How to use this site    About Us    Submissions    Feedback    Donate    Links   

Assemblies.org.uk - School Assemblies for every season for everyone

Decorative image - Secondary

Email Twitter Facebook

-
X
-

Fulfilling Our Potential

How can we reach our potential?

by Rebecca Parkinson

Suitable for Whole School (Sec)

Aims

To encourage us always to try our best to reach our full potential.

Preparation and materials

  • You will need the PowerPoint slides that accompany this assembly (Fulfilling Our Potential) and the means to display them.

Assembly

  1. Explain that today’s assembly is all about potential.

    You may wish to ask the students to discuss in groups and develop their own definition of the word ‘potential’.

  2. Show Slide 1.

    Explain that a dictionary definition of ‘potential’ is ‘something that has not yet developed, but is able to come into existence’.

    Explain to the students that you are going to show them images of various items, followed by images of what those items have the potential to become.

  3. Show Slide 2.

    Ask what potential seeds have.

    Show Slide 3.


    Explain that some types of seed have the potential to become flowers. Comment that you wonder what would happen to the seeds if they were never planted or watered. Talk about how the seed can only fulfil its potential to become a flower if it is planted in the correct place with the right conditions.

  4. Show Slide 4.

    Ask what potential the acorn has.

    Show Slide 5.

    Point out that the acorn is a small nut, but with the right conditions, it can grow into a huge oak tree.

  5. Show Slide 6.

    Ask what potential candles have.

    Explain that candles have the potential to give out light, or even small amounts of heat, but neither of these are possible unless they are provided with a flame.

    Show Slide 7.

    Discuss that flames have the potential to do good and bad. They can give out warmth or be used to cook food, but they can also cause great devastation.
  1. Show Slide 8.

    This picture shows an artist’s impression of the Great Fire of London in 1666.

  2. Show Slide 9.

    This picture shows the devastation caused by the Australian bush fires in early 2020.

  3. Ask the students to turn to thinking about themselves. Explain that they too have great potential. In school, they are provided with good conditions to grow and fulfil their true potential in life. However, it is up to them to work hard, take hold of any new experience that they are offered and make sure that in the future, they are the people who they are capable of being.

  4. Show Slide 10.

    Remind the students of the definition of ‘potential’ and encourage them to take any opportunity to develop their potential.

Time for reflection

Ask the students to reflect on their lives.

- Which things do they enjoy doing most?
- Which things do they find easy?
- Which things do they find difficult?
- Are there areas where they need to try harder to develop?
- Are there any steps they need to take to help themselves reach their potential?

Encourage the students to speak to someone if they need any help with this.

Song/music

‘Reflection’ from the film Mulan, available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGGXsm0a5s0 (2.03 minutes long)

‘For the first time in forever’ from the film Frozen, available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrX1XKtShSI (3.42 minutes long)

Publication date: July 2021   (Vol.23 No.7)    Published by SPCK, London, UK.
Print this page