Over the last several years, I’ve become a pretty regular Amazon shopper. While there are certainly reasons I don’t love that, it’s made such a difference for me while clothing shopping. I tend to do large orders, knowing I’ll end up making a large return. I wait until everything arrives, decide what I’m keeping and what I’m not, and drop off my returns at the local UPS Store or Kohl’s. That also helps me keep from making as many smaller purchases. Finding clothing can be so tough- no matter your size. I love that I can buy a few different sizes or styles, find what works for me, and send back what doesn’t.

Because it can be so hard to find items on Amazon, and products often move around, I wanted to share some of my favorite short dresses that I’ve found over the last couple years. Each of these dresses I’ve tried and loved personally. These aren’t ones I searched and picked blindly. Unfortunately, some dresses I’ve tried and loved are no longer available from that specific seller, and so finding consistent products can be tough on Amazon. I try and update posts periodically with links as stores change their listings and offerings. If you’ve shopped on Amazon at any time you know how product listings can change and vary. These product listings are accurate as of June 2023, but may change over time.

With each dress I’ve included detailed information on what I like best about it, or what may be problematic for you. I’m midsize and hold my weight in my middle, so all of the dresses fit me and my body type. Obviously you may have different feelings about them based on how they fit you. I’ve included the specific dress from the specific seller I purchased from. The same item is often replicated throughout stores while quality and material doesn’t stay consistent. All of these dresses run true to size in my experience. Look at the size charts in the images or product descriptions (not Amazon’s size charts) just to make sure what you buy should fit you.

Looking for some other dresses too? I share my favorite Maxi Dresses for Teachers in a separate post.

Throughout the post are Amazon affiliate links so I earn a small portion from sales from clicks from this post, at no cost to you.  All of the opinions are my true opinions on each of the products, as I already have returned anything that I don’t like or that doesn’t fit for my body type.

Zattcas Flutter Sleeve Swiss Dot Babydoll Mini Dress

This is one of my new favorite dresses! The A-line fit is super flattering on my body and I received so many compliments at work when I wore it. The ruffle sleeves and hem bring some airiness into the dress. The bust area has stretches to fit your body and helps the rest of the dress flow. If you are large busted, the dress may not fit you well due to this. The polyester lining and fabric may be a bit too clingy and warm on a hot day, but for those first few spring days or the transitioning days of fall, I think this knee length dress is perfect! I will likely be at least one more color option, likely a lighter color, to make this perfect for spring!

I first found the Zattcas store several years back when I was searching for some maxi dresses. I’ve enjoyed several things I’ve gotten from them over the last 5 years or so, but know that their listings and stock seem to be very seasonal and change each year. What you find once, you likely won’t be able to continue to find.

VIISHOW Ruffle Sleeve Swing Sundress

This dress has the feel of the VIISHOW maxi dress and I love it! This simple dress is a comfortable fabric that flows nicely away from the body. It’s very soft, with a bit of stretch, and it feels great even in hot weather. The ruffle hem on the sleeves give it just a little bit of an “oomph”. It’s available in both solid colors and different patterns and it would go perfectly paired with a jean jacket. It’s perfect for spring, summer, or fall! This dress is my go-to teacher dress. It’s simple, yet dressy, and most importantly, it’s comfortable!

levaca Summer Ruffle Loose Swing Dress

The style of this knee length dress is very similar to the one above, just without the ruffle sleeves. While it’s hard to see in the image here due to the dark color and the floral pattern, this dress is tiered. The fabric is light and airy, and the a line style is flattering. There are many different patterns, and even some with long sleeves. Each one is priced differently so pay close attention as you shop- but that also means you can get some great deals!

OUGES Halter Neck Floral Sundress

I think my favorite Amazon store for dresses is OUGES. I first found them many years back and bought this wrap maxi dress. I’ve worn it to school, weddings, and events. I continue to add to my collection, and most recently I bought this halter sundress. Continuing with my navy and floral theme (apparently), this dress is fun and flowy. Because it’s a halter, I always wear it with a cardigan or jacket, and I think that also helps dress it down just a bit. The empire banding on this one hits just a bit too low for my body type, right above the hip, so it’s not the most flattering on my figure, but would be ideal for those that are looking to accentuate your hips.

