Is it too late to be a student again?

Last year, I taught English. I'm good at teaching the writing side of things, at least I am when there are less than 35 students in the room. Put me in an overcrowded room and I feel like one voice in many trying to be heard above the cacophony. I hate that feeling. I love teaching writing though. I love showing a student how to express their thoughts and proving to them that the more you write, the better you get at it. I had my students do a journal entry nearly every day last year.

Having said all that, I have spent the last year working at my classroom management skills, but last year pretty much killed my confidence in that area. I have been looking into various programs that the university here has and talking with teachers when I sub. The school district here is offering a buy-out program for teachers who are near retirement age this year and I imagine they will do something similar next year if the economy continues to be like it is. So I am thinking of adding another endorsement to make myself more marketable.

Many of the librarians in this county are near 60. Even if they do not take the buy-out and go into early retirement, they will still be retiring in the next few years. The university has a program in library science that requires seven classes and a practicum. I think it will take maybe a year, so, if I can qualify for the graduate assistantship, I think I may do that. It would add another endorsement and another degree to my resume.

I do kind of look like a librarian I guess. Actually, a student the other day told me, "You do look like an English teacher!!" Maybe I should dye away the gray hair?