So this semester, I signed up for this student teaching type thing thinking that becoming a teacher was my calling. But since being in the classroom, I realized that I wasn’t cut out for that kind of career. So I’ve decided that I want to drop the course and change my major, simple right?. If only my family, mentor, and cooperating teacher wasn’t so fully involved with this. My family keeps telling me how proud they are of me for doing this field placement, my mentor/co-op teacher keeps emailing me about a lesson plan, and I’m just so stressed about all of this. I sound like a spoiled brat ( I know) but I feel trapped in this. Ever since I began this field placement, my entire family has hopes of me becoming a teacher now. I know they’re proud and everything but I don’t want to be committed to this major. So I wrote a draft letter to send to my mentor and co-op teacher about dropping the field placement. I don’t even want to express how I truly feel about all of this to them because I know they’ll try to convince me to stay in the program. I just made up an excuse so that they’ll hopefully allow me to drop the course without turning it into a huge issue. Please let me know what you think of it.
Dear Ms. S
Unfortunately, I’m no longer able to remain in the field placement program. My course load is becoming really heavy and stressful. I’m sorry for the inconvenience.
Sincerely _.
Should I add more to it?
So 4 days ago you posted:
@jjwinkle gave you some great advice. Did you take any of it?
Making up an excuse is not the path to making a strong, dare I say adult, decision.
You say that you are afraid that that your co-op teacher will try to convince you to stay- and that might be true. S/he might also say ‘I respect your decision’ or ‘Actually, I agree with you- you don’t seem suited to this’. Or, s/he might say ‘Some of what you are feeling is very normal and here are some things to try that might help. Give it to the end of the semester to see if this is something you can grow through. If not, at least you will know that you made a good effort and we will help you re-focus in a direction that is more productive for you’. Unless you are the very first student that this teacher has worked with, you will not be their first experience of a student with serious doubts.
You won’t know if you don’t suck it up and face it head on. Put on your best grown-up self and go. Like most things, the anticipation is pretty certain to be worse than the reality.
You are learning some important lessons-- you may not want to be at teacher- better to learn that now. However, the opportunity may help you gain skills that will transfer to other career paths. Speaking in front of groups; trying to understand how differences in people translate to how they learn best; developing and implementing a plan and monitoring its effectiveness-- all good skills to have whether you are in a classroom or in some other occupational setting. Think of this as an opportunity to challenge yourself to develop new skills and learn something about yourself in the process.
If you do decide to withdraw-- be sure to contact your advisor to learn about the impact of withdrawing on your academic standing and satisfactory academic progress.
I don’t want to seem like I’m making excuses but I really can’t go on. My anxiety is so awful that I feel like fainting when in front of a large group. I feel like the biggest idiot on earth when I’m trying to teach a lesson to students. The students don’t listen and I end up embarrassing myself. I just have to withdraw from the course because it’s really stressing me out making me resort to lying in order to avoid it. I was supposed to go today but I skipped and told them I was feeling unwell 
. The only thing I’m learning is how to look ridiculous in front of children. They deserve someone who will stick it out and really cares about teaching.
Nothing is “making” you lie. If you can’t stick it, own it. Go in to the teacher and be honest. Or at least write an honest email. Running away and lying are not the way, and will only leave you feeling worse. Separate your anxiety about teaching from your anxiety about having an adult mad at you (isn’t that why you want to lie?). You become an adult by stepping up and taking responsibility for your choices. If yours is “I choose to go down a different path” - fine. Just say so, don’t run away and lie.
You’re right collegemom3717. I should be up front with everyone. It’s just hard having to disappoint people. Especially family. But I have to do it so wish me luck. Thanks for all the helpful advice everyone.
Wishing you every success, @confg101 
It is hard to disappoint people, but it is rarely as bad as it feels before you do it. And the more you are able to stand up and say “I have thought this through, this is not my path, and I am going to work at finding the right one for me” the more your family will be able to respect your choice- and they will, though probably not as fast as you would like! giving them a little time to get used to a change is fair.
Remember, more than anything they want you to be happy and they want to be proud of you- and they will be.