Good Morning Brown Clee!  Welcome back to the school at the beginning of the summer term and we hope that everyone had a restful and relaxing Easter holiday.  We were so lucky with the weather!

I always enjoy this time of year – when we are truly immersed in the midst of Spring – the days are longer, lighter and hopefully warmer, the colours of nature and the countryside are vibrant and rich and there is a sense of optimism and hope, that seems to lift everyone’s spirits.  This is also reflected in school as we start the last term of the academic year; we continue to teach and learn together, well and truly settled into established routines , all knowing what is expected of us, with each class working together as strong units within the Brown Clee team.

So today I would like to focus on the importance of being a team – on why working, playing and learning together in a harmonious, happy and supporting environment is so important for everyone – and that includes adults as well as children!

A successful team is one where different people work together and aim to help one another.  It is where EVERYONE supports and encourages each other to be the best they can be, so that the team can operate successfully.

I am going to share 2 video stories of the same story – the story from the Bible of Jesus and his first disciples – have a watch and think what this story teaches us about the importance of working together as a team….

So now you know the story of Jesus and his first disciples, a story which teaches us about the importance of helping each other, supporting each other, and working together, …have a watch now of the story from a different perspective…

Can you identify the different ways that ‘help’ was given in the story……

– Peter allowing Jesus to use his boat
– Jesus encouraging and helping the fishermen to land a large catch
– James and John responding to Peter’s request for help by helping to pull in the net of fish and helping one another safely back to shore
– Jesus asking the fishermen to help and follow him
– The fishermen agreeing to join his team

Have a think now about why asking for help and being ready to help others might be important in school today.  Can you share any examples?

Let’s take a moment now to reflect ….have a think about a time when you helped someone else; how did it make you feel?  What did it achieve?  Can you think of a time when someone helped you?  How did that make you feel?  Let us appreciate that working and learning together only works successfully if everyone helps and supports each other – if we are friendly and kind, respectful and forgiving…

Prayer of the Day

Dear God,
Thank you for all the people who help us in our lives.
Thank you for the people who have already helped us today.
Please help us to help one another.
Please help us to remember that it is good to work together in a team.
Amen.