Education Quandary

'I'm a new teacher and scared stiff of having to take class assemblies. I'm not religious and am no good at public speaking, so leading "collective worship" in front of the whole school is freaking me out'

HILARY'S ADVICE

HILARY'S ADVICE

First, untangle your problems. What you have here are two separate anxieties: speaking to a large group, and presenting material you don't believe in.

Getting over any fear of public speaking is important. Teachers often have to address large groups, but many spend their whole careers doing it badly. Their poor pupils have to put up with hoarse, shouty voices, or monotone mumblings, while the teachers themselves risk damaging their vocal cords - an estimated £6m a year is spent in this country on classroom supply cover for teachers with voice-related problems. So make it your business right now, to master the basic tools of public speaking: proper voice projection, good breath control and ways to keep an audience interested. Voice Care Network (www.voicecare.org.uk) can offer tips, courses and pamphlets. Prepare your material with care, visualise yourself doing it successfully, and practise the techniques you need to master at home. And also remember: a class assembly shouldn't really be about you at all. The star should be your class.

As for "collective worship" - unless you have landed in a specifically Christian or Muslim school - these daily acts, though mandated for all schools by law, are unlikely to be interpreted too strictly. There is always room to contemplate warm, woolly virtues - love, generosity, thinking of others - that everyone can buy into. Or, if these virtues feel too hard to handle, you can head down the popular eco-route: "How we must all care for our planet".

You may find that your school has already mapped out its assembly themes, and your freedom of manoeuvre is limited. In which case, you could go for an off-the-peg model. The website www.assemblies.org.uk has plenty of ready-planned assembly ideas, suitable for any primary school, and the best of them have also been collected in The Assemblies Resource Book (£10.99) and Assembly Resources Through the Year (published tomorrow, priced £10.99). All these come from the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, but it will be up to you how much specifically-religious content you leave in, or take out.

READERS' ADVICE

Faced with the same anxiety in my first year of teaching, I was advised by an experienced colleague to "let the children do it". It became a cross-curricular project. I chose a theme and my class produced a range of work.

They read their written work, held up paintings, recited poems, sang songs and produced a very simple, short piece of drama. Everyone joined in, had fun and was encouraged to practise voice projection from the top of the stairs at home! When the nerve-wracking moment came, I sat at the side whispering the occasional prompt and smiling encouragement. Everyone focused on my class and I felt suitably inconspicuous.

Elspeth Craig, Hartlepool

What is scaring this teacher is anxiety about talking to groups. Homeopaths see many teachers distressed because of fear of failure or losing control. We often give them the homeopathic remedy, Lycopodium which can be summed up by four Cs: Competent, Conscientious and Caring but with lack of Confidence.

Jane Hurley, Devon

Treat an assembly as a large class and to teach them something about which you are very knowledgeable. Did you take a year out and travel? Have you experience of community service? Do you partake of a less common sport?

If none of these appeal, and you really are a boring young fart, get your class to deliver their own assembly about something that is of concern to them.

After your piece, settle the children for a few minutes' silent reflection. Thank your god for whatever you enjoy. All religions are about caring for their community. The calm reflection at the end is exactly that, and don't let any Bible thumper tell you otherwise.

Derek Holman, Sevenoaks

NEXT WEEK'S QUANDARY

My son is left-handed, so he often smudges his work and his handwriting isn't very good. All his teachers so far have been understanding about this, but his new one is down on him like a ton of bricks and always making him do things over. Is this fair? Shouldn't she see how much harder it is for him than other children in the class?

Send your letters or quandaries to Hilary Wilce, to reach her by next Monday, 22 September, at The Independent, Education Desk, Second Floor, Independent House, 191 Marsh Wall, London E14 9RS; or fax 020-7005 2143; or send e-mails to h.wilce@btinternet.com. Please include details of your postal address. Readers whose letters are printed will receive a Berol Combi Pack containing a cartridge pen, handwriting pen and ink eraser