How Teachers Are Chosen and Supported

Warm greetings from the Heartland as April settles in with its gentle rains and the first real signs of Spring taking hold. The fields are softening, the fruit trees are beginning to bud, and the children have been spending more of their recess time outside, running through the damp grass near the schoolhouse.

This week, we return to our series on Amish schooling with a closer look at the teachers themselves - how they are chosen, how they prepare, and the quiet dedication they bring to the classroom each day.

In most Amish districts, teachers are young women who once sat in the same wooden desks where their students now sit. They are typically between the ages of seventeen and twenty-two, though some continue teaching well into their thirties. The school board, made up of local fathers in the community, is responsible for selecting them. It is a decision made carefully - not through formal interviews or applications, but through observation over time. The board looks for someone who is patient, responsible, gentle in spirit, and respected by the families.

The qualities that make a good Amish teacher are not so different from what any parent hopes for in a person guiding their children. She should be kind but firm, organized but flexible, and able to teach across all eight grade levels at once. She must know her students well enough to recognize when someone is struggling and when someone needs to be challenged. Above all, she must model the values the community holds dear - humility, patience, hard work, and faith.

Most Amish teachers have completed eight grades of schooling themselves. While that may seem limited by outside standards, the curriculum is thorough and deeply practical. Teachers often spend their evenings reviewing lessons, preparing handwritten worksheets, and reading through educational materials shared among schools in the area. Some attend informal teacher meetings hosted by neighboring districts, where they exchange ideas for managing multi-grade classrooms, teaching difficult subjects, or handling the needs of younger students just starting out.

The community plays a strong role in supporting new teachers. Mothers in the district may stop by after school to help clean the building or organize supplies. The school board checks in regularly, offering encouragement and, when needed, guidance. If a teacher is very young or in her first year, an experienced former teacher may serve as a quiet mentor - available by letter or visit to help her work through challenges.

Teaching in a one-room schoolhouse brings its own challenges. A single teacher may be responsible for twenty to thirty students spread across all eight grades. Morning devotions, arithmetic drills, reading circles, spelling bees, and penmanship practice must all be woven into a day that runs from roughly eight in the morning to three in the afternoon. Recess and lunch provide a needed break - not just for the students, but for the teacher as well.

Discipline is handled with a balance of firmness and care. Most teachers rely on quiet correction, a firm word, or a brief conversation after class. Physical discipline is rare and generally discouraged. The goal is always to teach the child - not just to control behavior, but to help them understand why certain actions are expected of them.

Teachers spend time after school checking lessons, sweeping the classroom, and setting things in order for the next day. Their pay is modest - often provided by the families in the district rather than by a formal salary. Some receive a small monthly stipend, while others are compensated through a combination of money and goods. Despite the demands, many teachers look back on their years in the schoolhouse as some of the most meaningful of their lives.

One former student shared a favorite memory of a teacher who admitted she had mispronounced the word "cougar" for an entire science lesson - saying "coo-gar" instead. When she realized the mistake the next day, she told the class honestly and they all had a good laugh. Moments like these remind us that teaching is not about perfection. It is about presence, honesty, and the willingness to keep learning alongside the children.

Stories from Our Amish Basket Weavers

Here are a few of the most notable moments from the families who weave the beautiful baskets featured on AmishBaskets.com, shared with us this week.

The Swarey Family

Phineas and Mary's nine-year-old daughter spent most of the week resting after a stubborn illness that kept her home from school. Mary made a simple broth each morning and kept the woodstove low to keep the house warm without overheating. By Thursday, the girl was sitting up again and asking to help fold laundry. Phineas used the quieter days to repair a section of fence along the pasture and began sorting through the last of the winter's stored wood. The older children picked up extra chores without being asked, and the family settled into a slower pace that felt like a needed rest for everyone.

The Yoder Family

Rebecca spent Wednesday at a quilting event across the community, helping finish a quilt for a young couple preparing for their first home. The pattern was a simple nine-patch in soft blues and creams, and the group worked steadily through the morning before sharing a meal together. Back at home, the children had been helping their father clean out the garden beds, pulling old stalks and turning the soil in preparation for planting. The youngest found a small toad beneath a pile of leaves and carried it around the yard for the better part of an hour before letting it go near the creek.

"The best way to cheer yourself up is to try to cheer someone else up."

- Amish Wisdom