Maybe your department head called your bluff when you told them you had an impromptu, out-of-town, very important but otherwise vague commitment this week, so you would need to take the week off. Looks like you’ll be spending the tournament in the classroom afterall. But don’t worry, we’ve come up with some ways to add more madness back into your March.
Eight elite ways celebrate March Madness with a class or team:
- Encourage teachers and students to wear their favorite teams’ colors on a designated day during the tournament.
- If your sport is in season, let your team don their favorite teams’ jerseys during a practice instead of their typical practice uniforms.
- Teach students about probability by having them fill out their own brackets for fun (no betting!), and give a prize to the winner at the end.
- Coordinate with other teachers and have each class make a bracket. Whoever’s bracket goes the furthest wins an ice cream party.
- Cut practice short one day and have a March Madness party. Set up a watch party at school or someplace fun. Have your coaching staff pitch in food and spend some team bonding time watching the games.
- Work the tournament into your lesson plans. If you teach a math class, have students predict round winners by finding teams’ winning percentages, average scores, etc. If you teach a health class, connect your lesson about nutrition or anatomy to the game. Be creative.
- Organize an after school viewing of Hoosiers for students, or – if you’re like my high school history teacher – show it during class and (not so) secretly watch the games on your computer.
- If all else fails, put the games on in the classroom and promise them extra credit for signing confidentiality agreements.