From: Andrew.Probert@f20.n772.z3.fidonet.org (Andrew Probert)
Newsgroups: k12.ed.tag
Subject: Re: A project
Date: Thu, 28 Jan 93 01:28:12 PDT
Organization: FidoNet node 3:772/20 - IBM NZ Ltd Gate, Auckland

Hello Emily. It was very nice to receive your message. Thanks.
Now to reply, you said

EC=8>Andrews, I am a gifted/talented coordinator in Rogers,
  =8>Arkansas, and saw your message about SimCity.  That WAS a
  =8>GOOD think!  I understand from a friend (G/T coordinator),
  =8>John Antonetti, Sheriden, AR that there is an
  =8>interdisciplinary study centered around SimCity going on
  =8>there in the middle school.  Just thought you would be
  =8>interested in that.  My address is 409 South 8th, Rogers
  =8>AR 72756, if you would like to get in touch with John.

Yes Emily, I would be4 really interested. Should i slowmail to you or is
a BBS letter acceptable?
Now tell me, what exactly is John Antonetti doing with SimCity? Is he
using it as an aid to help kids learn geography? Is he a social studies
teacher? Have you heard of any similar projects using the simulation
packages Civilisation and Railroad Tycoon? These 'games' work in a
similar way to SimCity, except that in Civilisation you are guiding the
development of a country or civilisation over a period of 4000 years. In
the process you get to be very familiar with concepts such as the
Industrial Revolution ( you have start one of your own) and population
statistics such as GNP and population growth. In Railroad Tycoon you
build and run a railroad 'line' or company. You get very familiar with
how balance sheets and income sheets work.
Bothe these packages are put out by Microprose Software. They have been
marketed as games, however I reckon that they could become very buseful
educational tools.

To change the subject, what do you do in Rogers, Arkansas? ( did you
vote for Clinton?). I mean what exactly is a G/T coordinator? I am
afraid that we don't have anything like that in New Zealand yet. In fact
when I was young homeschooling was a very new concept to NZ, considered
to be wierd, and strange ( possibly being indicative of commie
sympathies). I myself was first IQ tested when I was 10 years old, and
'diagnosed' as a gifted child. I was part of the first movement in NZ
educational circles recognising giftedness in children. I was not
homeschooled. My parents did not know what this was when I was younger,
and probably would not have believed in it. Sometimes, though , I wonder
whether my school age years wlould have been happier if I had been
homeschooled or educated separately as a gifted child.
The irony is that up until I was 7 years old I lived in Stanford,
California and then in Vancouver, BC. Undoubtedly there was a gifted
childrens programme underway at this point, however, as my parents did
not think of IQ testing me and my siblings, I was never included in this
programme.

What is it like in Rogers, Arkansas. I am afraid that I have never heard
of this ( town, city ?). Are myou married? Do you have kids? If so what
are their ages? I myself am now 24, and not contemplating marriage in
the near future. I am presently studying law and economics at Auckland
University ( which undoubtedly you have heard of considering its world
renown - he said with unabashed sarcasm, levened by a sprinkling of good
humour).

Anyway, it was nice chatting. I hope to hear from you sometime soon.

Bye, Andrew
___
 * SLMR 2.0 * I'm in shape ... round's a shape isn't it?


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