FAIRFIELD — Fairfield Schools and the Center for Economic Education at the University of Cincinnati are giving some help to a former Soviet country.

        Fairfield Freshman School Principal Robert Polson returned this month from a 10-day trip to Ukraine, sponsored by the National Center for Economic Education. Mr. Polson was among 12 U.S. educators on the trip.

        “It's a really terrific opportunity for an educator here to expand (his) knowledge. We want an ongoing dialogue between people, an awareness of the culture and economy and situation,” said Ron Clink, director of education at the UC center. "This is one of the national center's international components. It's the third year for the trip.”

        Mr. Polson brought lesson plans developed by UC and his staff that will be used by teachers in Ukraine as the country builds a free enterprise system. Before 1991, when Ukraine gained its in dependence, people had spent 70 years in a planned economy, Mr. Polson said.

        Teachers there are being sent abroad to learn economics and then come back to teach other educators as well as students, he said.

        “Once they get the hang of this, they're going to be tough competition, globally, for our kids,” Mr. Polson said of Ukraine's transition.

        Before his visit, Mr. Polson said, he had an unrealistic idea of what a classroom would be like and what the people would be like.

        “I grew up during the Cold War when they were the enemy, people to be feared,” he said. “This trip opened my eyes. They are good, hard-working, dedicated people who want the best for their kids, their cities, like us.

        “I thought (the schools) would be all lecture style — very rigid,” Mr. Polson said. “It wasn't that way at all. It was oriented to problem-solving. There were highly dedicated teachers and bright, curious, courteous students who, when a teach er comes into a room, stand up. They want to learn.”

        Mr. Polson plans to set up an e-mail relationship between his school's students and the students and English teachers he met. Both adults and students would be able to exchange lesson plans and ideas as well as learn about one another's cultures and lifestyles.

        He also plans to write a report for the national council and will speak of his trip to community groups.

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