Advice about doing Secondary PGCE?

I'm in second year and about to embark on a teaching assistant module in English at a local high school, but all these talks from teachers has got me overthinking if it's the right career path (overthinking is my fatal flaw!). Its always been what I've aspired to be and its the only think I could see myself being happy doing, but lately I've been thinking what if I couldn't deal with the stress, or deal with difficult pupils, or don't get a job or fit in at any schools? The idea of being assessed as a teacher makes me think what if students aren't inproving or my lesson plans don't work?! The responsibility and chance that I could fail all my students is scaring me and making me think if I should do it! Does anyone else feel this, or maybe felt this before doing their PGCE? Is teaching really as hellish as some people make out? I just want to know if I'm alone thinking this or if anyone has any advice to banish my anxieties!

1. You have to realise that the vast majority of people who post online are more likely to mention negative things than positive things. If I were you I wouldn't let comments on here or anywhere else put you off at all. You really won't know until you give it a go. Even during observations before starting a PGCE you may be at a school where behaviour is an issue and it might put you off a bit but remember during your course you could be placed in a school where behaviour is brilliant in comparison. It really does vary.

2. Everyone has bad days at work and teachers are no exception. The key is to hit the reset button. If you feel as a teacher you stepped out of line then apologise in the next lesson and move on. You will humanise yourself and there is nothing wrong with doing so and admitting your mistakes. We all make them.

3. Channel that fear into producing the most thought out lessons you can. Going into a new environment is daunting for anyone. I'm quite a well reserved person so going into a very open and sociable working environment for me was daunting but you find your feet and get used to things very quickly. You start to put names to faces and then continue on from there.

4. Teaching is definitely not as hellish as people claim in regard to behaviour. You'll find the paperwork piles up very quickly and staying on top of it all whilst preparing the best lessons you can is the hardest part but that takes time and you need to learn how to manage it efficiently to suit that working environment.

Put simply, teaching is a profession where you will be pushed and tested (I'm not going to lie to you) but that's why it requires a lengthy training course. It is for your benefit as well as the pupils you're going to teach. You want to be good teacher, or better, and they want a good teacher, or better. During my university days I overthought things a lot and now I've learnt to not do it because it will simply take over your life. The best thing you can do is find ways to relax a bit and then you will be able to think more clearly, assess what is ahead of you and make the right moves and decisions based on that.

What subject would you like to teach if you don't mind me asking?

if you dont mind me asking what did you study at UNI to do that? I want to be secondary teacher in english but im not sure if i should do just and english degree or a degree in english and education?