Essentials: Substitute Teacher

Whether you’re currently in between jobs or just looking to give back to your community for meager pay, substitute teaching is always an option but can often feel like an exercise in futility. Between roll call—an exercise in name pronunciation where you’re guaranteed to get every name wrong, followed by 30 unimpressed stares—and the elusive lesson plan that is either missing or written in a code only the regular teacher could decipher, you’ll likely be left to improvise, which often feels more like a stand-up routine than an educational experience.

For those deciding to give substitute teaching the old college try anyway (middle or high school try, actually) we’ve curated this list of essentials to have you looking your best and staying on track your first day. We’ve also included a hip flask for after hours, you know, for those gym class days when you found yourself to be the target in an unfriendly game of dodgeball.

• Relwen Heritage Trap Blazer – $358
• Bonobos Everyday Shirt – $89
• Taylor Stitch Foundation Pants – $125
• Shinola Canfield Model C56 3HD Watch – $750
• Amberjack Slip-On Shoes – $189
• Shinola Utility Computer Briefcase – $795 $295
• Stanley Classic Easy Fill Flask – $26

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