Looking for advice… I just started my student teaching at a preschool and it’s been a week and a half and things are rough and I’m not sure I’m cut out for this. Am I doomed as an early childhood educator?

I’m currently the teacher assistant in a 24 student preschool classroom and I am not even halfway through my second week of classes with the kids and I am struggling. A LOT. I need some advice from other teachers about how to move forward with this :(

For context, I’m a 22 year old who needs to complete 180-hours of a professional experience in order to graduate from my degree, which is English teaching with an emphasis in preschool education. I am not a particularly “motherly” person, and I struggle to connect with kids on an emotional level (not the best career choice, I am aware). However, I try really hard and I think I’m a good teacher.

In the time since classes have started, I have gotten feedback on things I’ve done wrong/screwed up and need to be careful with because we can get into a lot of trouble. The head teacher I’m working with is very nice and very respectful when it comes to this, and I can tell she’s trying to be supportive and helpful. For example, today she sent me this long explanation/complaint about how I didn’t wash the paint off of one of the student’s pants, and how we can get into big trouble with the office because of this and how thankfully this mom was relaxed about this but most aren’t. Last week, I got told off because I told this girl at the daycare afterschool (I have to stay there for a while after I finish teaching) to put her things away in the lunchbox after she spent an hour saying she didn’t like how the meat tasted (she told her parents I told her she couldn’t have lunch, and the school’s principal reprimanded me and forced me to write an apology letter - for something that didn’t even happen). I honestly just feel so demotivated whenever stuff like this happens. I know it comes with being a “first year teacher” and these are obviously things I should learn with time, but I feel so discouraged and it almost feels like I’m not doing anything right. It’s already hard for me because being maternal to 5 year olds does not come naturally to me, so this job is taking a lot out of me — I honestly don’t know where I’m getting the energy.

I keep hoping that eventually I’ll be able to get into the groove and things will improve, but I just feel like maybe I’m not cut off for the job and the more days that go by the less I want to keep doing this. According to my calculations, I finish my 180-hours around this time next month, so I’m literally getting by by reminding myself that I’m missing less than 30 days and then I’m done with this. I am genuinely questioning whether I will ever choose to be a preschool teacher or if I’m just never going to be one and just get my degree and be done. Is this normal? Is there hope that things will improve (emotionally)? Is it common to get told off for so many mistakes when you’re starting teaching? I feel so inadequate and like I’m just not meant to do this and should just stick to something else.

Anyways, I would appreciate any advice. Thanks 😕