www.biblebasedassemblies.com
Bible-based assemblies are exactly what they say. They are assembly ideas for collective worship, based on Biblical characters and/or truths found in the Bible.
All assemblies have been developed and used by experienced schools workers and have been previously published by Scripture Union.
The outlines are grouped together as KS1, KS2 or KS3/4 and new material is being added on a regular basis.
]]>Children’s moral and spiritual development is being “pushed to the side” because of reforms that put an increasing focus on learning facts and figures, it is claimed.
In a major report, the CofE said that religious education was being marginalised in many schools but the Coalition “seems to have no will” to address the problem. It criticised a decision to exclude RE from the English Baccalaureate – a new school leaving certificate that rewards pupils gaining good grades in five academic disciplines, including maths and English. The Church also highlighted a decline in the number of new RE teachers being trained and a refusal to include the subject from a major review of the National Curriculum, which will set out the key facts pupils should learn at each age.
Dr Priscilla Chadwick, a former private school headmistress and chairman of the CofE’s education inquiry, said all schools valued the importance of assessment but insisted it should not be at the expense of “nurturing the whole child”. Speaking before the publication of the report, she said:
“The current curriculum reforms seem to be emphasising more the utilitarian purposes of education. The moral and the spiritual aspects of educating the whole person can be pushed to the back and be pushed to the side.”
The report, The Church School of the Future, which was compiled with evidence from school leaders, dioceses and politicians, warned that the teaching of RE faced “multiple challenges… that the Government seems to have no will to address”. It said a refusal to include the subject in the English Baccalaureate – which recognises achievement in English, maths, science, foreign languages and history or geography – was leading to a drop in the number of pupils studying RE at GCSE level. Failure to consider RE in the current review of the National Curriculum was also having a “damaging effect on the status of the subject”, it was claimed. In a further conclusion, the report said a reduction in the number of RE teacher training places risked preventing schools from delivering the subject properly in the classroom.
The Bishop of Oxford, the Rt Rev John Pritchard, chairman of the Church’s board of education, said:
“Our schools are a gift to the nation. They have been serving communities for more than 200 years and our schools are very popular with parents. But the report is clear that we must be careful to protect their distinctive nature, especially amid pressure from groups who would prefer that we were not involved in education at all.”
]]>First of all thank the young person for their question and make sure they don’t feel silly for having asked it. Sometimes it can be a risk for a child or young person to step up and put their hand up and ask something in front of others, so validate them to start with and say that they’ve asked a good question.
Very often children and young people will ask questions that are close to their own experience and therefore have some personal connection with what they are asking. They may hide this with a more general question, but be aware of underlying sensitivities. For example, they may ask a question about why God allows people to suffer. You may be tempted to launch into a well-rehearsed monologue stating your response to this question, but the question may just be a cry out to be heard because their grandparent has just died and this is their first experience of death. The way you handle their question can sometimes make a big difference, and it may be appropriate to start by asking them why they have asked that question. With questions about pain or suffering it is good to not dismiss this, but to acknowledge that there are so many situations and things we all go through that cause us pain. Remember to validate the question, but also the person and their experience.
When answering young people’s questions, we sometimes come up with quite a few different things to say, especially if there is not a simple answer. It can be very easy to confuse a child or young person with your answer and send them away not being any clearer than when they asked, or even more confused! Make sure you don’t air all of your jumbled thoughts in a random order, but first state how you would answer the question in one sentence, before then going on to expand if needed.
It can sometimes be really refreshing for a young person to hear that you do not know how to answer a question. Always say that you will try to find out or open the question up to the class to ask them how they would go about responding. It is good for students to see that you are also going away and doing your homework! Just make sure that you don’t forget about it, because even if they don’t mention it again they will remember at some point that you never came back to it.
After you have answered the question or fielded comments from the class, make sure you go back to the student who asked the question and ask if that has helped. If it hasn’t, and you don’t have time to spend more time on it then, ask them to write their question down and hand it to you at the end of the lesson. Say that you will then return to it soon in another lesson and apologise that you didn’t have the time that it deserved in class today. The important thing for a student is that you have listened to them and taken their question seriously.
