Ukraine and Omaha: The Future

2002 Home

About program

Participants

Plans for the Future in Ukraine

Civics education is very important for newly independant Ukraine as it is struggling to its feet now. It is especially important for our teenagers who will govern our country in the next decade to better meet the challenges of a fast changing society. They need to realize the real value of liberty, equality and democratic power.

In order to create a truly democratic society we need to provide future citizens with knowledge and tools for exercising their rights and freedoms. Our mission as the PIE program graduates is to act as catalysts and lead a statewide initiaive in essential business experiences, education, and technology skills. We see our general teaching strategy in preparing informed and active citizens who are tolerent, responsible and effective participants in the social life. We are determined to use educational experiences obtained while participating in the PiE Program for personal and professional growth of ourselves and to enhance other teachers' understanding of the necessity to implement civics education into all spheres of social life.

Therefore our next steps are as follows:

To introduce a new course of comparative legal studies in high school in order to compare legal systems in the USA and Ukraine in order to encourage students to think globally,
To continue our work on academic projects based on scientific research and aimed at forming critical thinking and analyzing skills,
To provide training seminars for teachers in our school districts and regions,
To broaden the field of extra-curricula activities in the community by creating student clubs "Youth! Make a Difference,"
To combine advance American techniques and methods with the strengths of Ukraine educational system creating an authorized experimental curricula and implement it in our school systems,
To introduce the course of Business Education in middle, high school and universities to prepare all students to live and work as productive citizens by providing essential business experiences, education and technology skills in a dynamic learning society.

As activities in each of these steps are implemented in the Cherkasy and Kirovohrad regions, information will be posted on this page. Watch for new plans and programs developed by the PIE team members and share them with your colleagues. Also, Omaha mentor teachers will post activities inspired by the visits by Ukraine teachers.