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Preparing and Delivering a Classical School Assembly by William Lawrence

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Preparing and Delivering a Classical School Assembly by William Lawrence Preparing and Delivering a Classical School Assembly by William Lawrence other objects demonstrate the lasting introducing the subjects (especially Introduction influence of the classics on later Classical Civilisation). generations in a powerful visual way. The purpose of this article is to (vii) The school assembly is often an encourage classical colleagues to develop (iii) You get an instant reaction from under-utilised resource for subject their own illustrated talks to deliver to pupils after each assembly whereas teachers. The chance of talking to a school assemblies (both senior and day-to-day teaching is usually a large audience is an opportunity junior). In my experience, an illustrated long-term process without the same worth seizing. It provides a great talk goes down well with any audience kind of immediate feedback. This chance to encourage children to take (whatever its age) and can have an instant feedback keeps you on your an imaginative interest in the classical immediate impact on their view of the toes and provides great world. Longer talks (e.g. the Aeneid) classical world (especially its ‘relevance’). encouragement! can often be delivered over a series Assemblies can be delivered in many of assemblies to the same audience. ways: a talk; interactive; class presentation (iv) You are talking to potential recruits etc. This article concentrates only on the for your subjects at GCSE and A (viii) Headteachers or staff in charge of preparation and delivery of an illustrated level in senior schools and can organising assemblies are usually talk. I have divided the article into four develop assemblies for different very grateful for volunteers and are sections: the value of classical assemblies; Year Groups or several Year Groups often happy to allocate several tips on preparing and delivering together. For those who have never assemblies over a week in order to assemblies; resources and copyright; and sampled the classics or those who pursue a theme (e.g. Herakles’ an example of a classical assembly have relinquished the subjects, an Labours). (The Adventures of Theseus). inspiring talk can remind them of the value of the classical world in A. Value of Classical Assemblies ways they might not have supposed. B. Tips on preparing and delivering (v) You have the chance to inspire an assembly (i) You have the chance to interest a large youngsters in junior schools and audience in your subject. You may be promote their enthusiasm for the (i) Equipment needed: Laptop; USB talking to groups of 100 pupils or subjects beyond their time at junior (back-up); Laser-pointer; CD more without the constraints of school. With Years 3–6, an illustrated (music) for entry/exit; CD player; syllabus/exam pressures. talk can excite them at an early age index-cards (talk). and may encourage them to choose a (ii) You can explore different themes and classical subject later at senior school. (ii) Play some appropriate music while ideas with complete freedom in the the audience is assembling (start) manner you choose (set talk or (vi) In schools where classical subjects and leaving (end). It helps to set interactive). Images of vase-paintings, are unavailable, an illustrated talk the atmosphere and settle them sculpture, mosaics, paintings and might create an interest in down. The Journal of Classics Teaching 19 (38) p.91-95 © The Classical Association 2018. This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Downloaded Creativefrom https://www.cambridge.org/core Commons Attribution licence. IP address: (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), 170.106.40.40, on 02 Oct 2021 at 07:39:56, subject which to permits the Cambridge unrestricted Core terms re-use, of use, distribution, available at and reproduction 91 https://www.cambridge.org/core/termsin any medium, provided. https://doi.org/10.1017/S2058631018000247the original work is properly cited. (iii) Use index-cards/plain postcards to (ii) Google Images* half-human, half-beast nature of the plan your points in note form for each Minotaur). picture. This will help you memorise (iii) e.g. Greek Myths handbooks (e.g. your talk as you compose it. Tales of The Greek Heroes by Roger 2. Theseus lifts the stone to find the Lancelyn-Green) sword and sandals left by Aegeus (iv) Think pictorially and illustrate your (sculpture). Theseus was born in theme with appropriate pictures and *Copyright issues: www.copyrightuser. Troezen (map); the son of Aegeus, king maps. org is a very useful website to consult. It of Athens, and Aethra, daughter of states that the use of copyright material is Pittheus, king of Troezen. (Point out (v) Number your pictures and write a permitted for educational purposes as Troezen and Athens on map) caption for each one to remind long as: yourself of key points. 