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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To want to pack it all in

64 replies

Bella43 · 04/11/2020 17:31

I started a PGCE in September and I absolutely hate it! Nearly everyone in my class is already in a teaching role so the information is absorbed quickly or known already. They're excellent in IT. I have little experience having worked in retail all my adult life. I feel way out of my comfort zone and dread going into class each week. I have to start placement in two weeks and an dreading that too.

I loved every minute of my degree. I thought this would be a way to share that passion. It turns out that teaching is mostly planning/paperwork/setting up IT. Hardly any of it is the actual teaching.

I'll have to balance placement with the day in PGCE class, work and two children. I'm a single parent too. No help from their father.

My family are incredibly proud of me for doing this PGCE and I feel like I'd be letting them down but I'm not coping. I hate the assignment I'm working on. It's a huge amount of work. I can't do the things I enjoy anymore because this is zapping my energy. I have no intention of going into teaching. Tutoring maybe but definitely not teaching. The industry is so tough with so much expected of you. Aibu to want to through the towel in? I feel so embarrassed and wish I never enrolled on it.

OP posts:
BobbinThreadbare123 · 04/11/2020 17:44

Having done a PGCE and been a teacher, I would say if you're not going to use it, bin it off now. It will not get better. I'll get piled on for that I'm sure, but it is a thankless job, I don't think it's family friendly and the PGCE is not hugely helpful for other jobs.

Magicbabywaves · 04/11/2020 17:46

Agree with Bobbin. It’s going to get worse before it gets better, I’d say maybe in your third year of teaching things even out a bit, but if you’re not even going to teach then leave now.

Rover83 · 04/11/2020 17:47

Why did you do a PGCE if you didnt want to teach I thought that was the only point in it. If you hate it and arent going to teach the quit, life is too short to waste being unhappy

Wearywithteens · 04/11/2020 17:50

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn at the poster's request.

LittleRa · 04/11/2020 17:51

@Rover83

Why did you do a PGCE if you didnt want to teach I thought that was the only point in it. If you hate it and arent going to teach the quit, life is too short to waste being unhappy
She doesn’t say she doesn’t want to teach- in fact what she says is that there’s not enough teaching on the course, and too much planning/paperwork/ICT instead.

OP I’ve been a teacher for 15 years and unfortunately this is the reality of the job. The actual teaching is the best bit. The rest is a bit rubbish. The balance between the two isn’t always even.

housemdwaswrong · 04/11/2020 18:13

I don't understand how you are saying there isn't much teaching but you haven't started placement yet? Are you going in one day a week or something?

RaininSummer · 04/11/2020 18:15

If you don't ever want to work in a school and you are hating the course then I would leave. You can work as a tutor I expect with your degree knowledge but don't forget that tutors need to plan too but nothing like the demands of school. I would add though that when advertising for tutor jobs, having a teaching qualification can help.

Original poster
Bella43 · 04/11/2020 18:16

I enrolled on the course because I wanted to teach. I wanted to share my knowledge and passion for my subject. I was so enthusiastic. A few weeks in and I hate the course already. I have an insider's view of teaching and it's not what I thought. My tutor clearly works hours and hours outside of uni. He sends loads of e-mails. During half-term my phone was constantly buzzing. There's a whatsapp group set up for the students in class and that's always buzzing too. It's like there's no off button and I don't seem to have the passion for it all like they do. I feel completely out of my depth and never had these feelings during my degree. I used to bubble over with excitement when talking about that.

OP posts:
BobbinThreadbare123 · 04/11/2020 18:18

That's a good way of putting it - there is no off button. It's that kind of job.

Original poster
Bella43 · 04/11/2020 18:19

My tutor told me that teaching is a small part of the job. Planning etc takes up the most amout of time. Yes I go in one day a week. It's part time.

OP posts:
Whatsonmymindgrapes · 04/11/2020 18:20

Give the placement a go you may love the teaching. Don’t listen to the PGCE students they are just showing off- ignore them. See if you like the placement and if you still hate it pack it in.

I’m a teacher btw I hated my pgce year but love my job.

Original poster
Bella43 · 04/11/2020 18:25

*Bobbin. Is it just me or is that a really tough way to live? There's no work life balance at all. I was hoping for a day or two to switch off over half-term and spend time with my children. Turns out I was more stressed than ever. Some e-mails and whatsapp messages were coming through as late as 1am. They woke me up and I couldn't get back to sleep. I had to get up for work then.

