School of American Mah Jongg

Category: Learning
Also called: The Mahj Connection dba School of American Mah Jongg; Debbie Barnett; mahjongteacher.com
Last checked: 2026-09-02

What it is

School of American Mah Jongg is a first-party American Mah Jongg (NMJL-card) virtual school: live small-group and private classes, an instructor accreditation course, and first-party teaching products. Founder Debbie Barnett. It is not Japanese Riichi, not Chinese table mahjong, not the National Mah Jongg League, and not a 4-player public game server.

Who it’s for

People who want to learn or improve American Mah Jongg online with a live instructor at a virtual table, and instructors who want that school’s accreditation path. Distinct from Riichi teaching sites and from local JCC drop-in pages.

Why it’s listed

This is a named US instructor with her own school site and a 2026-card class on the official catalog — not a Facebook-only teacher and not a local-group calendar.

About page (https://www.mahjongteacher.com/pages/about): legal line “The The Mahj Connection dba School of American Mah Jongg (The School)”; “an online live interactive classroom”; “created by Debbie Barnett, a long-time Mah Jongg player, and Instructor.” Copy: “the first of its kind in the nation for teaching American Mah Jongg.” Levels named: Beginner, Advanced Beginners–Intermediate, Advanced Strategies. Class sizes printed: full classes 3–4 students, semi-private 2, private 1.
Homepage (https://www.mahjongteacher.com/) on 2026-09-02: “Virtual American Mah Jongg Classes”; “Learning with live people at a virtual game table (maximum of 4 students per class)”; beginner classes come with a comprehensive supplement and photo guide. Footer still reads © 2025 School of American Mah Jongg (Powered by MahjCon).
Classes page (https://www.mahjongteacher.com/pages/classes) on 2026-09-02 listed Get to Know the 2026 Card — 1 session, 1 hour (Zoom), starting at $50. Other printed “starting at” prices that day: Beginner 4 or 5 session class, 8–10 hours, $175.00; Beginner Intensive Workshop (private one-on-one), two 2-hour classes, $400.00; Advanced Beginners, four 2-hour classes, $175.00; Intermediate, 4 sessions / 8 hours, $175; Mah Jongg Refresher, 1 private 2-hour, $200.00; Strategies All Levels, 1 private 1-hour, $100.00. Same page also lists a separate Learn to play Siamese Mah Jongg 2 players product (Gladys Grad’s two-player game) — that is not 4-player American Mah Jongg.
Accreditation page (https://mahjongteacher.com/pages/mahjong_certificaton): two pathways, both requiring a written exam and a teaching practicum. Full Program $597 (11 modules, NMJL rules/terminology/mechanics, quizzes, resources, 1-hour coaching, Instructor Network). Exam-Only Track $199 (experienced instructors already teaching to current NMJL standards; 90% pass mark). Practicum: video of a beginner lesson to 3–4 true beginners. Directory listing after accreditation.
Official instructor directory (https://mahjongteacher.com/instructor-directory) on 2026-09-02 lists founder Debbie Barnett, member since 01/01/2020, The Villages, FL 32162, school email mahjongteacher1@gmail.com. The same directory has 2026 join dates, including a member since 08/24/2026.
Meet the instructor (https://mahjongteacher.com/pages/meet-the-instructor): Debbie has been playing Mah Jongg “for over 45 years”; began teaching in 2006; virtual table “just as if they were sitting around a table with her.” Other named school instructors on that page (Stacy Budkofsky, Rory Bellow, Iris Pressman, Jamie) are American Mah Jongg teachers on the same platform.
Store (https://www.mahjongteacher.com/store) on 2026-09-02: first-party Debbie Barnett presents Let’s Learn the 2026 Card (teaching tool, starting at $10.00); Unlocking the Secrets to American Mah Jongg starting at $26.00. The same store still lists a Large Sized 2025 Card SKU (starting at $16.00) — do not invent a 2026 NMJL card price from that page.
Testimonials page includes a note “best to you in 2026.”

Prices above are what the official pages showed on the check date. They can change.

Official URL

School: https://www.mahjongteacher.com/

About: https://www.mahjongteacher.com/pages/about

Classes: https://www.mahjongteacher.com/pages/classes

Meet the instructor: https://mahjongteacher.com/pages/meet-the-instructor

Accredited instructor directory: https://mahjongteacher.com/instructor-directory

Instructor accreditation: https://mahjongteacher.com/pages/mahjong_certificaton

Store (first-party teaching products): https://www.mahjongteacher.com/store

Contact printed on the site: mahjongteacher1@gmail.com

Location

Online virtual school. Founder Debbie Barnett is listed on the official instructor directory in The Villages, FL 32162.

Notes

American Mah Jongg (NMJL). Beginner classes require a current year’s card (About). Accreditation is framed around NMJL rules and standards. Do not list this as Riichi or Chinese mahjong. Siamese is a separate 2-player product on the Classes page.
Not the National Mah Jongg League, not Mahj Life, not Oh My Mahjong / Teach Mahjong.
Site was up on 2026-09-02 (homepage, About, Classes, directory, accreditation, store). Footer copyright is still 2025; 2026-card class, 2026-card teaching tool, and 2026 directory dates are the live stamps.
About: Zoom may be required; Chrome; webcam; current year’s card for Beginner classes. Classes are non-refundable except a defined emergency (medical / death in family) with evidence emailed to the school.
Not affiliated with Mahjong Plaza.

FAQ

Q: Is this Japanese Riichi or Chinese mahjong?
A: No. The school’s own name, About page, homepage, Classes catalog, and accreditation page are American Mah Jongg / NMJL. Siamese Mah Jongg is listed separately as a 2-player product — not the same game.

Q: Is this the National Mah Jongg League?
A: No. It is Debbie Barnett’s virtual school (The Mahj Connection dba School of American Mah Jongg). The League issues the American card; this site teaches that game and sells its own 2026-card lesson product.

Q: What does a class cost, and is it in person?
A: It is an online live classroom (virtual table, max 4 in a full class). On 2026-09-02 the Classes page listed group series starting at $175, a 2026-card Zoom hour starting at $50, and private options from $100–$400 depending on the product. Accreditation was $597 (full) or $199 (exam-only). Confirm the Classes and accreditation pages before paying; those figures can change.