3. Map showing location of Troezen and (a) The purpose of the use is non- Athens (map). Aegeus had left (vi) Make each picture come alive so your commercial (i.e. you are not charging Theseus to be brought up in Troezen; audience knows why you’ve chosen a fee for your talk). had a good start as a young lad (aged that particular picture. seven) meeting the great hero (b) Sufficient credit is given to the Herakles; demonstrated his courage (vii) Look at your audience and maintain author of the image. on seeing Herakles’ lion-skin helmet eye contact. Try to deliver your talk which was so lifelike the other boys ran without the index-cards as your talk (c) The use of the material is fair. away in terror. Theseus attacked it with will be much more effective. (Use an axe! Theseus was inspired to follow the index-cards only as a prompt). Herakles’ example in ridding the world D. Example Assembly: The of monsters. (Point out Herakles’ (viii) Be enthusiastic and try to keep your distinctive dress: lion-skin helmet; great talk moving fluently at pace. Try to Adventures of Theseus (39 slides) knotted club; bow and arrows; Herakless tell a story. based on R. Lancelyn-Green’s 4th Labour – the Erymanthian Boar). (ix) Have a dramatic opening and ending version 4. Herakles (vase-painting) inspires to create an impact at the start and at young Theseus; Herakles’s 4th the finish. This talk could be split into Theseus’ Labour (vase-painting). Aegeus had adventures on the way to Athens and Theseus left a sword and sandals beneath a and the Minotaur. Each slide has a caption great rock to test his son Theseus or title to remind me of key points or for when he came of age. If he lifted C. Resources and Copyright the audience to read. For the purposes of the rock and found them, he was to this article, we have not included every travel straight to Athens to help his (i) Your own resources (digital photos) slide. The details give a flavour of the father Aegeus against his enemies. and departmental resources (digital images and the sort of commentary. For (Point out Theseus, now a young man, photos, books etc) full details, contact the author. straining to lift the rock to find the sword and sandals accompanied by his mother Aethra who points towards the startling objects underneath). 5. Theseus lifts the stone to find the sword and sandals left by Aegeus (Laurent La Hire – painting). Same as 4. (Point out Theseus’ immense struggle to lift the rock; Aethra pointing to the objects beneath; remind audience of Troezen and Athens on the map). 6. Theseus lifts the stone to find the sword and sandals left by Aegeus (Nicolas Poussin – painting). 7. Map showing Theseus’ journey overland from Troezen to Athens 1. Theseus’ adventures (vase-painting legendary king of Athens; Theseus (map). Aethra begged Theseus to with Minotaur at the centre of the great friend of the hero Herakles. take the shorter, safer sea route to vase-painting). Theseus the hero (Point out Theseus taking the bull by Athens to avoid the villains plaguing who killed the Minotaur; Theseus the horns and killing the Minotaur; the land route but Theseus was Downloaded92 from https://www.cambridge.org/core. IP address: 170.106.40.40Preparing, on 02 and Oct Delivering 2021 at 07:39:56 a Classical, subject School to the Assembly Cambridge Core terms of use, available at https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms. https://doi.org/10.1017/S2058631018000247 determined to help his fellow men at Theseus suspiciously; Marathon (map); 23. King Minos’ magnificent palace of (like Herakles) and rid the world of Theseus ‘taking the bull by the horns’ and Knossos (2nd illustration of Knossos). villains and monsters. (Point out leading it in triumph to Athens). Aegeus sends Theseus off with an Theseus’ route and very briefly the army to defeat his enemies (his monsters Theseus defeats on his way (as brother Pallas and his fifty sons). this talk concentrates on the Minotaur); Theseus returns to Athens to find the point out shorter, safer route by sea). whole city in mourning and discovers that King Minos of Crete has sent his 8. Theseus defeats Periphetes the ambassadors to demand the annual Clubman at Epidauros (vase-painting tribute of seven young men and and map). seven young girls to be fed to the Minotaur (= the bull of Minos) in the 9. Theseus defeats Sinis the Pinebender Labyrinth on Crete. Minos, owner of at Corinth (vase-painting and map). the greatest navy in the Greek world, had imposed this punishment on 10. Theseus defeats Sinis the Pinebender Athens because his son had been at Corinth (illustration). killed while visiting Athens and trying 19. Theseus sacrifices the Cretan bull on to capture the Bull of Marathon.
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