The Take-Home Essay Is Breaking. What Replaces It?

In this episode we explore what happens when AI changes the basic conditions of student writing, and why some teachers are bringing pencils, notebooks, and in-class writing back into the center of English instruction.Drawing on a recent New York Times piece about AI and student writing, we look at the growing move away from take-home essays and toward handwritten, in-class work. The real question may not be paper or AI. It may be something more.Topics covered:Why teachers are rethinking take-home writing assignments in the age of AIWhat student AI use reveals about homework, drafting, and critical thinkingHow handwritten assessments can unintentionally measure the wrong thingsThe difference between drafting, revising, and composing under time pressureWhy AI should support the writing process without replacing student authorshipWhat district leaders should consider before making “back to paper” policiesA practical writing workflow that combines notebooks, rubrics, AI feedback, and student reflectionSources:https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/30/us/ai-students-cheating-homework-classrooms.html