March Madness in the Arts Room: Why Arts Teachers Should Take More Creative Risks This Season
Every March, energy shifts.
People who rarely watch sports suddenly debate brackets. Underdogs steal the spotlight. Carefully made predictions fall apart overnight. March Madness reminds us of something both exciting and uncomfortable:
The biggest breakthroughs often happen when someone takes a risk.
And honestly? Arts classrooms could use a little of that energy this time of year.
Because March might be the perfect moment for music, dance, theater, and visual arts teachers to try something new.
The Mid-Year Creative Plateau
By March, many arts educators find themselves in a familiar rhythm.
Performances are approaching. Exhibitions are forming. Productions are underway. Classroom systems are working—mostly.
There’s comfort in that.
But creativity doesn’t always grow inside comfort.
In tournament play, teams don’t advance by running the exact same strategy every game. Coaches adjust. Players experiment. Someone takes a shot they normally wouldn’t take.
Arts learning works the same way.
What if March became the month where arts teachers intentionally embraced experimentation?
Not perfection.
Just possibility.
The Classroom Upset We Didn’t See Coming
A lot of times, March Madness brings unexpected winners—teams no one predicted would advance.
Arts classrooms have those moments too.
Maybe it happens when:
A student who rarely participates becomes the choreographer for the day.
A hesitant artist produces their strongest work during open exploration.
A theater student discovers confidence through improvisation.
Students collaborate in ways you didn’t plan but absolutely needed.
Often, those moments appear when teachers loosen control just enough for creativity to emerge.
Sometimes the lesson feels messy.
But meaningful artistic learning usually is.
Stop Waiting for the “Right Time”
Here’s something arts educators know deep down: There is never a perfect time of the year to innovate.
Why? Because:
There’s always a concert coming.
A showcase approaching.
A production deadline looming.
Materials to organize.
Schedules shifting.
I can go on and on….AND…..waiting for the right time will mean you’re waiting forever.
Take a risk. Try something new. Adapt in the moment.
Your classroom, as it is right now, is enough (and your students are ready for some level of this—trust me!).
Try the project you’ve been thinking about. Pilot the idea. Shift the structure.
Discovery matters more than polish.
Three March Madness Challenges for Arts Teachers
If your creative energy needs a mid-year boost, consider choosing one challenge this month.
1. The Upset Challenge: Let Students Take the Lead
Hand students more artistic ownership.
Let them:
Design choreography or staging choices
Curate artwork themes
Lead warm-ups or creative exercises
Direct rehearsals or critique sessions
Shape the creative process
Students often rise when trusted with real artistic responsibility.
2. The Buzzer-Beater Lesson
Try something spontaneous.
Build space for exploration instead of scripting every moment:
Improvisation sessions
Movement or sound exploration
Collaborative installations
Rapid creative challenges
Cross-arts experimentation
Some of the most powerful arts learning happens in moments that weren’t planned.
3. The Underdog Strategy
Focus intentionally on students who may not yet see themselves as artists.
Ask yourself:
Who hasn’t had a leadership opportunity?
Who avoids creative risk?
Who might succeed with a different entry point?
Arts education is often where students discover abilities they didn’t know they had.
Sometimes all they need is a different chance to shine.
Innovation Doesn’t Have to Be Huge
Trying something new doesn’t mean redesigning your entire curriculum.
Innovation might look like:
Integrating student culture or interests into projects.
Connecting multiple art forms in one lesson.
Using new creative technologies.
Changing how critique or reflection happens.
Turning assessment into a creative showcase rather than evaluation alone.
Small risks build creative momentum, for teachers and students alike.
The Question Worth Asking This March
As the spring season is fast approaching, consider one question:
What’s one thing you’ve been wanting to try in your arts classroom but haven’t yet?
That idea you’ve been saving?
That’s your shot.
Some experiments may miss.
Others might completely change how students experience the arts. They might even become the new chapter for how you level up your teaching.
So this March, embrace a little creative madness. A little creative chaos. A little creative whatever. Just try it. And don’t forget to enjoy the ride.
🎨🎭🎶💃
