Now that Thanksgiving is over we begin that giddy, headlong rush toward the winter break and (for those who participate) the Christmas Holidays and New Years Eve. Seems hard to believe another year is winding down so quickly!
But as sure as the sun will rise tomorrow, January will follow December, and we will all be trudging back to schools on dark winter mornings with a long haul laying ahead before Spring Break. January, then, is a wonderful time to bring a little light into the school and give kids a little excitement to help get them through. A school assembly is a perfect solution and thankfully there are different themes available to suit the time of year perfectly. Here are some ideas for winter school shows:
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The birthday of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King comes up as a holiday in most states early in January. The beginning of January is a great time to host an MLK school assembly. A visit from a professional actor portraying the great man and bringing his life alive before students is a surefire way to enliven the month and give the kids a greater understanding of this awesome figure, as well as a source of conversation in class for weeks to come. Some states, Washington in particular, actually mandate that schools celebrate and acknowledge this holiday in some proactive manner. Mobile Ed sends a dedicated MLK school assembly tour to Washington State every year for this very purpose. But, regardless of where you live, call soon as dates for these tours fill early.
Many schools these days have instituted some kind of program to help kids learn to be good upstanding citizens and responsible members of their communities. The Inspector Iwannano initiative is an awesome program designed to teach strong character values through an emphasis on various key values known as the the Pillars of Character. Even, and perhaps especially, when schools are already practicing techniques to support these values a really fun and exciting school show can go a long way toward helping kids understand and take these issues seriously. Inspector Iwannano, revolving around pillars of character is an awesome school assembly with which to kick off the new year!
Around the country, state standards almost always include criteria dictating that kids learn about their own state history and this almost always includes the history of Native Americans. January has special significance in this area and the study of the original Americans provides a wonderful theme for the month. January is when the Hopis celebrated their ancestral spirits or Katchinas. Believing these spirits returned and brought good fortune when called in January, the Hopis celebrate this return in the Powamu Festival. Meanwhile, in the eastern states, the tribes of the Iroquois Confederacy or The Six Nations, celebrate a midwinter festival. Similar events take place in other parts of the country among other tribes. To mark these events and support the study of these peoples, invite a Native American themed school assembly into your building. Piankeshaw Trails, a thrilling school show about the native woodland tribes of the Midwest is perfect for such a celebration.
These are just a few ideas for enlivening the dark days of January in your school. There are plenty of others as well, but don’t delay! Many schools already practice these ideas, and remaining open dates for January are very scarce now as we get into December. Call today and find out what is available to electrify your kids imaginations this winter!
Geoff Beauchamp is the Regional Manager of Mobile Ed Productions where "Education Through Entertainment" has been the guiding principal since 1979. Mobile Ed Productions produces and markets quality educational school assembly programs in the fields of science, history, writing, astronomy, natural science, mathematics, character issues and a variety of other curriculum based areas. In addition, Mr. Beauchamp is a professional actor with 30 years of experience in film, television and on stage. He created and still performs occasionally in Mobile Ed's THE LIVING LINCOLN.
