shared success in reaching out
I have connected with various individuals, both within and outside of the Mennonite community. Some of them are professionals in the field of education, who have shared insight garnered from their own experiences and the experiences of others. These are matters that they have found are very relevant and highly worth addressing in working with the Mennonite culture. Others, offered an inside story, from the perspective of a parent, or a student, in a foreign country, diving into a foreign school system with a foreign language and foreign way of life. Each individual willingly shared their experiences and insight with me for the good of the Mennonite society. I have listed much of their input below:
· Support of cultural beliefs is extremely important. Show respect for and encourage the practice of Mennonite beliefs and values within your school. Some ways of doing so may include: Incorporate a Bible program if possible. Incorporate bible verses or biblical values into lessons (or hidden curriculum) and put it into practice in the classroom. Introduce prayer and respect of Mennonite beliefs into assemblies (ask someone who is respected in the community to lead this if staff is not comfortable doing so). Have a brief quiet time before lunch if there is no teacher-led time of prayer. The Lord's Prayer is recited in many Southern Alberta schools - even if individual teachers don't have any religious values, please honour this time and pay it due respect (the students will percieve your respect for their values in the smallest things). You may even choose to go the extra mile and try to learn it in German!
· Don't try to assimilate the Low German Mennonite community, as they want to maintain their culture. Low German is the language of their hearts and they want to maintain their culture at home. There are many differing church groups/devisions among the Mennonites. This will likely determine whether the family is highly traditional in dress, perspectives and values, or liberal to the point of being unidentifiable in dress from non-Mennonite society and having more progressive views. The church often has a huge amount of influence on families.
· Be flexible and understanding. Be sensitive and quick to cater to student and community needs - this will build trust. Respectfully address issues without pushing your own values (if they are known to be opposing). Give the parents and students ample opportunities to voice their concerns and ideas and address them to show the value of their input - students and parents may feel inferior to the non-Mennonite population and may be hesitant to offer input as a result. Recognize and celebrate Mennonite values. If you realize that students are being exposed to books, movies, and other items that may be considered questionable or inappropriate by some parents, put parameters around these items so other students still have access to them, but explain to the students why those particular parameters are being set and make sure the individual students of those parents understand their own responsibility in regards to the situation. "Subjects that discuss the formation and history of the universe, biology, and human reproduction may be considered inappropriate for a child’s education." (http://mcco.ca/lowgerman/education/transitioning) Some traditional Mennonites feel that their children learn many unnecessary things in Canadian schools and may not see the importance of learning more than reading, writing and math. Many parents never had any schooling beyond the "three R's" and seldom saw the need for more before moving to Canada. Parents do need to see the increased opportunities for their children with a higher education, but we need to go about it cautiously as some fear that their children will lose their culture and faith upon advancing in education. To many parents to advance in education is to advance in the "world", for one is closely associated to the next.
· Christmas and Easter are important holidays - show respect for the spiritual values in the Mennonite community and possibly even do part of school concerts in German. Consider having school events early for those who wish to travel during these times. Visiting is very important to the culture. To foster this and build a sense of school community, consider having coffee or desserts, so people can visit after school events. Place an emphasis on school staff mingling with the Mennonite families. Use simple vocabulary, be friendly and express genuine interest in who they are. Some parents may seem to avoid contact with staff, but remember, parents may feel inferior around non-Mennonites or feel embarrassed about their English speaking skills.
· Some families only come to Canada for a few months at a time in order to work in the agricultural sector. Thus, they may come in April for seeding time and leave October or November when harvest is over. Some students may attend school in Mexico during the time they are there. Some will continue to come back year after year and others may never return. Older students are often withheld from school to work during the harvest months as education is often a lower priority than work.
· Support of cultural beliefs is extremely important. Show respect for and encourage the practice of Mennonite beliefs and values within your school. Some ways of doing so may include: Incorporate a Bible program if possible. Incorporate bible verses or biblical values into lessons (or hidden curriculum) and put it into practice in the classroom. Introduce prayer and respect of Mennonite beliefs into assemblies (ask someone who is respected in the community to lead this if staff is not comfortable doing so). Have a brief quiet time before lunch if there is no teacher-led time of prayer. The Lord's Prayer is recited in many Southern Alberta schools - even if individual teachers don't have any religious values, please honour this time and pay it due respect (the students will percieve your respect for their values in the smallest things). You may even choose to go the extra mile and try to learn it in German!
