Most schools, particularly primary schools, hold regular school assemblies. Once a week or each fortnight parents and community members are invited to the school. During assemblies classes put on items or entertain to share learning outcomes and skills. In most schools and assembly roster is drawn up well ahead of time so the teachers and classes know when it is going to be their turn to perform.

It is important to begin planning and preparation for an assembly presentation a long way of the time of delivery. Having students discuss what they would like to exhibit is one way of getting them involved. Planning and preparation for an assembly might be based on reminders of what will be done, with practice and preparation being “a little and often”. School assembly presentations can be spoiled if there is a rush to get ready at the last minute. Last-minute rushes cause teachers to become frustrated and students to become edgy. That is the recipe for guaranteeing the assembly will not be enjoyed.

The prospect of performing at assembly can be a motivation for children. Practice can be offered as a reward for classes who finish work early. Part of refining assembly items can come from discussion between teachers and students.

Quality assembly items confirm ownership by the children in the class. Having children narrate, lead and generally present items, engages parents and those attending. If the teacher does all the leading and children are an “accessory – after-the-fact” the assembly is lot less impactive and performances a lot less memorable. For teachers, there is reward in terms of recognition that comes their way for the efforts they have made in preparing classes to present. An assembly is also a way of showing the community just how much interest in and understanding teachers have of children in their classes.

It’s important to make sure the parents of children who are performing at assembly have lead time in order to organise their programs so they can attend. It is very disappointing to children if their parents and relations cannot be there. It is also disappointing to parents who miss out on the children’s performance because of short notice or even no notice.

Evidence the parents love assemblies rest in the fact that many of them take movies, photographs, and other pictorial memorabilia of their children’s performances. School assemblies are one of the most important ways school leaders and teachers have of presenting in public. Assemblies celebrate children and a prese