How Stressful is the PGCE Really?

[DudeDudeson]

Hi, I have a place on a PGCE but have had cold feet about it ever since being offered it. I've been teaching English as a foreign language for too many years now and really want to get out of it as it feels like a trap. I'm decent enough at it after an initial few years of being absolutely rubbish at teaching. I've taught at university too while doing my PhD. I was ok at that but not great according to my former supervisor.

Anyways, long story short, I actually went and checked out two schools and it was ok? I mean the behaviour was pretty meh, nothing majorly awful. And yet I read a flood of stories about how awful teaching is the in the UK. My concern stems from this and also the workload. I'm ok with a steady amount of work but would not be able to withstand an avalanche of demands and zero work life balance. I also suffer from IBS and insomnia, exacerbated by stress which are not good for teaching. For reference I did teach full time in ESL, teaching 6 hours of classes a day but couldn't keep up with the pace. I'd get overtired and make mistakes. The reason I'm considering teaching is that it's a meaningful job and my CV is solely in education as that's all I've ever got jobs in.

I have an offer of an Instructional Design course as well, and am eyeing that but have major doubts about landing a job after it as many ID firms want corporate experience which I don't have. Conversely if I managed to survive the PGCE, I would be confident about landing a job. However, my lack of confidence stems from the actual surviving part. Given that my school visits appear to contradict what I'm reading on the internet, I'm at a bit of a loss in gauging just how demanding the course is. If it's fair, I think I can pass it. On the other hand what I'm reading is seriously spooking me and I can't afford another course that doesn't work out. I need to make whatever course I do actually result in a step up from what I've been doing for years.

I think I'll go ahead with the PGCE. I need to get out of this rut I've been in and want to make new friends as I've been isolated for years now. I think I thrive on conflict as well to some extent so the negatives and antagonism are things which weirdly attract me to it. I think by changing my location and working in a survival mode environment, I'll break out my stagnation and introspection and maybe if I survive long enough to get the degree, I can teach in Australia, France, Germany, Spain etc. and do alright.

The problem with switching from EFL , I assume for adults, to mainstream , is motivation. Your EFL students have huge motivation to learn and progress. Some of your school students will share that motivation, orhers won’t.

I can't understand how you can have a phd and not have any other options. You must be so clever, hard working and determined to have achieved that.

Nope, just privileged. I was put in remedial English 3 times as a kid and was told I had the reading age of an 8 year old at 13. I score quite badly on IQ tests. I'm just wondering though about another thing - it seems a lot of teachers stay in the school to prepare for the next day. Is it possible to leave at 3.30 and just prepare at home? I prefer quiet environments where I can just be myself and also this is a quirk of mine which I'm willing to adjust, but I absolutely hate wearing formal clothes so I'd prefer to go home after the school day ends just to change into my normal clothes. It would make me miserable to have to stay until 5.30 in a suit and tie.

The kids deserve better than an "ok teacher".

From your posts I really don't think you are right for secondary teaching. It is much harder work than ESL - both in terms of workload and emotional load. From your description you struggled with the comparatively easy ESL teaching.

FWIW I am a qualified ESL teacher, who then did PGCE and taught GCSE English, before mentoring a range of PGCE students. The one who struggled the most was an experienced ESL teacher.

This isn't a job you can do because it seems like a good option. This isn't a job where being "ok" is good enough - young people and their futures are in the hands of their teachers. "Ok" just won't do.

Why ask, and then ignore all the responses ?

I've tried on many, many occasions to network but people don't warm to me. This is why teaching seems like the more solid route. I'm aware of my limitations.

So why do your think people in schools will "warm to you" - pupils, staff or parents ?

Getting the PGCE is my last attempt at insurance against poverty, I've been rejected from all other career path attempts except teaching.

Oh good grief. Firstly, as everyone has told you, a PGCE (and then the ECT years) are incredibly tough. If you are a strong, resilient character who has a passion for teaching, and you are fortunate enough to be placed in a half decent school, then students manage it. Of course they do. However you've already told us that isn't you. You've told us about your anxiety. You've told us there is no way you could cope with working 11 hours a day. Why ask and then ignore all the information people have given you?

It is extremely offensive to all the thousands of teacher out there for you to suggest you can become a teacher because you have been rejected from all other career paths.

The idea that you can't get a job paying more than £15K, when you are educated to PhD level is ridiculous.

You can't seriously be suggesting you think that is true?

OP, my daughter did a PGCE and she loved it and has loved her first year as an ECT.

I have a number of friends and relatives who work in schools and their experiences are very variable. I often hear of incompetent leadership and/or unreasonable behaviour from SLT members.

My daughter's experience has been very different. Her (secondary) school, which is an Academy in the south east, seems to be well-managed, her mentor and other staff have all been very supportive and appreciative, and the students are reasonably well behaved. She is only 23 and this is her first job but she has had no problems controlling classes. I'm sure it helps that she only teaches 16-18 year olds who I imagine are better behaved!

She is working long hours, partly because she is teaching two subjects, one of which she has never studied herself, so she is having to learn as she goes. But she doesn't feel her workload is excessive.

Good luck!

16-18 year olds, supportive school, job security and progression...that sounds like a great job, well done to her.

I am being blunt, but you sound really down on yourself and determined to dismiss your own abilities. Getting a phd is no walk in the park, you have to be bright. You do sound like you might be better with things than people, though. What about working in archives, or something where you work mostly from home?

Totally agree with this. The OP has no interest in advice other than sure, do the PGCE and no, of course you won't have to work more than 5 hours a day. She's admitted that she's not particularly good at teaching, can't handle the pace or hours, her only motivation is getting out of her parents' house and 'avoiding poverty'. No mention of shaping kids' futures, no indication of the impact her 'ok' teaching might have on young lives. This is car crash waiting to happen but the OP doesn't want to acknowledge it.