OP posts:
PumpkinPie2016 · 04/11/2020 18:26

Firstly, please don't worry about not knowing things that's why you're a trainee! You will get better as you go along.

I started my PGCE 11 years ago straight from uni and to be honest, I really didn't enjoy the first 6 weeks in uni. I could do the work but didn't enjoy the mini teach in front of peers and didn't feel like I really gelled with my group. I felt like giving up too but decided to wait until I had started my placement. I'm in middle leadership now and feel like I can really drive change forward while still having lots of contact time with kids.

I'm so glad I did!! I absolutely loved being in a school and being with the kids. The second uni block after Christmas wasn't so bad and I just got on with it knowing I would soon be back at school.

There is a lot of planning/paperwork in teaching, that's true. I quite enjoy planning and thinking of how to get the knowledge across in different ways. Some paperwork is less fun but has to be done e.g SEND information etc.

However,once you start teaching, that's where the majority of your time is spent -in classrooms with chhildren. There will be some classes that are harder than others but I can honestly say I love it. Children are endlessly entertaining and seeing them progress or getting through to a difficult pupil is great.

Ask your tutors for help if you are struggling but I would urge you to give your placement a good go before quitting.

Original poster
Bella43 · 04/11/2020 18:28

*Bobbin. Can I ask what you do for a living now you're not teaching?

OP posts:
GuyFawkesDay · 04/11/2020 18:29

I agree. I think you need to wait it out yet, your coursemates sound very keen but that pace can't be sustained.

Teaching definitely has lots of admin and paperwork (the boring bits!) But the classroom makes up for it

BobbinThreadbare123 · 04/11/2020 18:42

@Bella43 the closest description I can give is that I am a nuclear physicist. Much less stressful than teaching. The only downside is that I miss working with women as there are so few of us.
I've taught, tutored and mentored in the past - I can still do that now if I want to, but in a much more chilled way.

Original poster
Bella43 · 04/11/2020 18:45

I'm very intimidated by my peers. They are experienced in teaching and ICT. I feel like an outsider and a little bit lost in general. They are lovely people. I just think that I'm the only one there with no base knowledge of teaching.

Thanks for your encouragement. It's nice to know that being a trainee teacher is just that. Training to teach. Maybe I'm in an unusual class in that I seem to be the only one!

OP posts:
wincarwoo · 04/11/2020 18:48

Practical suggestion but you can mute WhatsApp groups.

HollowTalk · 04/11/2020 18:51

@LittleRa She actually says in her OP, I have no intention of going into teaching.

Original poster
Bella43 · 04/11/2020 18:52

Bobbin. That sounds fantastic! Yes working with mostly one sex can be difficult. It's nice to have a mix but I guess there are pros and cons to every job. It's great that you can still go into tutoring too. I expect you already mentor in your job?

OP posts:
HollowTalk · 04/11/2020 18:53

I taught for decades and wouldn't recommend it now. It's incredibly stressful. I was watching Educating Manchester last night and the sheer frustration on the Spanish teacher's face was so familiar to me, and I wasn't teaching secondary. I would really think again - if you don't want to do it there's no point in continuing.

workplacehelp · 04/11/2020 18:53

I think it depends on what you teach too.
DH is a maths teacher, he works 7am-230pm and never outside those hours or term time. He says it's very stressful and intense in those hours, he's never bored, he often enjoys challenging questions that pop up but loves the holidays. He is a Lead Prac too.

Original poster
Bella43 · 04/11/2020 18:54

I didn't know I could mute What's app notifications. See how much I need you guys!

OP posts:
LittleRa · 04/11/2020 18:57

[quote HollowTalk]**@LittleRa* She actually says in her OP, I have no intention of going into teaching.*[/quote]
I think she means she has no intention of going into teaching now - having started the course and found it to not be what she was expecting. Not that she applied for and started the course without ever having any intention of going into teaching, which @Rover83 was asking.

bluebeck · 04/11/2020 18:58

It turns out that teaching is mostly planning/paperwork/setting up IT. Hardly any of it is the actual teaching.

Yes - I am surprised you didn't do more research before signing up to be honest OP. The actual classroom delivery is the best part of the job but the rest of it is boring as fuck and most of it is a total waste of bloody time. I got out - best decision I ever made.

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