I learned Paper piecing from Sharon Schamber. What a treat!
I was slow and had to rip out several of my piecings in the beginning....actually Sharon went around the room as everyone was piecing and she did all of the ripping out for the students.
She said she was the Queen of ripping and I believe her, she uses a rotary cutter! You have to be skilled at that...I would cut my fingers off or rip my fabric....enough to say, ripping out is part of the learning process. I did learn that the add a quarter is the most useful tool for PP. Sharon also uses a paint paddle to hold down seams and to "press" the seams as she goes.It is about four inches across with a short handle. All hardware stores have them..not expensive. Give PP another try. Once you get in the routine, it is simple. The instructor for your class should have realized that if people are busy ripping out seams, they cannot pay attention or stay up with the sewing. That is why Sharon went around the room doing that job for us. Start with a potholder pattern and keep PP. You will love your end result. D in TX