ASSEMBLIES

1. JUSTIFICATION

Dialogue and participation is the essence of assemblies, an activity capable of improving coexistence, preventing and resolving conflicts. Assemblies are a resource for learning and practising democracy; and an ideal framework for applying and practising some of the principles of dialogic learning such as equality of differences, cultural intelligence, solidarity, etc.

2. WHAT IS THE CLASSROOM ASSEMBLY

        An assembly is a school activity in which students and teachers analyse, reflect on and discuss specific aspects of school life related to coexistence, learning, school work, use of facilities, etc.

        It allows both students and teachers to express their own ideas and opinions without any kind of coercion and on an equal footing in order to reach a consensus and make decisions among all.

        Therefore, it is to dialogue with the will to change what is necessary for the life of the class group and the school to be optimal and to do so with the will to commit oneself personally to such changes.

        The assembly usually becomes a possibility offered by the school that we all know we have at our disposal to have our say, so that it ends up becoming a symbolically important moment inscribed in everyone's memory and habits. Likewise, we all know that the things that are said and agreed in the assembly are binding; that is to say, the assembly has an institutional significance that no other form of school conversation usually achieves. The assembly is above all a place for speaking, for dialogue. It is a place and a time for talking together.

3. EDUCATIONAL VALUE OF THE ASSEMBLIES.  

        Among the educational aspects of the assemblies, which contribute to improving coexistence, the following should be highlighted:

• Students learn to express their opinions and to listen to the opinions of others in a respectful way. Regardless of the subject under discussion, dialogue is an end in itself. Learning to dialogue is a basic skill that facilitates coexistence among members of the educational community.
• They learn to respect each other. Listening and feeling that they are listened to makes them value the importance of other people's opinions.
• Participants express themselves freely, which promotes the ability to reflect on the issues and the creation of their own opinions.
• They feel important when they are listened to and their proposals and opinions are taken into account, their self-esteem rises and their interest in school increases.
• It requires a disciplined attitude, listening and respecting rules. They must wait until they are given the floor to speak, listen attentively so as not to repeat or reply, think quickly about what has just been said in order to make a decision... All this requires the will and organisation necessary to take on the representation responsibly.
• It encourages observation, reflection and contrasting opinions. You learn to systematise the whole process of observation-analysis-thesis.  
• Discovering that what someone proposed is carried out at school and produces results, helps them to learn to value the opinions and proposals of others and to respect all people, free of prejudice.
• It motivates them to become actively involved in the implementation of their proposals. When it is the peer group that decides, they become more intensely involved because they consider it to be something of their own, which they must look after and protect. They take responsibility for the organisation of coexistence in the classroom and school, understanding that there are problematic situations and committing themselves to improving them.
• It helps them to disinhibit themselves and they lose stage fright when speaking in public. From an early age, they assume that when they speak they are listened to and taken into account. Little by little, they become established in the space and its dynamics and participate more and more actively, overcoming the fear that often prevents many adults from contributing their interesting opinions and proposals.
• They are an opportunity to train students morally, to develop psychomoral skills and to experience attitudes and values.
• Learning the mechanisms of democratic participation and the making of agreements, pacts, voting and consensus.

4. OBJECTIVES OF THE ASSEMBLY

        Through these educational practices we aim for our students to be able to:

Learning to dialogue. This takes the form of:

• Learn to communicate their own ideas, opinions and feelings.
• Listen to and respect the opinions of others.
• Putting oneself in the place of others.
• Use arguments as a strategy to get others to accept your ideas and opinions.

Prevent conflict through the use of dialogue.

Learning to resolve conflicts through the use of negotiation and consensus as a way of reaching agreements and resolving them.

Learning the mechanisms of democratic participation and the making of agreements, pacts and voting.

To develop habits of autonomy and coexistence.

Fulfilling commitments to improve and transform our reality.

To facilitate and encourage student participation in decision-making on aspects that affect the life of the classroom and the school.

These objectives contribute to the development of:

• Competence in linguistic communication: comprehension and oral expression.
• Social and civic competence.
• Personal autonomy and initiative.
• Learning to learn.

5. DIFFICULTIES OF THE ASSEMBLY

        It should be borne in mind that a number of problems may arise in the course of the assembly, for which we should be prepared:

• The difficulty for students to focus on the object of discussion without straying from the topic and, for this, the teacher has to initially play his or her moderating and guiding role.
• Students' difficulties at times in seeing the object and purpose of discussion.
• The general difficulty students have in contrasting ideas, ignoring previous contributions. The teacher will serve as a model for his or her students, by referring in his or her interventions to previous opinions of his or her students and integrating them into his or her own.
• In some cases, low commitment, so control mechanisms should be established to monitor compliance with these agreements and they should be reviewed periodically.