]]>As some of you know, my heart is for those school children, for those people, who do not think they matter. It is for those who do not think they have the potential, those who are easily embarrassed, who have no self-confidence, and those who feel they have nothing to give. School is a time when children and young people go through such change and through many challenges. It is a time when anything or anyone can influence them negatively or positively, which can then stay with them for the rest of their lives.
This morning I was walking to a school I had not been to before for an assembly; I entered what I thought was the back entrance, and there was a girl walking just in front. I called to her and asked if I was in the right place. She consequently guided me to reception, but on the way she talked. In the brief 2 minute walk, I found out that she had just recently moved schools due to bullying, with being called ‘ugly betty’ due to her braces, glasses and black curly hair. She also told me about how much she loves this new school because everyone is friendly, the teachers clearly care and take note of her, and she has friends! I then went on to find out that the assembly was on labels and letting go of them, and it was for that girl’s year, and she happened sit on the front row, right in the middle. I truly pray that this chance of a new school with much happier circumstances, and having that chance this morning to let go of her previous labels from the bullying at her last school, will impact her in such a positive way that it will stay with her for the rest of her life.
God has also been speaking to me about how it is not just that time during school, how big and important it is, but it can be anytime. I reckon most people in their lives have gone through a time when they do not feel like they have much to give, or when they just feel a bit useless, or even worthless. I know I have, even just during my short time here on placement, but today I read some of the Psalms and other verses on this subject, and I know I matter, I know you matter, I know everyone matters, because we all matter to God:
“What is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them? You have made them a little lower than angels and crowned them with glory and honour.” – Psalm 8:4-5
“I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” – Psalm 139:14
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” – Jeremiah 29:11
“The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in His love He will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.” – Zephaniah 3:17
“If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own son, but gave Him up for us all – how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things?” – Romans 8:31-32
I heard a story this morning about a child who was a bit of a rebel; he would not work in class, he would misbehave, he would hide from his teachers. A teacher tried many ways to help him and his behaviour, but none of them worked. Then one day this teacher overheard the boy saying to his friends that a while ago his father and sister were joking around with him, calling him rubbish and actually placed him in a rubbish bin and left him there for a while. Even though they were joking, this actually left the boy thinking that he was just a piece of rubbish. Upon hearing that every morning the teacher decided that she would greet this boy with, “It is wonderful to see you today. You are a good boy.” From that day on, he changed, he started to do his work, he stopped hiding away, and he started to get along with others better in his class. All of that was due to the teacher showing him care and giving him hope that he does matter; what a change something as small as a few words can make.
Jesus gives us freedom, Jesus gives us hope, Jesus gives us a purpose, and Jesus loves us unconditionally. Whatever we go through, He is with us, however useless or unequipped we feel; “Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” God does not call the equipped but He equips the called.
You matter.
]]>“My gran has dementia and I recently visited her in hospital. When I arrived she was talking to someone and looked like she was looking someone straight in the eye but there was no one there. Could this have been God or an angel?”
“You talk about your experiences of God but what do you think about people of other religions that talk about their own experiences of god?”
“What am I going to look like in heaven?”
It would be interesting to hear how people would go about answering these questions.
]]>Research* by ChildLine, selfharm.co.uk, YouthNet and YoungMinds to coincide with National Self-Harm Awareness Day (1 March) found that, among 1,398 young people surveyed, more than half admitted to hurting themselves on a daily basis or a few times a week.
The survey revealed that 41 per cent of young people who had hurt themselves had not told anybody about it, and those who did were most likely to tell friends first. However, the large majority felt that this hadn’t helped and still went on to hurt themselves as a way of ‘coping’.
X-Factor and N-Dubz star Tulisa is backing the campaign and encouraging young people to talk to someone:
“It’s incredibly sad that so many young people are using self-harm as a way to deal with their issues and that many are suffering in silence. I’ve experienced difficult periods in the past but having somebody to talk to makes the world of difference. I know many young people don’t have this and I hope they can be made aware that they can contact the charities supporting this campaign to give them the care, help and support they need.”
