Blogging has been sparse as TMEW and I are on vacation in the heart of the Amish country – Lancaster, PA. Why here? Well, TMEW had read a series of books by Beverly Lewis concerning the Amish culture and wanted to see the people and where they lived. So, here we are.
Unlike some who visit to see the shops and shopping, we took an alternative view of our visit – we wanted to know more about the Amish culture itself versus the culture surrounding it. So, we did a tour. And another. And yet another. Without boring you with details, one thing stood out:
How the Amish youth are educated.
Certainly surprised me!
The Amish (specifically, the Old Order Amish) have won the right with a Supreme Court decision (see here, Wisconsin vs Yoder, 1972), under the First Amendment of freedom of religion, to control the educational process for their children. Thus, Amish youth attend an Amish school until completion of the eighth grade, and then they move into the greater Amish community to become apprentices in the community for the boys or help out in the home for the girls (I bet NOW is not happy!).
One can agree or disagree with this part of their culture of not going further with their education but this is not the point of this Post. It is, however, the HOW of how that education is delivered. There are about 180 one room school houses (complete with the proverbial school bell for each) scattered among the Amish farmhouses. There are anywhere from 30 – 40 students at each school ranging from the first to the eighth grade in that single room. All of the students either walk to the school (generally within a mile or less), “ride” their scooters, or arrive in the traditional horse and buggy. Subjects taught have an emphasis on reading, writing, and arithmetic.
Discipline is certainly part of process as well, as the teacher is allowed to use corporal punishment to keep order in the classroom. And in this society, where families have an average of seven children, siblings are often in the classroom to observe the infractions so this type of news gets home quickly. Given the emphasis of family life in this culture and that the father is the head of the household, often the correction is repeated, as the parents are involved.
Although schooling ends early, the students are required to meet the same standards that public schools and other home schooled pupils are held to by the State of Pennsylvania. And who teaches these students to such a level?
No, not a teacher that has gone to an accredited college or university and then has then passed a certification exam. Rather, the teacher is an unmarried women, generally 18 – 22, that has only completed the eighth grade herself.
I am not advocating that we replace our teachers with this level of instructor in our schools. However, isn’t there a lesson to be learned that successful results can be had when traditional methods are used? That when discipline is a functional part of, and applied correctly, the classroom, better results can be obtained? That some of our “modern” educational theories are just that – theories? They sound good during the discussion phase, but don’t pan out when the results are reviewed (think the open classroom philosophy that turned out to be such a bust in Gilford)?
Just some thoughts during vacation….
(cross posted at GilfordGrok)
