Full disclosure: I have a reputation in my building for disliking assemblies. Our student council does a great job putting them together, scripting, timing, and decorating for each assembly. But I really struggle with anything that interrupts class time (this also includes announcements, drills, field trips, early releases, etc.). Yes, yes, yes, I understand that all of those items have a value, a purpose, and a place. Nevertheless, I struggle with anything that cuts into instructional time.
For these reasons, over the years, I’ve learned a couple tricks to make assembly days less stressful.
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Post the schedule, including lunch times. This is the number one question students ask during assembly days. Taking the time to write the schedule on the board is a life saver! Check out more important classroom procedures here.
Make sure students know where to sit during assemblies. Our school assigns sections of the bleachers for each teacher. Other schools seat by grade level or alphabetical order or the floor of the building you’re on. Regardless of how seats are assigned during the assembly, make sure your students know where to sit and how to get there. This will take down their anxiety level and yours!
Establish clear assembly expectations for students and teachers. Depending on your school, behavior expectations may be different. For example, some schools frown on using devices during assemblies but others encourage students to tweet about an assembly. So know what your building’s expectations are and communicate that clearly to students. Are you expected to take attendance during the assembly? If so, make sure your students understand the consequences of missing role call. Do teachers sit with students during the assembly? If so, make sure you know where your students are sitting and that they know where/how to find you.
Make sure new teachers know what they’re responsible for during assemblies. If you have a new teacher in your hallway or on your team, take a few minutes and make sure they know what is expected of them during assemblies. This can be helpful for brand new teachers and for teachers new to the building.
Lesson plan accordingly. Make sure you know when and where assemblies fall on the calendar so you can plan for an altered schedule. I write each assembly day on my calendar at the beginning of the year so I know how to plan assessment and instruction for that day. Similarly, I also make sure I have a wind-down activity planned for after the assembly (usually something low-key like writing thank you notes to key speakers or some SSR).
Buy In. I have not mastered the skill of relaxing during assemblies, but assemblies are more enjoyable when I buy in to the experience. When I clap and cheer and sing the alma mater, my students usually do, too. And following the first five steps on this list makes it much easier for me to take in the experience.
What are your tips and tricks for enjoying school assemblies? How do you prepare your staff and students? How do you keep the day focused but upbeat? Leave your thoughts in the comments!
Photo by Yassine Khalfalli on Unsplash