The survey also showed that:
• 86 per cent of respondents had injured themselves (the survey is not representative of the whole population).
• Respondents cited feeling depressed as the main reason for hurting themselves. Feeling lonely and family problems also accounted for a high proportion of self-injury cases. Cutting was the most common way of self-harming with 81 percent of young people adopting this method. Scratching was also high at 71 per cent.
• Boys are significantly less likely to tell anyone about their self-harming behaviour than girls.
If you’re supporting a young person who harms check out http://www.selfharm.co.uk and for “Talking about self-harm”: a lesson pack, visit the schoolswork.co.uk shop The DVD is half price for a week from Self-harm Awareness Day 1st March!
* An online, self-selecting survey asking young people about their experiences of self-harm was hosted on ChildLine, SelfHarm.co.uk and TheSite.org (run by charity YouthNet) during January 2012. At total of 1,392 respondents completed the survey, giving their ages from 9 years old to 18 years old. The sample will not be representative of the full population.
]]>http://www.scriptureunion.org.uk/You/Training/ChaplaincyInEducation(DayConference)/159037.id
]]>Before coming on placement, I was expecting that I would go into schools work after I finish my degree; I expected I would become a teacher. But why did I expect that? I came to this placement naively thinking the only way I could help children in the way I want, by loving and encouraging each child I come into contact with daily, was by becoming a teacher. I expected that was the best way. Maybe it is, but this placement has opened my eyes wider. There are many, many ways to help children in schools in that way. Here at placement I have been involved in planning a self-worth course for school children, and organising a relationship project in schools. I have joined in with a self-image experiment, observed and taken part in assemblies, and I have heard all about different therapeutic self-help courses in schools, one-to-one mentoring, lunch clubs, and lessons. There is so much!
God gives us passions, and loves, and callings. He gives us. God has given us everything we love about ourselves, about others, about creation. Not on a good day, when He reveals that to us, but on a bad day. A day where we feel low, on a tough, horrible day, God has still given those things to us. And do we deserve that? No! Do we expect that? Most of the time, yes! But nothing is ours, all of it is Gods, everything belongs to Him. Even the hairs on our head; they belong to God.
God knows the future. We don’t. Will I go into schools work? I don’t know. If God presents me with that opportunity, then yes, I would love to. But what, if not? Will He send me abroad? Will He send me into the deepest, darkest places? Will He send me to the rich? The poor? The hungry? The fed? The old? The young? I don’t know. God knows. What I do expect, though, is for God to reveal that to me, the amazing plan He has for me, in His time, and in His way. We need to know and remember what is in front of us, and expect God to reveal to us the unknown. God is good, and God is faithful. Always.
]]>I’ve been here for a week now, and have had a fantastic chance to meet with people working in all different areas of schools work. It has been a real eye opening time, where God has spoken to me and revealed more of the area I feel He’s calling me to. Speaking to everyone here has been really inspirational and encouraging, seeing their hearts for young people and the way God has used them in so many young people’s lives. In meeting some of the young people too it has been heart breaking hearing their stories, but then hearing how LCET has changed their life for good, has been truly fantastic!
Over the next 4 weeks I will be blogging about my time here, as well as writing reviews for different resources from schooolswork.co.uk, self-harm.co.uk and LCET. My first blog is a review on the self-harm DVD. I hope it may be useful for you: http://www.schoolswork.co.uk/thinking/entry/self-harm-dvd-review/
Grace and peace,
Sarah.
]]>
http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2012/jan/20/nadine-dorries-sexual-abstinence-bill-withdrawn
MP Nadine Dorries wanted sex education for 13-16 year olds to include the option of abstinence, for young people to know that saying ‘no’ is a viable option.