· Don't try to assimilate the Low German Mennonite community, as they want to maintain their culture. Low German is the language of their hearts and they want to maintain their culture at home. There are many differing church groups/devisions among the Mennonites. This will likely determine whether the family is highly traditional in dress, perspectives and values, or liberal to the point of being unidentifiable in dress from non-Mennonite society and having more progressive views. The church often has a huge amount of influence on families.
· Be flexible and understanding. Be sensitive and quick to cater to student and community needs - this will build trust. Respectfully address issues without pushing your own values (if they are known to be opposing). Give the parents and students ample opportunities to voice their concerns and ideas and address them to show the value of their input - students and parents may feel inferior to the non-Mennonite population and may be hesitant to offer input as a result. Recognize and celebrate Mennonite values. If you realize that students are being exposed to books, movies, and other items that may be considered questionable or inappropriate by some parents, put parameters around these items so other students still have access to them, but explain to the students why those particular parameters are being set and make sure the individual students of those parents understand their own responsibility in regards to the situation. "Subjects that discuss the formation and history of the universe, biology, and human reproduction may be considered inappropriate for a child’s education." (http://mcco.ca/lowgerman/education/transitioning) Some traditional Mennonites feel that their children learn many unnecessary things in Canadian schools and may not see the importance of learning more than reading, writing and math. Many parents never had any schooling beyond the "three R's" and seldom saw the need for more before moving to Canada. Parents do need to see the increased opportunities for their children with a higher education, but we need to go about it cautiously as some fear that their children will lose their culture and faith upon advancing in education. To many parents to advance in education is to advance in the "world", for one is closely associated to the next.
· Christmas and Easter are important holidays - show respect for the spiritual values in the Mennonite community and possibly even do part of school concerts in German. Consider having school events early for those who wish to travel during these times. Visiting is very important to the culture. To foster this and build a sense of school community, consider having coffee or desserts, so people can visit after school events. Place an emphasis on school staff mingling with the Mennonite families. Use simple vocabulary, be friendly and express genuine interest in who they are. Some parents may seem to avoid contact with staff, but remember, parents may feel inferior around non-Mennonites or feel embarrassed about their English speaking skills.
· Some families only come to Canada for a few months at a time in order to work in the agricultural sector. Thus, they may come in April for seeding time and leave October or November when harvest is over. Some students may attend school in Mexico during the time they are there. Some will continue to come back year after year and others may never return. Older students are often withheld from school to work during the harvest months as education is often a lower priority than work.
· Host numerous social activities for the students outside of school hours to help build community. Use this time to involve and engage parents too. Find ways in which parents can invest in their childrens' education. The more comfortable they are with the school and the material their children are learning, the less likely they are to feel their culture and faith is being threatened. This, in turn, could lead to higher graduation rates. Showing the parents that students can reap the benefits of a higher education without corrupting their values, which is a very real fear, is essential. Consider offering English classes for parents to get to know staff and become comfortable being on school property. Higher education among adults of Mennonite heritage often brings about revelation in regards to their childrens' education as well.
· Have someone who speaks Low German on staff whom the community trusts. Parents may be more comfortable speaking to them about various concerns. Also, be considerate of those who have little knowledge of the English language. Have a translator call or write to low german parents, for interpretation of important material sent home, during Parent/Teacher interviews, etc.
· Inform parents that sexual education classes are in no way compulsary and provide alternative classes to students who are exempt.
· Develop trust before bringing new things into the school setting which may be considered questionable by some families. One example may be in regards to technology. Teachers may want to show conservative parents that students are not exposed to culturally inappropriate material in other areas, such as literature and day-to-day learning, before introducing computer classes. Once again, parents only wish to protect their children. Teach safe usage of technology and send home evidence thereof. Families often start off with more conservative perceptions upon coming to Canada and become more progressive in their personal views and perspectives as their time in Canada progresses.
