Education in the Amish culture is stopped intentionally at the eighth grade. Well known for their approach to schooling, most Amish children attend class in one or two-room schools. The reason behind the limited formal education is practicality (they need the older children to become farmers and craftsman, so they teach them those trades instead), and religious objections (they feel that higher education may teach ideas that negate their Christian values). They see little value in traditional education, although some Amish do continue schooling after the eighth grade in the form of supplemental courses (especially businessmen), seminars, apprenticeships, and correspondence courses. One main objection from mainstream society about the lack of higher education for these children is that it leaves them with essentially no life skills and only an eighth grade education, should they ever decide to leave the Amish community. With no knowledge of the outside world, they basically have no choice but to stay.
