Wow, lots of questions! Let's narrow things down.
Camera - What is your budget? Do you have a camera right now? Do you know what you're interested in shooting (macro, people, landscapes, etc.)?
Classes - There are usually classes at local community colleges as well as ones offered on line. A lot of people never take a formal class. There is so much information of the web at sites like ours (where you can get feedback) and the
DPS blog (full of info), that a formal class may not be necessary.