When the reflections of postmodernism on education are examined, the issue of “uncertainty and unpredictability in education” draws attention. Managing uncertainty and unpredictability in social sciences with classical approaches is no longer effective. Therefore, this requires the need for a postmodern perspective. Chaos theory and approach is one of these perspectives. This study aimed to examine the factors that cause chaos at school and the effects of this chaos. The participants of the research consist of 18 teachers who have 10 years or more professional seniority and have been working in the same school for 10 years in Gaziantep, Turkey in 2016-2017. Research data were obtained through semi-structured face-to-face interviews. The qualitative data obtained within the scope of the research were analyzed and subjected to thematic analysis. According to the results obtained, 4 categories (prerequisites, educational environments and situations, negative behaviors, internal-external factors) that cause chaos in school emerged. As the starting point of the chaos in the school, two important effects were identified, and these are the butterfly effect and the behaviors of getting rid of the chaos. This study reveals the result that at schools butterfly effect and chaos somehow affect students and teachers. It is important to gain experience about starting point issues for school administrators and teachers. It has been noted that the behaviors and situations that create a butterfly effect at school are at the forefront. In the light of these findings, various recommendations have been presented for school administrators, educators and researchers.
Chaos, chaos in education, chaos at school, butterfly effect, effects of chaos.