Using the Olympics to Build Community in the Classroom

One of my first blogs, written back in 2012, was titled, “It’s Time for the Olympics!”  Four years later, I wrote  “Using the Olympics to Excite and Engage.” I really enjoyed writing these blogs and now seemed like a good time to reread them. 

Covid-19 forced the postponement of the Tokyo Olympics from 2020 to this year with the hope that the worldwide pandemic would be over by now and life would return to normal. It hasn’t. This year's events look different with no fans in the stands. Yet the Olympics goes on and elite athletes from around the world are in Tokyo, representing their countries with pride. The stories of perseverance and mental wellness provide opportunities for discussions about taking care of ourselves so we can be our best. 

With students returning to school next week in Hawaii and other parts of the country, teachers can use the Olympics as a theme to build community within the classroom. Share videos and articles and have students generate questions. Divide students into teams to research and share information with their classmates. Good questions lead to more questions and hopefully, students will continue to dig deeper to learn more and to understand the history of the Olympic Games. There are so many inspirational stories as well: Who does not appreciate Suni Lee's individual all-around gold medal in gymnastics and what it means to the Hmong community? I watched as two 13-year-old girls took the gold and silver medals in skateboarding. They were fearless and it was joyous to watch their excitement and energy.  Jordan Windle was adopted from an orphanage in Cambodia by a single dad and is representing the United States in diving.  And here in Hawaii, we cheered for our very own Carissa Moore who took the very first gold medal in women's surfing. There are many other individual stories about the athletes who are competing. Their pride at representing their country is evident, and the commitment to give their all and to do their best is admirable. 

Wouldn't it be fun to end the week with an Olympics-style event? Students can be divided into teams and come up with their own team name. They can design a flag to represent their team and have a parade much like the Opening Ceremonies. Students can think of Olympic-type activities that don't necessarily rely on athleticism such as a shot put event with an aluminum foil ball or a discus throw with paper plates. Brainstorm and make sure everyone is involved in some way; the emphasis is on sportsmanship and teamwork. 

As schools resume to full-time in-person learning, building relationships and community within the classroom are essential. If we want students to be invested in their own learning, we need to engage them as learners. The Olympics can encompass every content area - language arts, math, science, social studies, the arts, physical education. Let's use this worldwide event to engage our students in their own learning and set the tone for the rest of the school year.

“What School Could Be”

This book was published in 2018 and was written by Ted Dintersmith after a year-long trip across our country to visit schools in all fifty states. I had already watched Ted’s film, “Most Likely to Succeed” and had attended a local conference where Ted was the featured speaker. I definitely related to his message about schools needing to change in this, the 21st century. I eagerly read “What School Could Be” and was hopeful for the future of education in our state and our country.

I retired as a school principal shortly after reading the book, and a lot happened in that time. The Covid-19 pandemic changed the way we live, and schools were forced to change as well. It concerns me that schools seem to be going back to the same-old, same-old pre-pandemic educational system. Didn't we learn anything about students, teaching, and learning during the past year? Recently, I decided to reread What School Could Be. This time, I was not going to rush through to finish it. Instead, I would treat it as if I were doing a shared reading with other educators or community leaders because that is the power of this book; we should all read, reflect, and discuss how we can do school better. It was inspiring to reread the stories of innovative schools and districts.

It got me asking questions about what school could be. Why aren’t schools and educators trying new ideas to engage students? Why do schools continue to be judged by test scores rather than the ability to engage and empower students to be self-directed, community-minded problem-solvers? How can we expect our students to know how to collaborate, to be good listeners as well as clear communicators, to have empathy for others, to ask questions and research to find their own answers or solutions to problems, or to be able to separate facts from opinions if we expect them to be passive receptors of content rather than active learners of knowledge? Why aren't students given opportunities to work with others on important issues that concern them now and will impact them in the future? How can we involve our school communities - educators, students, parents, businesses, higher education, and government leaders - to discuss how we can make education more relevant in this, the 21st century? 

There are many resources out there - books, articles, films, social media communities, podcasts. How do we start conversations and excite school leaders, teachers, students, parents, and the community? What if we treat this issue like we would if we implemented epic learning or project-based learning in our classrooms? We could start with an entry event for the community and invite them to view a video. Here in Hawaii, we have two excellent documentaries: “The Innovation Playlist” and “Ka Helena A`o: The Learning Walk” about transforming education in our state in this, the 21st century. Then we break into smaller groups to address a driving question such as "Why should we care about education in our community?" or "How can we involve all sectors of our community to ensure a meaningful future for our children?" I am sure participants can come up with a driving question that is unique to their community. If we plan the event carefully to include all community members - students, educators, parents, complex area or district staff, businesses, coaches, lawmakers, higher education, etc. - and if we create opportunities to continue the discussion and to share ideas and successes, we can transform education, one community at a time. We want concerned citizens who think critically about issues that are relevant to them and who can work collaboratively with others to engage in discussions, problem-solve, and come up with workable solutions. Waiting until our children become adults is too late; they can and should be involved in examining issues that impact their world today and in the future. 

William Butler Yeats stated, “Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.” Unless we actively make the effort, though, we may not be aware of how students at public, charter, and private schools are taking ownership of their own learning and really making a difference for themselves and for others. The educators at these schools were willing to step out of our comfort zones and see the whole world as an educational opportunity and resource for their students, and the results speak for themselves: engaged, empowered, enthusiastic young people who are making a difference in their communities and who will hopefully continue to be involved, informed citizens in the future. 

Note: Ted Dintersmith recently launched a What School Could Be community to share ideas and learn from each other. Join the conversation at https://whatschoolcouldbe.org/