· Modesty is important in all Mennonite circles. Teachers dressing more conservatively will likely be held in higher regard (no mini skirts, low cut tops, excessive piercings, tattoos, etc.). Depending on the school setting and how traditional the families are, many female students wear dresses to school. If students are doing activities requiring clothing other than dresses, inform the parents ahead of time and okay the use of shorts or pants (under their skirts even). Even then, some may choose to be exempt, rather than to do so. This is a matter of culture to be highly respected, for it is very important to some families.
· Mennonites are a highly patriarchical society. Most parents make decisions together, but the father has the final word. Men are the providers of the family, while most women are expected to stay at home training the children and keeping the house in order. As a result, boys sometimes need to be taught how to clean up after themselves at school. They may consider such duties to be "women's work", and need to be taught that in school things are different. Boys are often very competitive. Most are hard workers and are very skilled in working with their hands. This may result from the high numbers of Mennonite males in the agricultural or trades sectors. Reach out to the students with things that interest them. (One teacher shared the story of a young Mennonite boy who wouldn't read anything, until she found some tractor flyers and magazines. Then he couldn't wait to read - he could spout engine numbers and mechanical info at the snap of a finger!) Girls, on the other hand, may sometimes be more docile (again, depending on the family)and are generally very willing to please. Traditional Mennonites often have large families. Family is a very important to the Mennonite culture. You may have multiple siblings or cousins in your classroom - use this to your benefit (they are very loyal and generally work well together). Build relationships, trust and connection, and you will see the inner child and help them to succeed in your classroom.
· There is often a stigma attached to this culture of children that come into school and can't read or speak English and have little previous knowledge of the subject material or popular culture of mainstream society. Strive to develop a school atmosphere where no one is looked down upon for being different from their peers academically, socially, physically, etc. Establish a sensitivity in the school body in regards to being friendly and welcoming of newcomers. Have a zero tolerance for put downs or name calling and give tons of support as a staff, not only to new students, but possibly to their family as well.
· Have someone who speaks Low German on staff whom the community trusts. Parents may be more comfortable speaking to them about various concerns. Also, be considerate of those who have little knowledge of the English language. Have a translator call or write to low german parents, for interpretation of important material sent home, during Parent/Teacher interviews, etc.
· Inform parents that sexual education classes are in no way compulsary and provide alternative classes to students who are exempt.
· Develop trust before bringing new things into the school setting which may be considered questionable by some families. One example may be in regards to technology. Teachers may want to show conservative parents that students are not exposed to culturally inappropriate material in other areas, such as literature and day-to-day learning, before introducing computer classes. Once again, parents only wish to protect their children. Teach safe usage of technology and send home evidence thereof. Families often start off with more conservative perceptions upon coming to Canada and become more progressive in their personal views and perspectives as their time in Canada progresses.
· Modesty is important in all Mennonite circles. Teachers dressing more conservatively will likely be held in higher regard (no mini skirts, low cut tops, excessive piercings, tattoos, etc.). Depending on the school setting and how traditional the families are, many female students wear dresses to school. If students are doing activities requiring clothing other than dresses, inform the parents ahead of time and okay the use of shorts or pants (under their skirts even). Even then, some may choose to be exempt, rather than to do so. This is a matter of culture to be highly respected, for it is very important to some families.
· Mennonites are a highly patriarchical society. Most parents make decisions together, but the father has the final word. Men are the providers of the family, while most women are expected to stay at home training the children and keeping the house in order. As a result, boys sometimes need to be taught how to clean up after themselves at school. They may consider such duties to be "women's work", and need to be taught that in school things are different. Boys are often very competitive. Most are hard workers and are very skilled in working with their hands. This may result from the high numbers of Mennonite males in the agricultural or trades sectors. Reach out to the students with things that interest them. (One teacher shared the story of a young Mennonite boy who wouldn't read anything, until she found some tractor flyers and magazines. Then he couldn't wait to read - he could spout engine numbers and mechanical info at the snap of a finger!) Girls, on the other hand, may sometimes be more docile (again, depending on the family)and are generally very willing to please. Traditional Mennonites often have large families. Family is a very important to the Mennonite culture. You may have multiple siblings or cousins in your classroom - use this to your benefit (they are very loyal and generally work well together). Build relationships, trust and connection, and you will see the inner child and help them to succeed in your classroom.
