I am broken

[Greenandcabbagelooking]

I'm a trainee teacher doing QTS via a SCITT, plus a PGCE through university.

I am utterly broken. I've spent much of today in tears, mostly though sheer exhaustion. I taught 4 consecutive lessons today. I've written an assignment. I've planned the rest of the week. I've been to a meeting.

Tomorrow I am helping with an extra-curricular activity.

I am so tired, I'm thinking about quitting. The thought of doing this for another two weeks is overwhelming.

I'm not even sure why I'm posting. Just to vent I guess!

If you like the actual teaching, hang on there!

The other stuff becomes much more bearable as you get used to it. These first few weeks in December (when Christmas is just too far away to be a reality) are always tough, but you've got a two week holiday within sniffing distance...

Are you able to rest at all at the weekend?

I've been teaching for 8 years now and my training year (PGCE) was by far the hardest. There wasn't a day on school placements where I didn't want to quit.

I love my job now. You get quicker at planning and marking and more confident at being in front of the class. You encounter the same types of classes and learn how to deal with behaviour. There's not much about actual teaching that would stress me now.

If you really think teaching isn't for you, there's no shame in quitting. But if you think it is and it's just really hard now, hang in there.

It's this time of year. And it's a full moon.

Do you think you need to go to the GP? If not, start cutting down now. Stay in school until 4.30-5, leave, go home and do no work.

Start printing off Christmas shutter-uppers from Twinkl or go to HobbyCraft and buy a shit load of Christmas crafty shite that will keep them occupied for an afternoon.

You've not got long to go but don't try and do too much now. Take care x

If you are in England you could drop the PGCE and just gain QTS. I did SCITT without PGCE last year and not doing the PGCE was the best decision I ever made. It made no difference to me getting a job, so why give myself the extra work?

I think SCITT is a fantastic training route and I love teaching. Why do you need the PGCE?

This time of year everyone is feeling the same, you are not alone. This term is brutal, have an early night, nice bath, glass of wine tonight. The rest of the year will fly past in comparison. If you are seriously considering quitting, don't waste your time, you may as well stick it out and qualify.

It's December. Everyone is knackered, trainees paticularly. You sound like you are really on top of what you are doing. Just keep going a little bit longer and the Christmas break will be here!

We’re all absolutely done in. It’s a long, hard term. It really does get easier. You’ve already got the rest of the week planned so that won’t need doing again. Do you have to do the extra curricular activity? Hang on in there.

If you enjoy the teaching aspect keep going. I hated my teacher training year. It was impossibly hard but it gets so much better once you are done.

Sleep. Go to bed and sleep. You might feel a lot better in the morning. You can make it through to the end of term. Don’t make big decisions in this state.

The sheer exhaustion at certain points of the school year is awful, but survivable if you like the job itself.

These last couple of weeks before Christmas (and the last couple of week before the summer holiday) are like going to hell in a stud-lined handcart. Always. I'm 15 years in and LOVE teaching but I'm so tired I could weep and in danger of initiating Armageddon because my fuse is so short.

Hang in there. End of January all will be calm again.

Yep! This week is one of the hardest- long term, it’s dark. Everyone is tired including the pupils. You’re doing great. 🌺

I've hit the wall too. I'm so tired I can't even think straight. 9 more days.

(Praying for a snow day on Monday!)

My PGCE was the worst year. The assignments on top of the teaching really was tough.

As PPs have said, it is a particularly tough time of the year. It's dark. The kids are brewing for a break, plus they get less chance to burn off their energy compared to.the warmer months. It's a long term- you've already done 6 weeks. Just on my DCs behaviour at home, it's their lowest point as the end isn't quite in sight yet.

Hang on in there. Teaching is a tough world at the moment, but now isn't the best time for reasoned decisions. There's a good chance it could feel much more manageable again in a few weeks.