Should I quit my SCITT?

Should I quit my School Centred Initial Teacher Training?
Hi all, this is my first ever time posting on here so I hope I’ve done this right. I really want some advice: I started my teacher training in psychology in September and I’ve had quite a rocky start.. My mentor and colleagues at my PP1 placement have been expecting a lot from me since I got there and I feel quite uncomfortable around some of them- especially some of the things they say about students. Also and probably the biggest issue is that I’m so exhausted all the time and I feel like I’m not having a life because of the course. I’ve done my BSc, an MSc and there were points admittedly when I didn’t think I would get through them at all because of my mental health but I ended up getting top grades in both. I have wanted to teach since I was about 12 and I’m now 25. I was a TA for a year before I started this course and I loved getting to know my students and spending time with them- honestly, it was real unconditional love that no one had given me in a long time. And doing that made me itch to be the one at the front and although I have enjoyed elements, it’s the workload that I struggle most with: it’s never done, never enough time to do it in, the well-being support is shocking and when I get home I feel so tired and often quite low that I just can’t do anything. Now I have been on top of everything but struggling but now I’m doing full lesson planning I’m just finding it too much and had a breakdown today on a colleague and I felt so embarrassed. I have so many regrets about things already and I don’t want leaving this course to be another one. But.. I can’t not have a life for another 40 years etc. I can’t work all out all day just to be required to do more hours when I get home and not be able to do all the things I love (which I struggle to do anyway because of my diagnosed depression etc). I love areas of my subject though and I love talking to kids and helping them figure things out.
Any advice please? I could really do with it!

I never recommend a SCITT course as you tend to be thrown in the deep end. A uni-led PGCE is a better option as you hvae a block of theory to start with and then get gently eased into teaching practice.

What sort of teaching load are you on? How much support are you getting with planning and managing marking etc?

Thank you for your reply.
So I do Mondays to Thursdays in school: I am in everyday from 8 till 3:30- but I never leave then because of my workload. I have to teach 6 hours a week by the end of this placement. I am on week 9 of my course- the first 2 of these were induction at uni. I also weekly have to write a weekly reflection (this is done on a form) do weekly reading, do subject and curriculum action steps, and weekly observations of my colleagues as well as my PGCE assignments which are 750 words each which don’t sound like a lot but I don’t get time at school allotted for this and they require substantial reading. And of course I have to attend meetings, staff briefings, year meetings, mentor meeting once/twice a week, professional studies (this often requires us to do a small task to). I also have to commute to my school.
is this what you were looking for?
Oh and sorry Fridays are my core training from 10am to 3:30/4:30: these are our lectures on theory etc.

I'm a Maths teacher and mentor placement students. This sounds a lot of work not helped by the 'model' of a SCITT. How much help do you get with lesson planning? How long is the commute?

I’m sorry I don’t have much to contribute to your problem but I do empathise. I am a TA applying for PGCEs but I also suffer with depression and am wondering if it’s the right move.

Are you sure it’s not just the school culture? If your mentor is being unprofessional about your pupils and your workload is ridiculous, it could be worth trying another school (if possible) first.

As for breaking down, it happens to all school staff. I’ve done it in front of my colleagues a few times and vice versa! No need to feel embarrassed, they’ve probably seen it before.

Hey,
Regarding lesson planning: I’ve been told I can ask my colleagues at anytime but most of them in the social science department are part time- also I only have one mentor meeting a week and she is the person who should be helping me and she does but it isn’t enough to be honest. Aside from that, that’s it in all honesty! I have to fill out these 3 page forms for each lesson plan to and give whoever is watching my lesson a form to fill in and my plan. One of my biggest stresses is resource making :/ takes ages with everything else and is required 48 hours before my lesson to be ready in time.
I suppose I can’t complain about my commute other than that it is added stress and makes me more tired. It’s about 40 minutes 😊
BTW: they’re trying to get me to do a starter at least for all lessons except criminology on my timetable and oh!! Haha I have a pastoral checklist I need to do so I have to go to form every lunch time and I should be leading one form session a week!!

I would just say this: think very carefully friend. It’s a lot of work and expectations are very high. There is very little well-being support to and people can be unkind :/

That doesn't sound right - 48 hours is a long time before a lesson. We give students access to a photocopier and lots of resurces are already prepped by others. Is this the only support you have? 40 minutes is a long commute too ... Is there a scheme of work ?

are other teachers being rude to u?
SCITT sounds mental tbh - my mum started last year (she'd had a different and what you'd expect to be a more demanding career previously) but left as she was being made to teach 11 hours a week with no lesson planning support at all...
I guess your SCITT experience really depends on the school you train at... also it seems like other teachers already expect you to be experienced and fully qualified as soon as u start SCITT. and sounds like some schools just use it as a way to get extra teachers cheaply tbh

It’s just too much tbh.
I work so hard, from the minute I get in each day and I often eat lunch whilst working to. I don’t have a life anyway but this is just insane. I can use resources as a base but I have to change them ( so I can use their lesson PowerPoints as a starting block but I have to change these to make them my own and we are strongly recommended/pushed really, to make our own!). There is a scheme of work yes but I don’t properly understand it and there’s unbelievable amounts to do and I have so many questions anyway..

I'd talk to your mentor - why should you make your own PPTs? Surely if they are addressing the learning objectvies than just changing them a bit is enough. Personally I don't use PPTs much as I prefer to work through examples 'by hand' and talk about them. A scheme of work should be easy to understnad and should point you to appropriate resources.

Ha ha I wish that was true! My scheme of works contains the weeks and the title of the lessons that week. THATS IT. I’m pretty clueless though

That's not a scheme of work ... that's a yearly lesson overview. Is there a scheme of work online you could use? Do you have access to the exam board secure area as there might be more there? What board are you teaching?

I’m very grateful for your interaction Mutley, but the more we talk the more I feel on my own with it all really :/ I just don’t think I can do this. There we are.

You aren't - tel me the board/subject and I'll see if I can find anything useful for you

Thank you 😊 but I emailed my course leaders last night and told them that I at least need time out to consider my place on the course and look after myself.

What did you end up doing? I’m in the same position now. Plus I have 3 kids. It’s impossible

What did you end up doing? I’m in the same position now. Plus I have 3 kids. It’s impossible