The trip strengthened relations established last fall when 10 Ukrainian educators explored schools in the Cincinnati area in search of ideas for teaching subjects that are very new to them, such as free enterprise, civic responsibility and democracy. UC's College of Education was one of just six institutions across the country selected to build educational bridges between the United States and Russia or Ukraine. The visits were funded by the U.S. Information Agency and the U.S. State Department. Naylor and Swami toured schools in four different towns and villages but found one thing was the same wherever they went. The number of subjects studied in one year runs in the double digits, whereas in the U.S., it's in the single digits.
All Ukrainian students take several years of science physics, biology and chemistry.
The UC professors were the guests of honor at school shows featuring ballroom dancing, ballet, music and singing. He added that the Americans were surprised to find that the children are taught English as a second language at an early age and were easily able to have conversations in English. While visiting Cincinnati last October, the Ukrainian educators toured schools from the elementary to university level and examined American culture by staying in the homes of local families and visiting museums and churches. As a result, they left with boxes of books. In turn, the UC educators have learned a lot about Ukraine.