When I launched AI ElevatED on 1st September 2026, pressing “publish” felt like a bigger step than building the website itself. I had taught myself how to design a website, develop a brand and organise its pages. Sharing my thoughts publicly, however, required something different: confidence.

I am a classroom teacher with more than 20 years’ experience and a mum of four. Putting myself forward does not come naturally. Yet here I was, writing about artificial intelligence in education and sharing my work with people beyond my own school. For me, that was a significant personal achievement.

From a Surface Pro to AI

When I returned from maternity leave after my fourth child, I was handed a Surface Pro. Even that felt daunting. Technology was changing how we worked, and I had to learn while juggling the demands of teaching and family life.

Then artificial intelligence arrived in education, bringing unfamiliar terminology, endless new tools and bold promises. In my classroom, though, technology does not always work as intended, students have different needs and time is precious. I could have avoided AI. Instead, through determination and a fair amount of stubbornness, I decided to tackle it head-on. I wanted to make informed decisions about what might genuinely help my students and stay at least one step ahead of them.

I read, completed professional learning courses and experimented in Biology, Chemistry and Nutrition and Food Science. Some ideas worked brilliantly; others created more work than they saved. I learned that effective AI use often means checking, questioning, repairing and knowing when to stop.

Why I started AI ElevatED

Colleagues sometimes jokingly call me the “AI expert”, but I see myself as a lifelong learner who is willing to try, make mistakes and persevere. That became the foundation of AI ElevatED.

I wanted to create the sort of blog I would find useful: practical, honest and grounded in everyday classroom experience. It is written for teachers generally, with a particular focus on Northern Ireland and CCEA specifications. Generic AI resources often need considerable adaptation. I wanted to share how I use specifications, mark schemes, examiner reports and my own teaching materials to create resources, while keeping professional judgement firmly in the driving seat.

Above all, I wanted it to feel less like a lecture from an expert and more like a wee chat with another teacher while the kettle boils in the staffroom.

Sharing what really happens

My posts begin with real teaching problems. I explain what I tried, what AI produced, what needed repairing and whether the result actually helped. I have shared experiences of scaffolding A-level responses, creating retrieval activities, supporting note-taking and developing classroom resources with tools such as Canva Code and Wayground.

I do not want to present polished outputs as if they appeared perfectly at the click of a button. Sometimes a resource works well; sometimes checking it takes almost as long as making it myself. Both stories matter. Teachers deserve practical examples, sensible cautions and the freedom to decide when technology is not worth using.

Finding the courage to publish

Learning to build a website was one challenge. Making myself visible on social media was another. I worried that people might think I was claiming expertise I did not have. Eventually, I realised I did not need all the answers. I could contribute as an experienced teacher who was still learning, reflecting and sharing.

Submitting my story to #WomenEd NI was another #10PercentBraver moment. I nearly talked myself out of it. But this experience has reminded me that leadership does not always begin with a title. Sometimes it begins by recognising a need, trying something new and having the courage to share it.

Women in education have so much knowledge and experience, yet we can wait until we feel completely confident before making our voices heard. If my story encourages another teacher to share an idea, take a chance or recognise the value of her own experience, pressing “publish” will have been worthwhile.

AI ElevatED may be about artificial intelligence, but becoming a teacher blogger has taught me something much more human: curiosity, perseverance and the confidence to find my voice.

By Rosemary Matthews

Rosemary Matthews is a teacher in Northern Ireland with more than 20 years’ classroom experience. Through AI ElevatED, she shares practical examples and reflections on using AI in education.

Website: www.aielevated.co.uk

Instagram: aielevatedblog