Primary Current Assemblies



KEEP ON ROWING

By Janice Ross

Suitable for Whole School

Aim

To show that some days and some tasks require more perseverance than others.



Preparation and materials

• Information and images from the University Boat Race between Oxford and Cambridge from www.theboatrace.org/gallery/2010. The boat race takes place on Sunday 3 April 2010.
• Optional music: ‘O God our help in ages past’.

Assembly

1. Tell the children that you are going to start with a song this morning. Ask the younger classes to sing ‘Row, row, row the boat’ (they might like to come out and do the actions too).
   
   Row, row, row the boat,
   Gently down the stream,
   Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily,
   Life is but a dream.
   
2. Ask how many children have been in a rowing boat? What did they see, hear, how did they feel? Identify through questioning that this is a very relaxing activity for the lazy, hazy days of summer.
   
   Now show images of the Oxford–Cambridge Boat Race training crews from the website. Ask in what ways this boat ride would be different.
   
3. Tell the children a little about the Boat Race. It began in 1829 when a Cambridge University student sent a challenge to his friend, who was studying at Oxford, to a rowing race. This tradition has carried on to the present day, with the loser from the previous year’s race challenging the opposition to a rematch.
   
   The Boat Race takes place on the Thames and up to 250,000 spectators will crowd the banks of the river to watch the race, and millions will watch on TV. Cambridge are currently in the lead with 79 wins to Oxford’s 75. This year’s race takes place on Sunday 3 April and will be the 156th race.
   
   Crews must be students at the universities. The Cambridge crew are known as the Light Blues, the Oxford the Dark Blues. Potential oarsmen start training in September, the squads being chosen in about December. Each member of the squad undertakes a gruelling programme of daily training from September to April, both in the gym and out on the river. They have to keep up with their studies as well! Part of the training is with an army commando unit. Show these images from the website gallery.
   
4. Now sing this verse that is more appropriate to the Boat Race with the children:
   
   Row, row, row the boat,
   Quickly down the stream,
   Strain at the oars with all your might
   And we’ll beat that other team!

   
   Encourage the children to watch race on 3 April and to find out who will win this year!
   

5. Explain that life is a bit like these two types of boat rides. Sometimes life goes along quite smoothly. Sometimes work is not too much of a challenge, there is not much pressure at school, sometimes we get on fine with our family and friends. That’s like the lazy, hazy, merrily, merrily boat ride!
   
   But then there can be days, or times in a day, when life requires tremendous effort. Maybe our family seem to be in a bad mood, maybe schoolwork seems to be particularly hard, maybe we just feel as though we have got out of the wrong side of bed!
   
   Sometimes working in a team can be a big struggle. You may want to work really hard and someone else in your team doesn’t, or everyone else may seem really enthusiastic about a task and you just can’t be bothered any longer.
   

6. Think again about the Oxford–Cambridge Boat Race. Imagine if one rower in the race just decided to stop rowing. His legs are sore, his arm muscles are aching badly, he is too cold and he just wants to get back into the clubhouse, have a shower and then go back to bed! ‘I quit for today!’
   
   This could be even more serious if you were a soldier and part of a team. Many men and women are serving overseas in places like Afghanistan. It is very hard in these countries. Imagine if one or two soldiers in a regiment just decided to quit?
   
   Where do rowers and soldiers and ordinary people get the strength and resolve to keep going when things get tough? Many find that they are able to keep going more than they ever imagined possible. They can push that bit more, they can try that bit harder, they can keep going that bit longer. It’s up to them to decide to do so!
   
7. Some look to God for help. There is a well-known hymn that our soldiers fighting battles overseas might draw strength from:
   
   O God our help in ages past
   Our hope for years to come
   Our shelter from the stormy blast
   And our eternal home.
   
   God can be our help, our hope and our shelter when the going gets tough.

Time for reflection

Think about this new day.

We do not know exactly what might be required of us today.

We may be called upon to produce a great amount of effort for a task.

Think about the source of strength lying within each of us.
Think also about God’s mighty strength waiting to help us.

Prayer
Dear God,
Thank you for this new day.

Today may be an easy day, with lots of joy and fun and peace.

Or today might have big challenges for us.
Thank you that we have a strength within us to overcome many obstacles.

Song

‘Who would true valour see’ (‘He who would valiant be’) (Come and Praise, 44)