While celebrating our athletes’ victories was definitely fun, medal accumulation is just one measure of success. We talked about athletes who had overcome adversity just to reach the Olympics, and we discussed the preparation, training, nutrition, and determination required to be an Olympian. We shared times in our own lives where we tried our best and never gave up.
In many Olympic events (hockey, curling, relays, four-person bobsleigh, pairs figure skating, etc.) athletes needed to work as a team. We had great conversations about how our class is like a team and what it means to work together cooperatively. The Olympics brought together countries from around the world in fair play, peace, and friendship. How can we be builders of these ideals in our classroom?