SE MIU 3/4 Sleeve Boho Swing Dress

This knee length dress is unlike most of the others on this list, but I still love it! With 3/4 sleeves, this dress is perfect for fall, especially paired with tall boots. This swing dress hangs away from the body, making it flattering for many body types. The empire waist banding fits right underneath my bust, but if you’re larger chested, you may need to size up.

I will continue adding more knee length dresses to this post as I buy, try, keep, and love them from Amazon.  I continue to share my favorite clothing finds from Amazon, favorites for both in and out of the classroom, on my Amazon storefront.

The post My Favorite Casual Knee Length Dresses for Teachers from Amazon appeared first on Tales from Outside the Classroom.

Because it can be so hard to find items on Amazon, and products often move around, I wanted to share my favorite maxi dresses with you to help you in your search.  Amazon has a lot of clothing options, and they’re often very affordable. Each of these maxi dresses I’ve tried and loved personally.  These aren’t dresses I searched and picked blindly.  With each dress I’ve included detailed information on what I like best about it, or what may be problematic for you.  I’ve included the specific dress from the specific seller I purchased from.  The same item is often replicated throughout stores while quality and material doesn’t stay consistent.  All of these dresses run true to size in my experience.  Look at the size charts in the images or product descriptions (not Amazon’s size charts) just to make sure what you buy should fit you.

I have a Prime membership and that means I get items shipped to me super quickly and for free.  I like that I can order several things, try them on, and send back what I don’t want to keep without much of a hassle.  Sometimes I order the same item in two different sizes knowing one of them will be returned.  I also like that I can just put each item back into its bag and drop it off at the UPS store in town without having to do anything with boxing it up.  Just bring the return receipt on your phone and they scan it!  I know Amazon has an agreement for drop offs at Kohls too!

Throughout the post are Amazon affiliate links so I earn a small portion from sales from clicks from this post, at no cost to you.  All of the opinions are my true opinions on each of the products, as I already have returned anything that I don’t like.

Grace Karin Strapless Ruched Maxi Dress with Pockets

I really love this strapless maxi! It fits so well and the ruching and waist band are super flattering on my wide hips. Because it’s strapless, I wear a sweater with it to work. I love that I can wear this dress to work, or out and about in the summer. It comes in 34 different patterns with a variety of patterns and single colors.

Happy Sailed Floral Print Off Shoulder Maxi Dress

April 2023: This product link is to a different dress that’s similar but not the same. It is also no longer eligible for Prime and has a small shipping fee. It was Prime the two separate times I’ve ordered it, so keep checking back.

AuseLily Women’s Summer Sleeveless Maxi Dress

OUGES V-Neck Maxi Dress

Zattcas Bohemian Wrap Bodice Sleeveless Crossover Maxi Dress

April 2023 update: Zattcas no longer offers this exact maxi dress. I’m going to continue to keep an eye out in their inventory and hope it comes back!

Zattcas Sleeveless Maxi Dress with Pockets

This is another Zattcas dress. This simple and straightforward maxi is cute and comfortable. The size seemed to be ever so slightly small so I’d recommend sizing up one if possible, especially if you like your maxi dresses flowy. The patterns are adorable and can be dressed up or down with accessories. Unlike the previous one, this one is a lighter cotton material.

This Zattcas dress is also not available in 2023. I am going to keep tabs on their stock to hopefully relink it later!

ViiShow Short Sleeve Maxi Dress with Pockets

VIIShow has so many dresses I love! I’ve also recently purchased this knee length dress, with a ruffled sleeve. It reminds me so much of a short version of this maxi. I love it! You can see more knee length dresses at my Knee Length Dresses for Teachers post.

Huskary V Neck Spaghetti Strap Maxi Dress

This is a new find and I loved this dress so much I knew I needed to add it to this post. I absolutely love my new Huskary dress! The fabric is a thicker linen. The thickness allows the dress to lay nicely on its own, but it’s not too hot that’d be hot in summer. Plus, because it lays away from the body, it’s also cooler. My favorite part of this dress, though, is the straps. The straps are completely adjustable as you tie the dress. This allows you to place the bust seam where you’d like it, and tie the straps to secure everything. Because the straps are so thin and everything is tied in the back, this dress is likely not part of your school dress code. But, with a sweater or a jean jacket in cooler weather, it’d be perfect!

