What was Aztec schooling like for kids?
   Ashley, Webpost

Dr. dig responds:
Aztec boys and girls were brought up differently. Boys were expected to be brave warriors, fishermen, farmers, and craftsmen like their fathers. Girls were expected to follow their mothers, to work indoors managing the household and bringing up the children. Both girls and boys were trained for these roles from an early age. Children were taught at home until about 15 years of age, but all Aztec children, boys and girls, were expected to attend school for some time when they were between 10 and 20 years old. The schools that most of the population attended were called telpochcalli. Boys lived at the school to receive their military training, which was taught by experienced warriors. Girls also attended the telpochcalli, but we do not know if they lived there or stayed at home, and we do not know what they studied. The richer boys and those who were considered gifted attended the calmecac, which was attached to a temple. Here boys learned to become priests and leaders as well as warriors. In both types of school the discipline was very strict.