aceTeacher v chatbot: my journey into the classroom in the age of AI
Abstract: Two years ago, at the age of 39, I began training to be a school teacher. I wanted to teach English – to help young people become stronger readers, writers and thinkers, with a deeper connection to literature. After 15 years of working as a freelance writer and as a novelist, I felt confident that I had something to offer. But the further I progressed in my training, the more uncertain I felt. One particular question taunted me for my lack of an answer. What to do about artificial intelligence? The immediate dil…
Two years ago at age 39, after 15 years as a freelance writer and novelist, the author began training to teach English with the aim of helping young people become stronger readers, writers and thinkers. As training progressed, a persistent question about what to do about artificial intelligence created growing uncertainty.
This matters because it shows a real-world burden on new entrants to teaching who must navigate AI without clear guidance, potentially affecting confidence and pedagogy. What remains uncertain from this excerpt is how that anxiety translates into specific classroom practices, student outcomes, or school policies, as no incidents, interventions, or results are described.
- Author began training to be a school teacher two years ago at age 39
- Author worked for 15 years as a freelance writer and as a novelist before training
- Author wanted to teach English to help young people become stronger readers, writers and thinkers
A trainee English teacher experienced increased uncertainty and anxiety about how to respond to artificial intelligence in teaching
Sources
- JournalismThe Guardian2026-03-03
How should this claim be treated?
The debate