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.