
Posted by: Tamie | July 4, 2008 11:10 PM
I definitely agree with wearing comfortable shoes while teaching. In a situation where a teacher is standing all day long in high heels, her feet would for sure start to cramp up. If the body is in any kind of pain it will want to rest, which will then lead to not wanting to interact with students. So to all teachers, wear comfortable shoes.
Posted by: Haley | July 14, 2008 8:09 PM
My first year I learned that comfortable shoes are key! My first year I wore these funky bright colored shoes, because they grabbed my students attention. I learned my lesson, comfort first and grasp their attention another way.
Posted by: Kelli Warnock | July 15, 2008 1:44 PM
I'm a former middle school teacher who was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis in her twenties. I invested in a pair of Dansko's back in 1997 and it's still my favorite brand. I blog about comfortable, stylish shoes--it's no longer either/or--it's both /and!
Posted by: BarkingDogShoes | August 1, 2008 11:57 AM
Naturalizers gave me blisters...KEDS gave me blisters...St. John's Bay, Clark's sandals. It's never been this bad! I've never had Birks, but aren't they mostly for warm weather? I'll try Dansko - any other suggestions?
Posted by: 3rdgraderules | September 11, 2008 7:41 PM