It's never to late too learn something new, even if you're a teacher.
One such teacher is learning a new language to better communicate with her new students.
Joslyn Johnson has taught culinary classes for years. Now she is teaching the same skills in a new class at the Tennessee School for the Deaf.
"I am learning ASL and just having more patience and making sure that they understand what I am saying or what I'm trying to teach them," she said.
Culinary student Jacob Hayes said through interpreter Terry Johnson, "She thinks about it before she signs."
Joslyn is excited about her learning ASL and interacting with the studens.
The students gave her a sign name that combines Joslyn with a sign that means cook.
TSD built a commercial kitchen to give students the tools to be chefs, hospitality workers, and even restaurant owners.
Jacob said, "I wanted to learn the knife skills and how to use the knives."
In one particular session, students learned the safe way to slice tomatoes to make a salad. And they learned a new word: julienne, a specific way to cut a potato like a French fry.
It's not that easy.
"Learning how to put things together. How to slice is hard for me," he said.
The students challenge themselves to learn the culinary skills from their expert instructor. And she appreciates tips from her students who are experts in sign language.
"They will correct me and they will let me know," she said. "I have a TA that comes in and assists me and right now I have an interpreter but after January I won't have an interpreter so I am learning a lot."
The new Upper School features a beautiful cafe they don't use it much yet but hat's about to change.
"We're going to prepare staff lunch once a week starting out," she said. "My advanced is working on menus.Our very first one is going to be our homecoming week which is October the fifth and we're going to prepare chicken taco soup and lemon cars."
Jacob said,"I want to work in the food industry some day."
The culinary class is a good start.
"They can do anything that they want to do."
Joslyn Johnson taught culinary classes at Austin East for a dozen years before starting her new job at TSD a couple months ago.
This year she was able to secure grants from Sams / Walmart for $4,000 for both Austin East and the Tennessee School for the Deaf.