Feel like quitting PGCE

[takingthathometomomma]

I'm not sure if this is the right place to post or not, but I need advice/support!

I'm nearing the end of my first placement on a secondary PGCE course. I am very stressed out, feel like I'm not making any progress and feeling disheartened (jealous) when seeing other people I'm on placement with going from strength to strength and getting fantastic feedback.

I feel physically sick when I think about how much planning I have to do, and have been trying to plan this one lesson for tomorrow since yesterday. It's for an observation and all my efforts have gone into that - I haven't even started planning for the other lesson that I have tomorrow!

DD is four and at the moment I'm at my placement school from 7am - 6pm, and then still working when I get home. She cried to me today saying that she never has anyone to play with, and when she overheard me saying to DP that I feel like quitting, she said 'Yay then you won't be working all the time!'

I'm at the end of my tether, but don't want to throw in the towel in haste, especially as it has cost me so much and I'm halfway through now.

Any advice would be much appreciated...

if you have a friend who will help then let him! I taught for 7 years, loved it at times, hated it at times. It was part of my career though and I don't regret it.

In the end I quit without a job to go to, you almost have to because of notice periods. Sometimes quitting is braver than staying if it's the right thing to do (that's how teachers keep going ime)

Do whatever you need to do to get you through your PGCE as you've paid for it & it's a shame to waste the money (unless it becomes completely unbearable then there's no shame in walking away). If you are receiving resources from another student, do make sure you return the favour as there's nothing worse than feeling as though someone else is profiting from your hard work. Sharing resources and ideas makes sense, as long as it's a two way street.

I have to say though, I'm with Stillenacht, I would never encourage anyone to go into teaching, not in a million years. It doesn't get easier, after 10 years I work harder and longer hours than I did starting off. If you're finding that it imposes on family life now, that will continue and you'll find yourself in a constant state of guilt - either guilty that you're not spending enough time with your family or guilty that you're not working more. I love working with the kids and if I were given enough time to do the job properly and be able to banish the constant guilt, it's be the best job in the world. As it is, it makes me miserable (on the inside, I'm quite good at hiding how miserable I feel!) ask constantly feel I'm doing a bad job at work & at home.

Complete the PGCE, you never know what doors it might open for you outside of secondary state education but if think very carefully about taking a teaching job with the way things are going at the moment.

Good luck!

(And before anyone says why don't I get out, I'm trying & it's not as easy as you think. I can't just walk away without a job to go to, I have a mortgage to pay & a family to support so I keep going and try my best!)

Sorry about the typos.. baby about to kick off next to me so didn't proof read before pressing post! Luckily I check my worksheets over better before handing them out to the kids!

PGCE is very hard even when your without children let alone with a child to look after. I'm a teacher with 3 children and the school hours and the holidays are priceless. Not many other jobs give you that. Stick at it. June will be here before you know it and you'll be qualified and able to offer your child financial security.

My pgde year was the hardest of my life, and that was pre dc. I cannot imagine doing it with a little one. Teachers share resources all the time so don't worry about getting help from others.

FYI I failed my first observed lesson with my tutor, but got a good write up from the school so passed. In my final placement I ended up passing with merits, but I learnt the hard way what the tutor was looking for.

I

my honest answer....I would quit now before you are trapped. I shouldve trusted my gut instinct on my pgce. wish I could have my time again (14 years in )
it will NOT get easier.

I'm a teacher and the PGCE year and first year are the hardest. It's a tough and demanding job but it doesn't stay as intense as the first year. As for feeling jealous towards the others, there are always better teachers and everyone develops at their own pace. Talk to the teachers who are regarded as particularly good ones and ask them what needs to be there to make a good lesson. I used to spend hours on lesson planning, now I can put something together in my head while I do the register if needs be!

I would say see the rest of it through and get your qualification. You don't have to carry on with it but the option is then always there. Good luck!

I'm a teacher and the PGCE year and first year are the hardest.

I'd actually say the year AFTER my NQT year was even harder as you don't have the reduced timetable that NQTs and students get.

If I could have my time again, I would never go into teaching; I am miserable now and have no work
Life balance at all. It doesn't get any easier, OP :(

I'm a teacher. Get through it. There IS an end in sight. Teach couple of years and then Decide.
I tutor now and am a dyslexia assessor. I also supply teach. I'm very happy with this balance but I know exactly how you feel as I felt like that before even having children.
It's only worth all you have put in if you qualify. Not long to go!

Wow I hadn't realised there were more replies! Sorry, I didn't mean to ignore.

This year has been/will be so tough and I really appreciate all of your advice. I've finished my first placement well and had a good report for it so it's definitely boosted my confidence. My year 7s also begged me to stay forever which was nice!

I'll probably feel the same again during my next placement but I'll definitely stick it out. Maybe in a few years I'll decide whether it's for me or not.

Thank you again!

Taking, it's a horribly rough ride at times but just have one objective: complete and get through a minimum of one year NQT. Then you can put those two years behind you and earn from tutoring and supply teaching, if you so choose.
I remember moaning in desperation to a friend who responded with "But you enjoy it, don't you?"
It struck me and I will never forget the realisation that NO, I loathed it.
But I ended up loving it when the stress of the first few years was out of the way. But with a family, I'd not want to go back full time unless, gd forbid, I had to. I now work hard, every day. But 'my rules'. I do the self-assessment stuff and am CRBed. And I jolly well love it!

I gave my PGCE up as I am a single mum with kids and I found it impossible. I'm glad I gave it up as I have gone back to my previous career and I am doing well. I thought the PGCE was a vision of hell and I'm lucky to be able to do something else where I am more valued.

However, you might consider completing part of your course, taking a break and going back to it next year. It would give you a chance to recouperate and to think about whether you really want to make the effort to complete it.

Good luck!

I hate my PGCE. We only have 2 placements about 12 weeks for the first and 12 weeks for the second. Both my mentors did not know how to talk to a women and just blurted out rubbish as though im not human. Lady from Uni came to help me but was so amazed and charmed by my mentor that she believed him rather than me. Second one has made it clear he wants to keep things professional with me at all times yet enters the staff room backbiting about the headteacher and flirting with the female staff. How f*ckin professional. Feels like the school will fall down into pieces.

your message was posted in jan. On my PGCE i felt really down and negative about it until prob about Easter, when i began to really get into my stride and develop confidence... it's not always perfect from day 1 and other people are often good at just presenting a good impression even if that's not how it really feels day to day. I subsequently (with a slow to develop confidence!) became a really well thought of teacher and went onto other positions within my school and beyond, despite having seriously doubted myself early on and feeling convinced that everyone else on the course was so much better than me.
The PGCE is the toughest PG course there is, it takes so much in terms of emotional input,commitment, intelligence, energy, creativity, resilience, time, dedication and so much more that i could barely list.
My niece recently said to me she was thinking about teaching but thought she wasn't up to it... I replied that the very fact that she thought that made her a caring, thoughtful and dedicated person that the teaching profession can only benefit from- she will be a brilliant teacher as i think you will... because you care!
Good luck!