Introduction: Wayne Tate, former principal of Palliser Hutterite Colony Schools, was kind enough to offer his personal insight into this topic. The following information is based off of our conversation.
What makes Hutterite Colony Schools unique?
"Hutterite colony schools are firmly rooted in their culture. Colony schools are not private but public. Under then Minister of Education Lyle Oberg (1999), they negotiated the right to continue to educate their children on the colony so long as they abide by the Alberta Education Programs of Study. There are some additional exceptions. With permission of the ministry, students are permitted to leave school at age 15 (instead of 16) and undertake their role within the colony community.
Additionally, the Knowledge, Skills, and Attitudes that address the accommodation of cultural context permit teachers to opt out of all matters related to human sexuality and some aspects of reproduction.
By choice, Hutterite colonies are often located far removed from a large town or city. Hutterite leadership wishes to be a “part of the world” but not “of the world.” While the colony may utilize the most recent technological developments, such technology is usually not permitted in the schools – in particular there are no computers. It’s sometimes been explained this way – we would not give a child a very sharp knife until they could use it properly. Computer access for children is viewed the same way. There will come a time when a young member of the community will be trained in certain technologies to support the agrarian pursuits of their community, but it’s not conducted by the English teacher.
Field trips are unusual for colony schools. Again, it’s the philosophy of the brethren that children may not be ready to deal with the temptations and sometimes harshness of the public world. This often results in a student body that may be somewhat socially awkward. It definitely impacts the world view of children. For example, most children in our public society can appreciate the notion of an ocean, of air travel, of cultural tolerance ... Hutterite children may have limited (or no) exposure to such things and that has implications for teachers and their planning.
Students wear traditional community dress – in some ways like a school uniform. The girls wear polka dotted scarves, long floral dresses and aprons. The boys wear black pants, suspenders, checked shirts and sometimes black caps.
School buildings range in configuration. Some are very modern, stand-alone facilities (with a gymnasium). Some are housed in the basement of the church building. Some are like a large split-level home with the English school on one side and the German school on the other. In these instances, the concrete basement may serve as the space for Phys. Ed.
A fascinating and beautiful aspect of Hutterite life is their worship in song. Harmonies are distinct and lovely. They can often be heard in the kitchen or garden, but are a special treat when undertaken in the schoolhouse."
"Hutterite colony schools are firmly rooted in their culture. Colony schools are not private but public. Under then Minister of Education Lyle Oberg (1999), they negotiated the right to continue to educate their children on the colony so long as they abide by the Alberta Education Programs of Study. There are some additional exceptions. With permission of the ministry, students are permitted to leave school at age 15 (instead of 16) and undertake their role within the colony community.
Additionally, the Knowledge, Skills, and Attitudes that address the accommodation of cultural context permit teachers to opt out of all matters related to human sexuality and some aspects of reproduction.
By choice, Hutterite colonies are often located far removed from a large town or city. Hutterite leadership wishes to be a “part of the world” but not “of the world.” While the colony may utilize the most recent technological developments, such technology is usually not permitted in the schools – in particular there are no computers. It’s sometimes been explained this way – we would not give a child a very sharp knife until they could use it properly. Computer access for children is viewed the same way. There will come a time when a young member of the community will be trained in certain technologies to support the agrarian pursuits of their community, but it’s not conducted by the English teacher.
Field trips are unusual for colony schools. Again, it’s the philosophy of the brethren that children may not be ready to deal with the temptations and sometimes harshness of the public world. This often results in a student body that may be somewhat socially awkward. It definitely impacts the world view of children. For example, most children in our public society can appreciate the notion of an ocean, of air travel, of cultural tolerance ... Hutterite children may have limited (or no) exposure to such things and that has implications for teachers and their planning.
Students wear traditional community dress – in some ways like a school uniform. The girls wear polka dotted scarves, long floral dresses and aprons. The boys wear black pants, suspenders, checked shirts and sometimes black caps.
School buildings range in configuration. Some are very modern, stand-alone facilities (with a gymnasium). Some are housed in the basement of the church building. Some are like a large split-level home with the English school on one side and the German school on the other. In these instances, the concrete basement may serve as the space for Phys. Ed.
A fascinating and beautiful aspect of Hutterite life is their worship in song. Harmonies are distinct and lovely. They can often be heard in the kitchen or garden, but are a special treat when undertaken in the schoolhouse."
Is there anything you would like teachers to know about Hutterite Colony Schools? "Hutterite colony schools, like Hutterites, are often negatively stigmatized. Success in a colony school does require a recognition of the cultural elements that are important to the brethren, and a willingness to work within them. Some people might use the word “stubborn” but Hutterites are deeply principaled. They are guided by the teachings of their church, forefathers and community. They hold a pacifist view that resulted in 4 members of the brethren dying in Alcatraz prison for refusing to take up arms in World War I. Not all Hutterites are the same. There are different sects that have formed after their migration to North America. In Alberta, we have the Lehrerleut and Dariusleut. From an outsider’s perspective, the Lehrerleut are conservative and more consistent in their practice. The Dariusleut have a wider range of perspective. Some colonies are more conservative than the Lehrerleut, and some are more liberal. Lehrerleut children do not begin school until age 7, while Dariusleut begin at age 6. This difference shows up in the apparent readiness and maturity of the children in grade 1. It also means that most Lehrerleut children leave during grade 8 on their 15th birthday, while some Dariusleut may begin grade 9, but few of them finish. Colony life is very regimented. Children begin their day with a communal breakfast (boys and girls separated), followed by “German School” during which children focus on biblical verses and teachings. German school is conducted by a colony nominee and not a part of the “English School.” After German School, children take a short break before arriving to English School. At the end of English School, there is a break again, before students go again to German School before the evening communal meal. The consumption of this time means in most cases that there cannot be assigned homework. The first language is Low German (Hutterish). Many children arrive to school speaking only German and must be integrated into an English language classroom. Church services are conducted in High German. These factors lend to some specific speech issues that are noticeable – not terribly important, but noticeable. The “th” sound may come out as a “t” sound because of the tongue placement for example. Hutterites are a gracious people and recognize teachers who work hard. Their appreciation is often observed in gifts of vegetables or baking, or even invitations to daily lunch with the students. An openness to this culture could result in a fascinating educational journey for a teacher." *Resources consulted: I would like to thank Wayne Tate for offering his insight into the program highlights of Palliser Hutterite Colony Schools. https://www.pallisersd.ab.ca/hutterite-colony-schools |
"Success in a colony school does require a recognition of the cultural elements that are important to the brethren, and a willingness to work within them." - Wayne Tate More Information |