The Journey
Don’t forget to enjoy the view!
by Janice Ross (revised, originally published in 2007)
Suitable for Whole School (Pri)
Aims
To explore how what we learn on a journey is just as important as reaching the destination.
Preparation and materials
- You will need a few pieces of recent work from children in Reception, such as some drawings or things that they have made.
- You will also need a mixture of writing, drawings and maths work from Year 6 children. If possible, use pieces of work from those who left the school in summer, but otherwise, use work from the oldest class still in school.
Assembly
- Ask the children to try to remember a journey that they’ve been on by car or public transport, perhaps a holiday or a special trip.
They will have looked forward to this trip for a long time. They probably helped to pack the suitcases or load the car, and they may have helped to check round the house for anything that might have been left behind. They will probably have set off in high spirits, maybe singing some songs or laughing a lot. Keep checking with the children that you are getting this right. - Ask the children what they do to pass the time on long journeys.
Listen to a range of responses. - Tell the children that there is a particular four-word sentence that is often heard in vehicles when children are on long journeys. These words are often said in a moany voice and are guaranteed to make parents sigh.
Ask the children whether they have any idea what the words could be. If they do know, ask them to keep quiet for now! - Here are some clues.
- The first word is made up of three letters and sounds like a letter of the alphabet. This word is ‘are’.
- The second word only contains two letters and is known as a plural form. It sounds like a word that means ‘small’ in Scotland and like the name of a games console, although both of these versions of the word have different spellings. This word is ‘we’.
- The third word means ‘in that place’. If you leave out the first letter, you can make a word that means ‘in this place’. This word is ‘there’.
- The fourth word rhymes with ‘net’. This word is ‘yet’.
So, the whole phrase is ‘Are we there yet?’ - There is a saying that goes ‘Don’t forget to enjoy the view along the way.’
Ask the children whether they can explain the meaning of the saying. Any cyclists and walkers among them will identify with the statement. - Explain to the children that school is like a long journey. For most of us, it will last X years (please insert the number of years that children spend at your school) here, with a few breaks for holidays in between.
Some of us have only just started this long school journey, so we are just beginning to learn all the things to help us on our way.
Show the pieces of recent work from children in Reception and praise them.
Remind the children of those who left in the summer to go on to secondary school. They had reached the ‘there’ stage of ‘Are we there yet?’
Show the pieces of work from children in the Year 6 group that left in summer. - These Year 6 children were ‘there’. They had everything they needed to move on to secondary school. They were equipped. They will now be having wonderful new experiences.
Tell the children that one day, they will reach that stage, too, even those who have only recently joined the school family. - Explain that it is not only the beginning and the end of a journey that are important. Every day can bring something new. Every day, teachers will be noticing that the children can do something new. Each child might be improving in their reading skills or writing skills, they might be working better with others, they might be sharing more happily or they might be noticing what is going on around them more.
- We might not be there yet, but let’s enjoy the good things that are happening along the way.
Time for reflection
Ask the children to think about the following questions.
- What can I do today that I couldn’t do this time last year?
Pause to allow time for thought.
- In what ways do I expect to improve this year?
Pause to allow time for thought.
- What is going to be my target for improvement today?
Pause to allow time for thought.
Prayer
Dear God,
Just as you made us tiny when we were babies,
But with the potential to grow into people who are big and strong,
So you have made us with the potential to learn many amazing things.
Help us to learn wisdom and understanding.
Help us to learn skills.
Help us to learn to love and to have a thankful heart.
Help us to enjoy today and every day as part of the journey of life.
Amen.
Song/music
‘One more step’ (Come and Praise, 47)
