I’m confused. In TES Magazine (May 4), Cherie Blair tells us of her appreciation of those who taught and inspired her. She says teaching can set people free, widen horizons and raise ambitions. But in Guardian Weekend magazine (March 10), we see a rather different attitude to the profession. Describing how difficult it was to choose a degree subject, Ms Blair declares: “I loved history but was worried I’d end up being a teacher.” Is she really this ambivalent? Or should she have congratulated her old English teacher on doing a good job of showing her the importance of “adapting your writing to suit your audience”?

Shirley Kalinauckas South Woodford, London