ABSTRACT
This chapter begins by briefly examining what little is known of Classic Mayan educational thought and practice, and discusses the more abundant literature concerned with educational thought and practice in Aztec society. For the ancient Maya, education was, at its heart, religious in nature: The destiny of Mayan man and his role on earth find their ultimate plenitude through religious fulfillment. Attainments such as wisdom, social integration or personal success are only recognized when they are geared toward the fulfillment of the intrinsic and spiritual mission. So, if all the vital actions of Mayan man had a religious orientation, likewise education had its long-term and short-term objectives, as well as its ultimate goal, in sacred fulfillment. Mayan childrearing and education were grounded in a fairly conservative social and educational agenda. An interesting aspect of Mayan educational thought is that of its epistemology and implicit learning theory.