I will continue adding to this post as I buy, try, keep, and love different maxi dresses from Amazon.  I continue to share my favorites from Amazon, favorites for both in and out of the classroom, on my Amazon storefront.

The post My Favorite Maxi Dresses for Teachers from Amazon appeared first on Tales from Outside the Classroom.

A school’s struggles are our society’s struggles.  You can’t “fix” schools without fixing the larger issues outside of schools.

This post is not meant to propose all is well in American education, or our schools are not failing our students.  In many cases, they are, and that’s not acceptable.  However, there seems to be a continued stream of school and teacher blaming without recognizing that what goes on outside of schools impacts a child’s education.  There aren’t enough conversations about what can be done BEFORE children enter kindergarten that can give children equal opportunities for education.  Blaming education is one-sided.  We cannot continue to focus only on what happens inside the walls of K-12 classrooms. Common Core will not fix the problem.  School choice will not fix the problem.  More assessments and accountability will not fix the problem.

As long as there are impoverished and under-prepared students, legislation and policies will not “fix” education.

What can?

The income achievement gap has a direct correlation with the school achievement gap.  One in every five children in the U.S. is living below the poverty line—which is the best predictor of life trajectory.

According to the Brookings Institution, fewer than half (48%) of poor children are ready to begin school at age 5.  This is in comparison to 75% of children from families with moderate and high income; a 27 percentage point gap.  School readiness falls to 42% for children who are persistently poor—not just at birth, but also at ages two, four and five years old. Children with higher levels of school readiness at age five are generally more successful in grade school, are less likely to drop out of high school, and earn more as adults, even after adjusting for differences in family background. Poverty affects school-readiness across a wide range of populations: poor whites are less school ready than moderate/higher income whites, and the same is true of blacks, Hispanics, children of married parents, children of unmarried parents, and children whose mothers have a high school degree or less. Poor children who attend preschool programs are less likely to be school ready than preschoolers from more economically advantaged backgrounds.

There are many reasons why impoverished children come to school at a disadvantage: neonatal care, single and teen parents, less cognitive stimulation from parents (e.g. reading, singing, playing games, etc.), trauma and stress, nutrition, lack of quality early childhood programs, amongst others. Our schools are not the problems in our communities; they give a view into the problems in our communities.  We can implement systems to support impoverished children and better prepare them for success before they ever reach a typical American classroom.

Early Childhood Education: Kindergarten needs to be universally mandated.  While incredibly and increasingly rare, it is possible for a 6 year old to enter first grade having never attended a school program.  It’s also possible for said student to be remarkably behind his or her peers and unable to achieve the increasingly demanding standards set out for students.  Research has proven early intervention is key, yet quality early childhood education is not commonplace, especially in areas of poverty.  Having preschools regularly available and affordable for parents is step one, but ensuring their quality is step two.  Students, having attended preschool programs such as Head Start, should be prepared for kindergarten with a basic of understanding of things like colors, shapes, counting, letter names, and writing their own names.  Preschool should be built around developmentally appropriate activities like directed and independent play, singing, listening to and talking about stories, counting, coloring, cutting, drawing, and writing. High-quality early childhood education programs for children from low-income families show benefit-cost ratios of 7:1. Preschool should be widely funded and all children should have the opportunity to participate in high-quality early childhood education.

Parent Programs: Programs for parents, especially for young, single mothers equip them with the knowledge, tools, and resources for a healthy pregnancy and beyond.  Programs like Parents as Teachers show parents the importance of reading to children, how nurturing a crying baby is important and impacts their brain development, when children need to see their doctors for regular check ups, information on child nutrition, etc. They can be the first step in identifying a problem and can help partner the parent with other early intervention services. These programs give parents the knowledge and tools they need. Parent programs need to be present alongside other high-quality health and human services in every community.

Mental Health and Disabilities: We have done a great job over the last few decades,to learn and accept student differences and disabilities.  We have a much stronger understanding of autism and ADD/ADHD, for example.  We’re still not doing enough.  We’re not adequately training and supporting teachers about the needs they’ll see in their classrooms and how to not only teach all students, but help them thrive.  We’re not adequately teaching students about their disabilities.  We, as schools and society, aren’t helping teach parents how to help a child with a mental illness or disability.  There aren’t enough programs for mental health issues for students.  Schools don’t have enough staff and support systems to meet a diverse set of needs. Schools should have enough funding to provide special education staff and social/emotional support for students that meet the needs of their students.