Isn't that why there's such a retention crisis? I mean to say I had "ok" teachers who did a decent job in getting me to learn as student. They didn't have to be great back then and I think the pressure that's heaped on teachers with these expectations to be stellar is what is driving many out.

Actually a "he".

If at the outset you just want to be an “ok” teacher, most SLTs will be constantly on your case. Children spot lack of motivation a mile off and at secondary they will eat you alive. From what you have said, I would think of something else other than teaching.

I was curious what reaction I'd get. I mean I don't trust myself as a reliable narrator of myself, I can be overly negative. Conversely, perhaps the internet itself can bring out negativity so what would happen if I flipped the decision? This is the reasoning behind my post. There's too much negativity, why not invert it and see what happens?

Of course I seem to have caused offense. No, I don't think I'm above teachers if that's the impression; it's way more nuanced than that. What my work experience has led me down is the path of teaching, not that I exhausted all other options, it feels like it being predetermined or possibly part of a collective subconscious in a Jungian sense, that's where I slot in within the narrative of humanity. I consider teachers to be heroes if anything and I am far below that level.

Yes I suffer from anxiety, and yes I'm mentally unable to work 11 hours a day. Even recording music for 8-9 hours a day is too much and I need a break after two days of recording in a studio. That's for fun, not work, in terms of work I thrive with autonomy but die a death with regimes, which is probably why I enjoyed college so much. I work in bursts of 4-6 hours typically and can get a lot done but I can't plug relentlessly or I get worn out. I'm a very mediocre person despite having a PhD, virtually unemployable outside of TEFL. I think I'm probably screwed as most of my 38 years on this planet have been as an outcast and looked on as "different", "weird" or "wrong".

Ok doesn't have to equate with lack of motivation. I'm well aware that not having things to do for kids will make them unruly, this was a kind of negative motivation to make my lessons busy for them in ESL as the alternative wasn't worth considering. But in truth I'm just ok with everything, I'm not outstanding at anything.

I've read the whole thread so far and I'm probably in a minority but here goes...

-you've got a lot more education related experience than most people starting a PGCE. That'll give you a small initial headstart. You already know how to talk to teenagers.

-if you work in an independent school, the hours aren't as bad as many pp above imply. I've been teaching about 12y and I can't remember the last time I stayed later than 5pm unless it's a parents evening. I rarely take work home, maybe once a term when there's a report deadline. Those who do such long hours, either work in schools where management give them meaningless admin etc to do like lesson plans etc, or are in very short staffed departments, or (sorry) have perhaps got into inefficient/perfectionist habits. It's certainly not the norm in my current school.

• I strongly dispute that you need to have "a passion" for teaching to be any good at it, or that that's even preferable/professional. (I have a "passion" for my husband. I don't get aroused by teaching!) I turn up, do a pretty good job, am fairly enthusiastic during lessons, get paid. I don't get emotionally involved in my students or my lessons. When I get home I switch off entirely, which I think is healthy.

• it goes without saying that of course it's ok to be an ok teacher. That's what ok means. People who try to be perfect are the ones doing very long hours for little return.

@Mummy08m Is it difficult to find work in an independent school? Does it help to have higher qualifications like a masters for instance?

I'm in a shortage subject, so for me, not difficult at all. I work in a very lovely and generous-paying school but - for example - we didn't have a single applicant for my mat cover! And when a colleague of mine left last year, we kept having to re-advertise as we were only getting one, unsuitable, applicant each time.

Recruitment really is in crisis and it's hit independent schools just as hard.

If op, or anyone, can get qualified in a shortage subject then he can have his pick of jobs honestly. Schools are totally desperate

Thank you @Mummy08m you have me thinking now, though I am humanities unfortunately. Teaching sounds enjoyable if it's normal hours and fairly motivated students! Hopefully it's helpful to OP and others, certainly nice to have a positive perspective on teaching when it often sounds so offputting.

I think you need to spend some time in a school rather than asking people's opinions of teaching. You don't seem to know much of the reality of the present day teaching profession.
Spending time observing in a school for a week (or two - I can't remember now) used to be compulsory before starting a PGCE. I don't know if it still is.
It most certainly should be.I
Lunch breaks don't really exist.
Leaving at 3 30 to go home and change until comfy clothes is not generally option.
Financial gain is not a enough reason to go into the job.
I could go on.

Thanks for this. Just wondering is it possible to just finish your class at the end of the day, gather up your resources and prepare at home rather than in school? That's what I've always done in my ESL jobs as I prefer to prepare at home. I'd usually just preselect things on the weekend and photocopy them during breaks within the week itself, then sort it out at home.

I was in two schools, granted I couldn't do it for a week, just 2 days but they seemed pretty happy and chill. There were legit lunch breaks for an hour where they actually enjoyed their breaks. I was actually surprised and confused because it completely contradicts everything I read on the internet.

Ps I do agree that lunch breaks don't really exist though! But I do frequently leave at 4.15ish. And if this helps op, I have a colleague who immediately changes into gym clothes when the school day ends, and sits in the office with his bare arms to do his marking and emails! No one cares as the kids have gone.

Yes 100%. I'd get out of the habit of taking work home though, just get it all done here and there in your lunch break or free periods and then you can be free as a bird when the last bell rings. That's what we do. My department office is a ghost town by 4.30pm.

But NB this is an independent school. We never have twilight cpd or anything like that

It might have seemed more chilled on your recent visits because the exam classes have gone ie y11 and y13. It won't always be so relaxed.