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How did the Aztec education system function?

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Aztec manuscript illustration showing figures in elaborate costumes dancing in a circle, with two larger deities, Quetzalcoatl and Xolotl, at the center, from Codex Borbonicus. — Aztec Aztec round dance for Quetzalcóatl and Xolotl (a dog-headed god who is Quetzalcóatl's companion), detail from a facsimile Codex Borbonicus (folio 26), c. 1520; original in the Chamber of Deputies, Paris, France.

The Aztec education system was designed for cultural preservation, vocational training, and moral development. Formal education was primarily for the nobility and priests, with a strong emphasis on oral transmission and rote memorization of history, religious knowledge, and calendrical information.1

Two main types of schools existed:
* Calmecac: This school was for the sons of nobles and focused on preparing them for roles as priests and chiefs. Here, students systematically learned Mexican history and the contents of historical codices, with oratory, poetry, and music used to aid memorization.12
* Telpuchcalli: This school provided instruction in civil and military arts, crafts, history, and religious practices for boys.3

Education relied heavily on priests and elder nobles, known as conservators, who also censored new poems and songs. Visual aids, such as simple graphic representations, were used to enhance comprehension and retention.1