Support Systems: Poverty is and will continue to be a vicious cycle without a catalyst.  Children who aren’t reading proficiently by 4th grade are four times as likely to drop out of high school.  The social support systems that are currently in place (programs like free/reduced lunch, CHiPS, Medicaid) are vital for giving children from poverty support for their basic physiological needs.  These programs should not be at risk of elimination from the federal budget.  All children, regardless of background or ability, deserve to have their basic needs met.

Teachers: Until we value and respect educators as intelligent and hard-working professionals, people will choose not to enter this profession.  We are facing a teacher shortage across this country for many reasons as teachers continue to leave the profession.  Teachers are expected to do more with less and with very little training.  It’s impossible to cover everything a teacher needs to know in 4 years of college, partially because there is no one “right” way to teach a classroom of diverse students and needs..  There isn’t enough support for new teachers once they reach the classroom.  There should be systems in place to provide new teachers, and all teachers, with mentorship, guidance, and professional development.  Professional development should move beyond the yearly training on the new curriculum; it should be related to a teacher’s classroom and that teacher’s specific needs.  We often recognize that students need differentiated instruction that is targeted to individual strengths and weaknesses but provide teachers with a one size fits all approach given by strangers and classroom “experts” who don’t know that teacher or her classroom.  Bureaucratic policies like requiring teachers to submit proof of job performance are marketed as supporting teachers, but they do not assist teachers in actually doing their jobs.  Beginning teachers are barely paid a living wage, and often have to work a second job to be able to make ends meet.  This also means they don’t have the extra time they would like to spend on learning their craft and improving.  We now hand out teaching certificates to anyone with a Bachelor’s Degree on the basis that knowing the content knowledge is all that is needed. There’s more to teaching children than just content.  Teachers need to understand how to manage a classroom, how to communicate with and support parents, how to effectively teach students with special needs, how to use data to drive their instruction, and more.  We need to understand, honor, and support everything that goes into teaching children, and implement real solutions that give teachers the support and guidance they need.

The salary systems that were put into place to protect workers’ rights have been eliminated in favor of results-based systems.  Teachers who do their job well, as measured by their evaluation and students’ performance on high-stakes assessments, can expect to be compensated for a job well done.  In theory, that makes sense.  The most effective teachers would earn the most money.  In reality, that is not what happens.  The assessments used to determine effectiveness are almost always norm-referenced, meaning they are scored on a bell curve.  That is in comparison to criterion referenced assessments which grade a students performance on set standards.  By design, a percentage of students will fail the norm-referenced test.  As detailed above, students from poverty come into school at kindergarten much less likely to be ready for school.  However, typically by the spring of third grade, we start to give all students the same high-stakes assessment and then measure that student, the teacher, and school effectiveness on that assessment.  These assessments determine school letter grades which are used to publicly declare a school’s effectiveness. What does not get factored in is that students from poverty might have made the same amount of growth or more than their more affluent peers, but if they still remain in bottom percentiles they are not considered passing, even if they would have passed a criterion-referenced assessment.   These schools are often considered failures.  School choice is often promoted because no child should be taught in a “failing school”.  We demand to empower parents with the choice of where students go to school. School choice should not be used as a solution for failing schools because it does not address what caused those schools to fail in the first place.

If we want to improve the quality of teachers we need to help teachers become better.  We need to pay for quality and relevant professional development, teacher mentoring, and support systems.  We need to pay teachers for the time they spend outside their contractual hours.  We need to treat teachers like educated professionals who help shape our future.

Many things need to change in our education system.  However, teachers and support staff are not the only responsible parties when a student doesn’t succeed academically.  Reform efforts focused solely on what happens inside the walls of a classroom, with little regard for the diverse and individual needs of students, will continue to fall short of the success they set out to achieve.

Further readings on poverty in education can be found below.

• Funding Childhood Poverty Programs are Key to Social Mobility
• Starting School at a Disadvantage
• Teaching with Poverty in Mind or anything else by Eric Jensen {affiliate link to Amazon}
• Unequal Childhoods

The post Schools are Not the Problem appeared first on Tales from Outside the Classroom.