I Taught in an Amish School at Age 16 — What a Typical Day Was Really Like
We’re back today with Part 2 of our interview with Laura Graber, who was raised Amish, and taught in an Amish school for four years – starting at age 16.
In Part 1, Laura shared how she was able to manage eight grades in one room, and how Amish teachers are chosen, among other topics.
In Part 2 of this two-part interview, Laura shares what a typical Amish school day looks like, how children learn multiple languages, what students do at recess, and more. All photos in this post are by Don Burke.
Don Burke: So what does a typical day in Amish school look like?
Laura Graber: The day starts with singing and devotions. From there typically math is the first subject. Each day is planned by what lessons need to be taught.
There are recesses and lunch time, obviously. A story time is usually done after lunch. Mostly it’s a studious environment with some break-time to run off some energy!
Don: The Amish typically speak “Pennsylvania Dutch” at home, right? Can you explain what that is, and what languages children use and study in school?
Laura: “Pennsylvania Dutch” is a combination of High German, English, some slang, and different variants according to the community. There is no book to study to learn it. There are few rules. It’s just a mixture of words to create a language to an extent.
English people can somewhat follow along due to the mixture of English in it. It’s a beautiful, unique language. It is the only language most children know until the age of five or so.
They learn English in first grade if they have not been taught it at home. English is the main language at school. Most teachers have to be firm in this so the children become fluent in the English language. This not only makes them learn it, but can also be helpful in their assignments.
Don: I have heard somewhere that Friday in Amish schools is German day. Is there really such a thing, and if so what does that mean and what does that look like?
Laura: It was in our school. Now as far as all Amish schools, I can’t promise it’s on a Friday but most will have several periods set aside each week for High German.
This is what is used in church services. So the children need to learn it so they understand to the best of their knowledge what the preacher is saying.
This involves learning the German alphabet and learning German words, etc. High German is an actual language and can be taught as such. It can be difficult for children to take an interest in it as it’s only taught sparingly.
Don: Notice this picture. We were traveling along a gravel road just before noon on an April Friday, and came upon an Amish school where the kids were outside singing as they faced the road. As best I could tell they were singing in German. So do you have any idea what’s going on here?
Laura: If it was closer to winter, I would say they would be practicing for their Christmas program. Maybe a random thing a teacher thought would be helpful for some reason. Maybe to get them outside in the fresh spring air. Or maybe to help them practice singing loudly.
Don: Okay, it seems to be an isolated event and not a common practice – got it. Now to another picture – I believe from inside your sister’s classroom. So what is the “cleaning wheel” about?
Laura: This is a job chart. Every Friday afternoon everyone does their cleaning job. The school is freshly cleaned for another week! It’s a fun hour, but also chaotic! I love that it gives opportunity to teach children how to clean properly. Every six weeks or so you switch out cleaning jobs.
Don: What do kids play or do at recess? Do games differ by regions, or are they pretty universal among all Amish schools?
Laura: There are some games that everyone plays and then some that are definitely somewhat unique to a community.
That list of activities includes softball, volleyball, dare base, tag, kick the can, Andy-over, fox and geese, sledding or skating in wintertime, and many others. It can be a challenge to keep the games new and exciting.
Don: Do Amish students get report cards? Is the grading system similar to English schools – is the grading any more or less strict/hard?
Laura: They receive a report card every six weeks or so. In a sense it’s more specific as they use actual percentages, not the more general A, B, C, etc.
Don: Did you ever have discipline problems with students? As you described yourself, Amish teachers can be pretty young, so what recourse do they have with problem students?
Laura: Yes! The children are just like normal children. Some purposefully do not want to learn, or fight on the playground, etc. Most times taking recess privileges, writing lines, etc. will help. For severe cases you get parents and the board involved.
Don: Do Amish schools ever have special-needs or developmentally-challenged students?
Laura: Yes and no . . . , but for the most part, absolutely. Now if the parents want a specialize education with professionals, they would send the child to a public school that has the abilities to help more than Amish teachers can.
But if it’s a matter of working with the child in a more general sense, they would come to an Amish school. For an example, when I was in my lower grades there were two Down Syndrome children who came for a year or two. They loved it and we loved it!
They learned as much as the teachers could give them and from there one went on to a public school and the other stopped school altogether. So all depends on the situation and what is best for the child to receive what they need.
Don: Are there ever any organized activities between schools, like sporting events or academic competitions?
Laura: Yes! Twice in a school term the 7th and 8th graders will go with the teachers to visit the other schools. There is typically some serious softball played on those days! Otherwise that is the only interaction between schools.
Don: Besides the routine studies and activities, are there special events through the school year?
Laura: The teachers do a great job at incorporating activities. There are no field trips. But there is a Christmas program that takes a month to get ready for, the school visiting, last day of school program and then fun days or periods where the teachers will provide the fun.
This can be as simple as a balloon race or as long as taking a 4 mile hike. Typically for Valentine’s Day, the kids exchange lunches.
There are small traditions like that that add some extra fun to the day. Typically the children receive gifts from the teachers for Christmas and last day of school. That was always the important part (ha!).
Don: Are there special days through the year when school is cancelled or on holiday?
Laura: If there is a funeral or a wedding that affects immediate students, there will be a cancellation. Otherwise Thanksgiving and Christmas are the only holidays that there is no school. If there is a snow-day cancellation, there will probably be a blizzard happening!
Don: Here are some pictures from a “school picnic” day at a Jamesport school. What all is involved in this event?
Laura: This is the last day of the school year. The children will sing some songs for the parents; there are gifts for the children; whoever is graduating is celebrated; and then a whole afternoon of intense softball. It’s a fun day for everyone! The parents will bring lunch items and basically you play and eat all day!
Don: How often do Amish kids pursue a GED or some form of education beyond what they get in Amish school?
Laura: They do not unless they leave the culture. Eighth-grade education is all they need to be able to live the Amish life. There is a wealth of knowledge that they learn in their expertise from peers they work with or from experience!
Don: For those who do pursue additional studies, are there any areas of studies that are particularly popular?
Laura: There are some options like massage therapies or midwifery that they would read books on the subject or attend a conference, but never to receive a license, etc.
Don: Is there anything of particular note you would like to share in closing?
Laura: I would just like to note how well prepared the Amish education makes its students. I took and received my GED when I was 17. The only subjects I had to study were algebra and social studies and science as I had not had those subjects in school.
Otherwise, my 8th-grade education taught me what all I needed to know for my GED. I thought that was pretty neat!
Don: Well, Laura, that was a pretty thorough look into the life in and around an Amish school. Thank you so much for joining us again and sharing your insights with us!
Laura: You are very welcome!
"The German Alphabet"
The letters of the “German Alphabet” haven’t been used here in Germany for a long time now (unless you’re specifically studying it).
So we write quite normally using the letters we use today, just like many others do (apart from a few letters that are [almost] unique to us).
Schöne Grüße aus Dresden/Sachsen
Greetings from Dresden/Saxony.