A Dame school was a private elementary school in English-speaking countries. The word "Dame" means a woman who has the title of a Knight. The children were usually taught by women and did not learn very much. The schools were most common from the 17th century to the 19th century. Most of these schools were located in Britain, the United States, and Australia. The Dame schools were also a common place for girls to be educated because they could not go to other schools, which were only for boys. The girls at Dame schools often learned how to sew or do other crafts.