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Fourth-grade teachers present 'March Madness' reading competition to Foxboro school committee
Summary
Fourth-grade co-teachers Miss Clemens and Miss Gomes described 'March Madness,' an inquiry-driven, classwide reading competition used to build comprehension stamina through four rounds, scorecards, accommodations and recognition systems that motivate students.
Miss Clemens and Miss Gomes presented a teaching-and-learning showcase to the Foxboro School Committee on May 13 detailing 'March Madness,' a second-year, classwide reading-comprehension competition designed to increase student stamina, engagement and use of text-evidence strategies.
The teachers said each round uses a grade-level passage with four multiple-choice comprehension questions; students use strategy checklists and accommodations on their IEPs as needed. Teachers award points for strategy use (analyzing questions, highlighting, returning to the evidence) and maintain scorecards that mirror a strategy checklist. Winners and students with perfect round scores were recognized as MVPs, receiving images and classroom celebrations that reinforced intrinsic motivation.
“Students developed stamina, they persevered through hard tasks,” one presenter said, describing a round in which every student independently earned an MVP award. The teachers emphasized a reflection period after each round (called 'noticings') so students could identify strengths and goals for improvement.
Committee members and the superintendent praised the program’s focus on strategy and vertical alignment of reading instruction. The committee had no formal vote on the presentation; members asked brief clarifying questions and thanked teachers for the demonstration.
