Guest Posted October 15, 2005 Posted October 15, 2005 Yikes everybody, I have to take an assembly next week for the whole of KS1 and both Reception classes - has anybody got any good ideas? I am an NQT and feeling a bit scared ! I think what other teachers normally do is just read a story with a moral message and have a bit of discussion afterwards, but the children get very restless and it's often quite boring! I'd like to do something a bit more interactive and fun - that way should have less behaviour issues to deal with! If anyone can recommend a good story or way of approaching it, or something tried and tested, I'd be soooooo grateful.... Susie xxx
AnonyMouse_79 Posted October 15, 2005 Posted October 15, 2005 I can understand the nerves, even as an experienced teacher! Well done too for trying to move away from what you are identifying as the problem. As you say both reception classes I assume you are 2 form entry and will therefore have 4 classes in KS1? Do you have a theme or topic that you could base your assembly on? What have the others teachers based their assemblies on? You dont want to repeat! Being a good friend and sharing are always topical in a school, however, so that could be an idea? There are some assembly websites so try a search here and in google.
Guest Posted October 15, 2005 Posted October 15, 2005 I don't have any specific ideas, but, on the behavioural front & in an attempt to make the assembly interactive, you could choose children to come out to the front ("X, I noticed you are sitting beautifully - would you like to come up & help?) either to hold up prompt cards or whatever, or to act out a story as you tell it perhaps?
Guest Posted October 15, 2005 Posted October 15, 2005 I got a good assembly from www.assemblies.org.uk. But when we do a class assembly I try to involve all the children or most of them by holding up paintings or singing a song or if you can a poerpoint onto the wall of photos works well. The last one we did was about smiling and we talked about what made them smile, how to make other people smile. why it wa simportant to make other people smile and then ended with lots of lovely smiley photos of the children themselves.
Guest Posted October 15, 2005 Posted October 15, 2005 having read that again it wasn't as complicated as it sounded.
Guest Posted October 15, 2005 Posted October 15, 2005 we are given a theme each week to follow. i find assemblies hard especially becuase lots of books for assemblies are aimed at ks2. i try to use a story i know they will like and understand. i use plenylt of props to help with the story and ask children to help by holding props, acting a bit out. to help with behavoiur i tell them that i am looking for children being quiet to help , they respond well to this!
Guest Posted October 15, 2005 Posted October 15, 2005 thanks for those tips! I checked out the assembly website - looks like a great resource but all the ideas I found were linked to the bible and our assemblies are secular. I like the idea of involving children in acting out a story or hot-seating them in the role of one of the characters but just don't know which story or how exactly to go about it. Other teachers have just read a story like the Gruffalo or Pumpkin Soup and kept it really simple, but as I said, pretty boring! Also like the idea of doing something on friendship or sharing BUT again I don't know what or how! I do have a puppet called Mr Crow who my class adore. Maybe I could involve him somehow? Thinking aloud now....but if anyone has any more genius ideas please throw them my way!
Guest Posted October 15, 2005 Posted October 15, 2005 I just had another look at the assemblies website and found a good one that I could do with my puppet - no bible reference! Think I just wasn't searching properly so thanks a million for that tip. I'm going to keep looking....
AnonyMouse_79 Posted October 15, 2005 Posted October 15, 2005 you could always involve your own class a bit to help you, dont be afraid of doing something innovative, which I dont think you are, but do be comfortable with what you choose. Good luck.
Guest Posted October 15, 2005 Posted October 15, 2005 Susan's reply got me thinking. We just used the story of the Little Red Hen which had been an integral part of the half term's work for the class. In the Assembly we told the story I acted out the part of the hen, a colleague acted as narrator and the class was divided into dogs, cats and big fat pigs. They had all had great fun making hats to wear to the assembly - basically a strip of sugar paper with a picture they had drawn, cut out and stuck on of their animal. We used it to link in with harvest festival and work on helping each other, being good friends etc. Fidget factor minimised by having Reception all involved and the other year groups were a great audience because of their familiarity with the story. Angela
Guest Posted October 15, 2005 Posted October 15, 2005 Or, still thinking harvesty things, you could do The Enormous Turnip, which would involve quite a few children, with the message of helping each other & reaping the benefits (at the end don't they all end up sharing the turnip?) The children who aren't directly helping could all help with the 'reading' of the story for the repeating parts, e.g. "And they all pulled - and they pulled - and they pulled - but still the turnip didn't come out". In doing this, hopefully any children who aren't listening would suddenly be brought back to the assembly by the loud voices of their peers.
Recommended Posts