Master Teachers: Making a Difference on the Edge of Chaos

The No Child Left Behind legislation, by legitimizing a stark, one-size-fits-all, industrial model of education, has denied the inherent complexity and richness of what teachers do. Discussing teaching in terms of Chaos Theory, Chapin explains that while excellent teaching may occur at the edge of chaos, it is not chaotic. There are patterns common to master teachers that connect the components of effective teaching to give meaning and stability to the classroom, allowing master teachers to get up morning after morning, and make a genuine, positive difference in students' lives. Master Teachers presents teaching as a complex, adaptive exercise undertaken at the edge of chaos where creativity and invention are maximized.