6. THE FIRST ASSEMBLY WITH THE CLASS GROUP

In the first assembly with the students, the following should be explained:

1. Functioning of the Assembly.

1. Start with a pre-established agenda that is published sufficiently in advance to allow time for responsible reflection.
2. Decisions shall be taken by consensus. Only when there is no consensus on an issue, a vote on the existing options is necessary.
3. Take note of the agreements and conclusions in order to draw up minutes of agreements, which will be made public.
4. Assume the responsibilities to which each person commits to the assembly and fulfil them in the time indicated.
5. Cooperate in the achievement of the decisions taken, assuming responsibly the tasks necessary to achieve it.
6. The conclusions shall be submitted to the school assembly or to the cloister, where they exist.
7. We go to the school assembly as representatives and I have to defend what is decided in my classroom assembly, even if it is not my choice.
8. If I am a representative of my class in the school assembly, I am a spokesperson for my class.

2. Rules of the Assembly

An annotated reading of the Assembly rules will be made and posted in a visible place in the classroom.

• Discussions are conducted in an orderly manner and in turn.
• Keep speeches short, clear and focused on what is being discussed.
• Freely express opinions and ideas.
• Listen actively to the interventions.
• Speak when I am given the floor.
• Respect the opinions of others, even if they disagree or are contrary to our own.
• I can argue against an opinion, but never disqualify, ridicule or belittle people or opinions. It is not the one who is the loudest or speaks the loudest, nor the one who gets the best marks, but the one who is able to convince with his or her arguments, who is more right.
• Proposals and opinions shall be supported by arguments.
• Speak from the "I", without presupposing what another person thinks or feels.
• Express opinions starting with: "I believe", "I think...", "I think...", "I think...", "I think...", "I think...". "I think..."
• Acting with empathy towards the other participants (e.g. understanding and helping the younger ones to participate) and speaking assertively to make ourselves understood without being hurtful or annoying.

3. Election of decision-makers:

At this assembly, the "positions of the Assembly" will be established.

Each assembly will have a team consisting of three pupils and the teacher whose roles are listed below:

• Secretary:

At the beginning write the agenda on the board and read it out to the group.

During the session, write down in the "Diary" of the assembly the topics discussed, agreements...

At the end (or the next day) they are put on the billboard.

• Moderator: notes down the names of the students who ask for the floor, gives the floor, shuts them up, and announces the change of subject.
• Representative in the school and educational community assemblies: be very attentive in order to be able to carry group agreements.

They should be decided by all the students in the class.

It should be rotated among the whole class.

We will start with just one position and we will progressively incorporate them. In Infant Education, the positions will be assumed by the adult until we assess whether they can be assumed by a pupil.

7. FUNCTIONING OF CLASSROOM ASSEMBLIES

1. Content proposals.

Collect from the panel or mailbox the topics that the students have proposed. The proposals must be reasoned and argued and signed.

Where criticisms are raised, alternative proposals should be put forward.

2. Prepare the agenda.

Select only one of the topics proposed by the students.

It is prepared by the students who will later lead the assembly.

3. Assembly proceedings

Reading of the previous minutes and approval or correction.

Summary/evaluation of the degree of fulfilment of commitments from previous assemblies.

Presentation of the subject to be dealt with:

• The secretary writes the agenda on the board and reads it to the group.
•  The moderator of the assembly gives the floor to the person who proposed it to argue (briefly).

Discussion of the issue:

• The analysis and discussion of the topic begins: a new turn to speak is opened so that all the students can participate.  

Agreements and Proposals.

• The secretary writes down the agreements on the model we have.
• He will read them to the whole class so that everyone knows them.
•  In the case of rules, consequences will be established for those who do not comply with them.
• We need to define precisely what the agreements entail:

What commitments each learner makes.

What you will need to do to comply with them.

In what time frame you must complete your task.

Publicising the agreements.

• Post the agreements on the classroom board.
• Post the minutes of the school assembly.

8. MATERIALS TO BE PRODUCED

• Boards and letterboxes. The Erasmus Corner in the classrooms will serve as panels. The letterboxes will not be necessary, as we are clear about the topic we want to discuss.
• Agreements noticeboard: Erasmus Corner.
• Model minutes. Design.
• Write rules on the poster.