Just because I'm rubbish at primary, will I be rubbish at secondary?

[McDougal]

Oh wise teachers and TA's of the staff room, I'm hoping you can help.

I'm currently in the middle of a primary school placement ahead of my Secondary PGCE (English) in September and I'm so uncomfortable, I feel like I'm actually grimacing! I'm helping as much as I can but feel out of my depth.

I spent some time in a secondary school English dept prior to starting my degree and enjoyed it but was more of an observer.

Do you think as I'm so uncomfortable in primary, I'll be the same in secondary?

Did anyone else have this wobble prior to starting PGCE (assuming you had to do a primary placement)?

I'm aware that I'm quite socially awkward but feel like this comes with being out of my comfort zone as when I work in NHS admin, I was confident.

Can I blag until I feel like I actually belong?

[fourcorneredcircle]

I hated my two weeks in primary. I felt uncomfortable the whole time because I had no clue what was going on... plus... sticky little people aren't my thing.

I'm an outstanding secondary teacher. Sometimes I have to do primary transition work, which I hate. But I cope with it far better than those two weeks... I also have to work harder to plan/prepare/deliver than I do for even bottom set year nine!

Horses for courses - being good for one doesn't mean you are good for all :)

[Maggy74653]

I hated my primary placement during secondary teacher training. Xx

[McDougal]

Thank you! I was starting to think I wasn't cut out for this teaching lark but loved my time in secondary.

I can't wait to get into a school and have a go at teaching instead of observing but primary truly is a different world.

One more day of primary then I'm free!

[Lowdoorinthewal1]

Doing my week in Primary ahead of starting Secondary PGCE I realised I had made a HUGE mistake and should have been doing the Primary course. It was too late to change so I made myself get through the PGCE and hated the vast majority of it. I then switched straight back to Primary for my NQT year. It still wasn't quite right though. Better, but not great and I thought maybe teaching wasn't for me after all. Then I found Special Needs. I have never looked back. That was 13 years ago now and I can honestly say I love my job and it makes me really happy.

I think all you have discovered is that teaching is very definitely a case of horses for courses.

[McDougal]

It's really great that you found the area you love low and interesting to hear everyone's personal experience.

I'm holding on to the fact that I loved my time in secondary and hoping it feels right next year. Fingers crossed!

[YoniFucker]

Even going into my son's primary scares me. Secondary is definitely my natural territory!

[teacher54321]

I hated my compulsory two weeks in a primary school before I started my secondary PGCE. And I'd been working in primary schools for years as a peripatetic music teacher so was well used to going in and out of different schools etc. But I felt so out of place, like I was just in the way and didn't know how to help or anything. Secondary however is my natural habitat, and I loved my PGCE. Funnily enough I am now a subject specialist in a through school so teach from nursery right up to GCSE music and I absolutely love it. Turns out I didn't hate primary, I hated not teaching my own subject one day I want to get back to seniors only but it works for now

[McDougal]

I'm glad I'm not alone in feeling primary is definitely not the right fit.

Everyone in the school seem so happy to be there - teachers, students, TA's and support staff, that I was wondering why I wasn't getting it!

I have no idea how the teachers keep everything in their head - masters of all subjects!

[cricketballs]

I hated my primary placement with a passion not much love for KS3 either much prefer KS4/5 As you can actually have a decent conversation with them rather than having to deal with "he looked at me, she stuck her tongue out at me" etc

[teacher54321]

Funnily enough having taught all the key stages, my two favourite year groups are EYFS (you can just be so creative and spontaneous) and A level (good banter and really interesting subject knowledge).