· There is often a stigma attached to this culture of children that come into school and can't read or speak English and have little previous knowledge of the subject material or popular culture of mainstream society. Strive to develop a school atmosphere where no one is looked down upon for being different from their peers academically, socially, physically, etc. Establish a sensitivity in the school body in regards to being friendly and welcoming of newcomers. Have a zero tolerance for put downs or name calling and give tons of support as a staff, not only to new students, but possibly to their family as well.
The following points are posted as suggestions for helping students adapt from the MCC (Ontario) website:
Classroom expectations: Children are used to being in the same classroom with their siblings and can be surprised and/or upset when they learn that they will be in separate classrooms. Providing a school tour where children are familiarized with the location of their siblings’ classrooms may help to ease their anxiety. Enabling children to meet up with siblings for snack breaks may also help with this transition.
Clothing: Low German speaking children may be identifiable in school through their traditional clothing. Sameness is valued within many Low German communities; brothers often have shirts made of the same material and sisters often have identical dresses which they all wear on the same day. The newcomer family may not be aware of the variety of clothing, such as boots and snowsuits, that is necessary for local weather.
Lunches: It may be important to acknowledge that Low German student's lunches often look different but that they contain foods familiar to everyone (such as bread, cheese and slices of sausage in a dish rather than a sandwich in a plastic bag).
Homework: Some families will welcome homework while others will find it too difficult to manage. Be flexible and open minded, remembering that some students find homework challenging due to daily chores, family size, space, and an understanding that school is for academics while home life involves other tasks.
Seasonal labour: Low German Mennonites from Latin America are often not well off economically. They come from rural areas and work together on family farms. In Canada, the spirit of collaboration and support remains important within the family. Families often continue working in rural agricultural work and therefore require the assistance of their children, especially during busy times such as seeding and harvest. Be flexible and provide alternate learning opportunities for these students such as individualized outreach programs, work programs for credits, etc.
Taken from: http://mcco.ca/lowgerman/education/transitioning
Photos retrieved from:
http://www.calgaryherald.com/literacy/raiseareader/School+division+builds+rapport+with+Alberta+German+Mennonites+with+video/7497103/story.html
http://barons.prs26.ca/about/photo-gallery#christmas-synergy-groups
http://www.calgaryherald.com/literacy/raiseareader/School+division+builds+rapport+with+Alberta+German+Mennonites+with+video/7497103/story.html
Classroom expectations: Children are used to being in the same classroom with their siblings and can be surprised and/or upset when they learn that they will be in separate classrooms. Providing a school tour where children are familiarized with the location of their siblings’ classrooms may help to ease their anxiety. Enabling children to meet up with siblings for snack breaks may also help with this transition.
Clothing: Low German speaking children may be identifiable in school through their traditional clothing. Sameness is valued within many Low German communities; brothers often have shirts made of the same material and sisters often have identical dresses which they all wear on the same day. The newcomer family may not be aware of the variety of clothing, such as boots and snowsuits, that is necessary for local weather.
Lunches: It may be important to acknowledge that Low German student's lunches often look different but that they contain foods familiar to everyone (such as bread, cheese and slices of sausage in a dish rather than a sandwich in a plastic bag).
Homework: Some families will welcome homework while others will find it too difficult to manage. Be flexible and open minded, remembering that some students find homework challenging due to daily chores, family size, space, and an understanding that school is for academics while home life involves other tasks.
Seasonal labour: Low German Mennonites from Latin America are often not well off economically. They come from rural areas and work together on family farms. In Canada, the spirit of collaboration and support remains important within the family. Families often continue working in rural agricultural work and therefore require the assistance of their children, especially during busy times such as seeding and harvest. Be flexible and provide alternate learning opportunities for these students such as individualized outreach programs, work programs for credits, etc.
Taken from: http://mcco.ca/lowgerman/education/transitioning
Photos retrieved from:
http://www.calgaryherald.com/literacy/raiseareader/School+division+builds+rapport+with+Alberta+German+Mennonites+with+video/7497103/story.html
http://barons.prs26.ca/about/photo-gallery#christmas-synergy-groups
http://www.calgaryherald.com/literacy/raiseareader/School+division+builds+rapport+with+Alberta+German+Mennonites+with+video/7497103/story.html