Style Lessons
The fact that haute couture is a dying art, signalled in the 60’s when Yves Saint Laurent began making prêt-à-porter, might not be on a Ministry of Education-approved syllabus, nor for that matter, that the colour black continues to be a major trend this Fall. Chances are however, that the new set of teachers are more than a little bit au fait with these fashion notes, and as they don a pair of trousers, can explain in a heartbeat that pants as we know them today took shape 200 years ago and that actress Sarah Bernhardt was the first woman to wear a pair in public in the 20th Century.
There seems to have been a youthquake in the classroom led by men and women armed with excellent credentials and who, according to Anushca Mai Walton, “are not apologising for looking the way we do.
Style plays as integral a role in education, as do Mathematics and English. Today’s student is very much part of a visual world, influenced daily by both local and international celebrities. They are part of an ever-demanding world. Is there any surprise that they want a lot more from their teachers?”
Walton, who graduated from the New School University, Actor’s Studio Manhattan, New York with a degree in Film, Television and Child Psychology, and who has been teaching French language as well as Theatre Studies at Hillel High for two years, is as particular about her wardrobe as she is her daily teaching plan. “My students enjoy the way I look too and I have their undivided attention in the same way some of my teachers when I was growing up kept me focused,” she says. “It’s about pride in what you wear and how you present yourself.”
Media and English Language kept Marisa Benain focused at Hunter College, City University of New York for four years, followed by further post-graduate studies at Mico College that resulted in her attaining a post graduate diploma in English language and literature. “My wardrobe is as important as my qualifications and I make no apologies for looking ‘fierce’ as I give back to my alma mater Kingston Technical,” she says.
Sharing staff room space at the same school is Zahra Orane who holds a Master’s in Education from Harvard University. Her focus is reading skills and she has guided 11 high schools from diverse communities in Kingston – from Central Kingston to Upper St Andrew – in developing and implementing their strategic plans. Orane’s fashion style is evident in her tailored skirt and of-the-moment blouse. Her preferred wardrobe colours are bright, cheerful colours, “with a lot of emphasis on accessories”. Walton and Benain coordinate their wardrobe around the colour black, introducing bold colours to add a level of newness. They too, like Orane, believe in accessories to create daily ‘wows.’
“Silver Slipper in Crossroads is the place to shop on a budget . a teacher’s budget,” shares Benain. Additional tips from these fashionable teachers included ‘smart shopping’.
“Buy classic cuts and clothes that can take constant wear and tear and learn to mix and match,” they explained.
The teacher’s youthquake embraces the male teachers too, like the super stylish Shawn Savage, armed with a first degree from the University of the West Indies (Mona) as well as a Diploma in Education. Savage is a teacher of Communication Studies, Literatures in English and Theatre Arts at St George’s College. “There is already a serious shortage of male role models in our classrooms,” he explains. “In teaching I want to not only give 110 per cent, but to show that I enjoy what I do and respect the profession. A lot of emphasis is placed on my wardrobe. I invest in tailored trousers and great looking shirts that are not always white. Ties and shirts create a fresh, different look.” Shawn’s belt, and of course watch, add corporate chic.
At this the start of another school term, we encourage teachers to channel their energies into giving of their best. Negotiate hard too, but do not forget to improve your own academic worth, and come on guys how about looking the part? The eyes of the next generation of Jamaicans are upon you.
