Dimitri Shashkini Attended Graduation Ceremony at American Academy
Minister of Education and Science, Dimitri Shashkini, Ambassador of the United States of America to Georgia, John R. Bass and Ambassador of the Republic of France to Georgia, Eric Fournier attended Diploma Award Ceremony of graduates of 2010 of G.Zaldastanishvili American Academy. Dimitri Shashkini congratulated youth on graduation day and wished them success in their future activities.
53 12th graders study at American Academy. Many of them will continue studying at leading universities of USA, Great Britain and Europe. But they plan to begin career in native country.
American Academy was established in 2001, in Tbilisi by the initiative of Guivy Zaldastanishvili. Georgian businessman spent most of his life in USA. He established educational institution together with American teacher, Donald Thomas. The goal of the Academy is to fulfill significant role in the process of ongoing educational reforms.
Essential part of the teachers of Academy received education in the USA (Harvard University and MA at Simmons College). Teachers of Academy use innovative teaching methods in their own classes and share them with other teachers as well. NGO - Center for Education Development and Research, that was established for this aim, carried out 6 seven-week seminars for Tbilisi teachers and intensive one-week seminar programs for regional teachers during the last three years (in Telavi in 2005 and in Kutaisi in 2006). Regional programs were held by the financial support of the State Department. Totally, 500 teachers participated in these seminars.
One of the main goals of the academy is teaching the school children history and culture of Georgia thoroughly, developing respect towards Georgian history and culture as well as introducing Western pedagogic methodology.
