Jeremy Scott is a fashion designer who isn’t afraid to take risks. His collections include gowns in McDonalds and Coca-Cola prints and fuzzy sneakers with teddy bears protruding from the tongues. Fashion snobs have deemed his designs as stupid and kitsch. But he doesn’t let the criticism stop him. He knows his audience; he knows his voice, and he has something to say. And he says it — courageously.
My experience with many high school English students is that they are scared to take risks with their writing assignments. They don’t want to risk making mistakes or sounding silly. They don’t want me —their teacher— to disapprove, devalue, or debase their words. As a result, they produce safe, dry, prose devoid of any personality. But when I give them permission to step outside the box, that’s when things get juicy. They’re waiting for permission to become powerful writers. I wish they didn’t feel the need for approval. I wish they had some of that Jeremy Scott confidence.
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