Monday, April 26, 1999
Learning a 2-way street in Ukraine
Lakota teacher watches classes on economics
BY SUE KIESEWETTER
Enquirer Contributor
UNION TOWNSHIP — When the Ukrainians were part of the Soviet Union, the teaching of economics was forbidden in the Communist-controlled country.
Today, Ukrainian teachers are partnering with those from Russia and other Baltic states to begin teaching principles of the free market to their students. The approach is similar to that used in the Lakota Schools, said Hopewell Junior School teacher Tracey Parks, who recently returned from a 10-day trip to Ukraine.
Mrs. Parks was one of 12 American teachers selected to participate in a tour of Ukraine sponsored by Economics America, a New York-based organization that trains teachers in economics and develops school curriculum materials. It is affiliated with the National Council on Economic Education, with which the University of Cincinnati Center for Economic Education is associated.
“She is bringing back a better understanding of other cultures of economics, of the day-to-day operations of the government, the people,” said Lakota Superintendent Kathleen Klink, who sits on the board for the Greater Cincinnati Council for Economic Education.
In Ukraine, Mrs. Parks' trip was coordinated with cooperation from the Ukrainian Council for Economic Education. The nonprofit group is developing national content standards for the teaching of economics, as well as offering workshops and training for teachers.
While in Ukraine, Mrs. Parks said, she visited governmental agencies, and learned about the people, their culture, foods, languages and the educational system.
“It will enhance my lessons and what I can share with my students,” Mrs. Parks said.
As at Lakota, simple economic concepts are taught in elementary school in Ukraine, becoming increasingly detailed and complex as the child matures, Mrs. Parks said. English words for such economic terms such as supply, demand and free market are used in Ukrainian classrooms.
“I didn't know what to expect,” Mrs. Parks said. “Economically, they are at a disadvantage, compared to us. It all depends on what you're used to. In some respects they have a richer life because of being able to make do with what they have.”
The teachers visited private and public schools to observe economics lessons in three cities: Kiev, the capital, Kharkiv and Dnipropetrovsk. They also went to the country, where they saw the farming villages that make up most of the country, known for its rich soil.
“Everyone we spoke with had an amazing sense of nation and pride in their country and what they've been able to accomplish since 1991, when the Soviet Union split,” Mrs. Parks said. “The teachers were very gracious. They have a real passion about education.”
The knowledge gained will help Mrs. Parks not only on the economics unit she presents each year to her seventh-grade students, but also in the physical and cultural geography curriculum.
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