More pencils, more books, but hopefully no teacher's dirty looks

I've decided to stop messing around and go back to school. I need to flipping classes to get my teacher certificate in this state. That's it. 2 stinking classes.

Look, let's face it. I'm not getting any younger. I like teaching. I'm good at it. I know how to do it. I need to just stop messing around and make a choice in my life and do it!

This is what I learned after the job incidents the last few weeks. I said I want to be the change I wish to see in the world, like Gandhi. I said I want to make a difference. I said I wanted to change the world. Well, the world better look out because I'm going to armed with a license to teach and I plan to us it. Erin Guwell, Jamie Escalante, Mark Thackery, Miss Honey, Dumbledore, Miss Bliss, Mr. Miyagi, Mr. Kotter, Mr. Holland, Mr. Shuster and all those other famous real and pretend teachers better watch out! I will RULE!

I called my Alma mater and spoke with the Education Dept.'s chair and he reviewed all my paperwork. I need 6 hours. One class can be taken at the Master's level. One class is working with special education students (this is required by our state). Another class is just 2 hours and it's about teaching in our current society, educational trends, federal education policies and teacher's legal rights, focusing on all the changes in my state that just made teachers' unions non-essential, did away with tenure and made teaching jobs and those who hold them under the same employment standards as all others, they're now 'right to work'. Then I have to take a 1 hour arranged class where I will teach and write lesson plans for 1 hour a week. I have to write a plan, teach it, and then have it reviewed by my advisor. This is because of a weird sort of loop hole in the state's regulations and will also allow the 'student teaching" portion to get a waiver (because I've also taught for 13 years, this will just allow me to stay fresh.).

I will take all three of these classes starting in August and operate on a regular semester and be finished in December. The catch is that I have to take AND PASS our state English teacher exam by Thanksgiving to be able to have my license by Christmas. And while one class was originally scheduled to be online and the other in person, there was a glitch and BOTH are in person, BUT, thankfully, they are both in the evening and only one night each. AND on a campus that's only a 20 minute drive from home. I have to get accepted to the college, but that shouldn't be a problem because the education chair already called admissions to say my application was coming AND he accepted me into his program.

The biggest problem is money. I don't know how I'm going to pay for it yet. I don't quality for any sort of students federal or state aid and I'm not sure I can get a student loan because my undergrad loans are still not paid (but thankfully not in default) so I'm going to see what payment arrangements can be made or if there's some sort of money at the school itself since I'm a grad or if I can borrow it from anyone.

I did the online application and am just waiting.

Ooooooooo, I'm gonna be a co-ed again!

And a teacher when I grow up. A real for sure teacher! Gee whiz Jiminy Cricket!

Mags