Southscapes Spring 2008

Teaching

American tradition takes hold in former Soviet State

By Faith Peppers

In a small Georgia high school classroom, students gather for a Future Farmers meeting. They discuss topics ranging from community development to environmental protection. It's a common scene here in the South for generations. But not in this Georgia.

Last spring, students from the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences traveled to the former Soviet Republic of Georgia to help establish that country's first national FFA organization. Rachael McCall, a former national FFA officer, Kerry Priest, a former Kansas state FFA officer, and Bridget Mixon, a former UGA collegiate FFA officer, started the project. They are all UGA CAES Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communication students and their department sponsors the project.

Future Farmers of Georgia (FFG) Future Farmers of America (FFA)

The group had three goals in mind when they established the program, said ALEC department head Ray Herren. The first was to set up educational student organizations and supervised home visits designed to support agricultural learning and experiences.

The second goal was to put together pig chains where schools purchase a few good female pigs that are bred. The students then raise the piglets at home and become responsible for continuing the reproduction cycle and giving piglets to other members of the organization.

"This is a system that has worked here in the U.S. for 70 or 80 years," Herren said. "The process helps supply better genetics, and the students get better pigs." Unfortunately, an outbreak of the African Swine Flu stopped movement of all pigs in the country and resulted in the slaughter of thousands of pigs. The students altered their plans and raised honeybees using the same chain concept. They plan to reinstate the pig chain project when the epidemic ends.

The CAES students' third goal was to provide Georgian teachers with updated teaching techniques and curriculum materials. For generations, teachers there have used methods and materials developed by the Soviets. These methods tended to promote teacher-centered rather than student-centered education, Herren said.

"We conducted workshops on teaching methodology and developed several series of lesson plans and a textbook that's being translated," he said. "John Ricketts, an assistant professor in the department, led the group and conducted workshops for the teachers while Kerry, Rachael and Bridget taught the students leadership through various activities (and translators)."

The CAES team found the students and teachers hungry for new and valuable information. "It's very satisfying to help them learn new ways of teaching and working with students," Herren said. "We hear great comments from both the students and teachers like: 'We now know learning can be fun!'"

"The students there were eager to learn and hopeful about the future. As a young democratic nation, there is much opportunity for positive change. It is a critical time for young people to realize their potential and step up to the challenge of leadership." — Kerry Priest, UGA CAES student

 

The new Future Farmers of Georgia (FFG) student-members realize if they develop more opportunity in their local areas, they can help Georgia become a more vibrant country, Herren said. Their FFG organization motto, "Strong Countryside, Strong Country," reflects their new awareness effort.

Understanding advanced agricultural techniques is critical in this developing country where more than 50 percent of the population is directly involved in agriculture. Under the old Soviet régime, generations grew up with little concept of self-reliance and capitalism.

"While we certainly want to teach better farming practices, we also want them to learn more about entrepreneurship." Herren said. "Teaching the concepts of agriculture is important, but the most important aspect is human resource development through leadership activities."

The visiting UGA students and faculty also taught the students and teachers about democracy and parliamentary procedure.

"There is no better way to teach democracy and the free-market system than through programs developed by FFA for rural youth," Herren said.

Ricketts helped the teachers understand the concept of a student-lead organization. "The teachers had a hard time letting the students make decisions about their organization," he said. "This is of course a natural reaction given the old Soviet philosophy."

The teachers thought the students should be told who the leaders will be and how the organization will be run, Ricketts explained. Self-direction and democratically-elected leaders were new concepts to them. "It has really turned into more of a human resources and community development-type project than strictly an agricultural production program."

Newly elected FFG officers, left to right: Beso Sichinava, Shota Kokorashvili, Tatia Khavtasi, Amiran Butiashvili, Nino Beriashvili, Paata Beriashvili, Viktor Abashidze and Data Bezarashvili.

Following a four-day leadership camp, FFG members from all regions of Georgia gathered in Buknari to cast votes and elect their officers through a democratic, secret ballot process. Teenaged screams and applause rang out as the officers' names were announced.

The students chanted "Nino, Nino, Nino," as their first elected president, Nino Beriashvili, ran shyly to the front of the room. "I am happy you trust me, I appreciate your choice and I will do my best to justify your votes," she said before taking a bow.

Soon another group of CAES students will return to Georgia to help the fledgling FFG leaders prepare for their first FFG national convention. They will train the FFG officers and present leadership development workshops for FFG members attending the convention.

The pilot program established FFG organizations in 70 schools in five regions of Georgia. Plans are to expand to more than 1,000 schools across the republic to serve more rural Georgian students.

The Georgia to Georgia project is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The program is implemented by Georgian Rural Development Program, UGA and World Link. To view a video of FFG in action, visit www.uga.edu/alec/.

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