One of the many objections to this came from Andrew Copson, chief executive of the British Humanist Association, who said
“abstinence ‘education’ is a dangerously unrealistic and irresponsible proposition for our young people”
“We will all certainly need to remain on our guard against such foolish proposals in the future.”
]]>14th-16th February, Life Church Burnley.
I had a fantastic couple of days with PAIS up in Burnley last year and am looking forward to returning this year, to speak a bit about creative schools work and to enjoy spending time celebrating God with them.
Download the PDF booking form (with more details about the conference) here.
]]>EVERYONE NEEDS A BIBLE
To celebrate the end of the 400th Anniversary of the King James Bible we encouraged young people to hand out New Testaments for Christmas. This project was a huge success, in all sorts of ways. 16 year old Esther Parkinson of Southport, recently handed out 2000 Bibles to her whole college, including all the staff. The amazing thing was that she raised the £5000 needed herself. She then highlighted verses in them, wrote a personal message in them and wrapped them! Other people however, have handed out one to a close friend. Whatever the number of people, it’s still an important project, as we believe, EVERYONE NEEDS A BIBLE.
FAITH, HOPE, SCHOOL.
New Generation is all about helping young people live out their faith in school and college. We aim to do this by working together with local churches and Schools Workers. One of the resources that we have to help this is our training day, FAITH, HOPE, SCHOOL. The day, in true NG form, is all about equipping young people to do prayer and outreach in their school or college. The day is full of practical and interactive sessions. We cover topics like, “How to fundraise,” “How to pray for your mates,” “developing young leaders,” and many more. One of the best things about the day is that young people get to meet other young people who are going through the same battles and struggles as they are. They get to share their victories and failures. It’s the highlight of our year. This day is not just for young people, we’d love for schools workers and youth leaders to be there too. This year they will be held in Solihull, Manchester and Bristol, during the month of February. Check out the Schoolswork calendar for more info.
ONE FINAL STORY!
Before we sign off we’d like to share just one story of what God is doing in the schools of the UK. Here’s what a group in Nottingham wrote to us in an email recently…
“Since the start of 2011 the New Generation group in our school has grown from around 12 people a week to just over 50 people a week, and 18 people have become Christians! This is not by our own efforts, but by the grace of God.
It all started in November after a time of prayer and fasting. A few of us were really praying to God about our school and waiting on Him to see where He wanted us to go next. We decided that there needed to be a change, and to refresh what we were doing, so we changed the layout of the room. We set up rows of sofas and chairs facing the front…and we changed the structure of our meetings. We introduced a time of prayer, worship and a talk.
We’ve also held different outreaches for Valentine’s Day, Easter, and for the year elevens who are leaving. Some of the events included getting guests in to sing, dance, rap or speak, and we also held a ‘Grill a Christian’ type event where people came and asked us any questions they had. For our biggest outreach so far we bought 15 pizzas and put on an event that drew over 90 people! We used the opportunity to give a final message to the year elevens.
We’re so grateful to God for all that He’s done, and we pray that He continues to work in all the schools around our country. The best piece of advice we can give to any New Generation group is to pray and seek God’s perfect will.”
If you’d like to receive more regular updates about what NG is up to then please just email us at and we will actually answer you!
]]>Here is the list. Either add your own in a comment below, or on our Facebook page here.
“I came up with some extra ideas on how to use the schoolswork cards and thought I’d share…
GO Fish
The person who has to “go fish,” has to answer the question on the card they picked up
The winner chooses one question from their cards that each other player has to answer
War (2 players)
Whenever ‘war’ occurs (i.e., two players put down the same card), both players have to answer the question on the card.
The winner chooses one or two questions that the other player has to answer
Cheat
Either the person caught cheating or the incorrect accuser has to answer the last card that was played
Crazy Eights (similar to Uno)
The player that does not have a matching card must answer the question on the card that was played last
Whoever plays an eight must answer the question on that card
Spoons (or Pig, Tongue)
The winner gets to pick a card from their hand for a person of his/her choice to answer
The loser (of each round) has to answer one of the questions on a number or face card they were trying to collect