Today's blog post shall be on the mess that is organized writing, as is done in a classroom. It, as anyone who has ever witnesses a classroom workshopping, is truly structured chaos. Which inspired the name of the blog. The question, of course, then becomes how to control the chaos. I myself truly believe the best move is to make no attempt to control the chaos. Chaos is good. It's pure. It helps the ideas flow, which helps the writing process. Let chaos reign, and watch the results pour in. It's my personal theory, but it's served me well so far.
This certainly isn't my first blog, given the fact I've had A Cynical Look for a little over a year now, but this is my first pointed blog.
You can expect stories, more than anything else.
"chaos- a state of things in which chance is supreme; especially : the confused unorganized state of primordial matter before the creation of distinct forms," (merriam webster).
ReplyDeletethat sounds like pure and powerful writing to me! I look forward to reading your stories and whatever other chaos that flows through your blog. :] I'm glad you so passionately embrace the chaos (Kaos).
I agree with you completely- I think that is exactly what we should be doing with these blogs. They're not micromanaged assignments; they're free-writing spaces for open thought expression and feedback.
Scott--
ReplyDeleteIt's funny that you use the phrase "structured chaos" because our discussion on writer-based and reader-based prose definitely brought the word to my mind. Letting kids write freely and navigate between something inchoate to something organized for a specific audience and a specific context *is* chaotic. And scary. It's scary not only because you don't know what's going to happen next, but because most of the outside world doesn't see chaos as a valid environment for teaching. I mean, how can NCLB survive in chaos? How will the kids ever understand how to fill in tiny bubbles if they're (gasp!) thinking for themselves and experimenting with language and writing meaningful work?!
Anyway, I really dig that you're all about embracing chaos and I'm hoping that you (along with others) will inspire me to do so as well. Thanks for your post!
Cori
Scott-
ReplyDeleteI look forward to reading your blog this semester. Chaos is wonderful for writing, but I also think it is important, as teachers, to not let the chaos get too far out of hand. Your term "structured chaos" is such a wonderful and true way of thinking of a writing class. The students will bring the chaos, and we as teachers can help shape it into good writing. We just need to be diligent and help them write to the best of their abilities.
Scott,
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, I love that picture. Is it depicting some Greek Mythology scene? Anyway, my writing is total chaos. Most of the time I just start writing and writing because I have so many fragmented thoughts in my head, that I have to "weed through the crap" in a sense. After I exhaust myself with all my initial thoughts on a piece, then I can logistically go back and start writing a more focused piece. So, as a teacher how would you grade that process? How would you even explain that process to your students so they know that it's ok?