Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, August 1, 1994 TAG: 9408010070
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
No kidding.
Just ask 30 students at James Madison Middle School in Roanoke. They went to the mall to learn, not to play, and they enjoyed it.
They've spent the past month visiting stores in Tanglewood Mall and researching the business aspects of owning and running a shop in a mall.
They've learned how much money it would take to open a store and the number of employees who would be needed. They've researched locations, marketing techniques and display windows.
The students are in an eighth-grade class to improve their math and language skills for the state's Literacy Passport Test.
To supplement the traditional math and language classes, teachers developed a project this summer that introduced students to the real world and tried to teach them skills they will need as they grow up.
Susan Morris, one of the teachers, said shopping malls were selected for the project partly because they're so familiar to many youngsters.
"This has helped their math and language arts skills, because they had to use them in designing and planning their stores," Morris said.
The students created an imaginary mall and named it "Mall Mania." They developed plans for starting and operating eight stores.
Some stores have catchy and unusual names, such as Quarters and The Stuff, athletic clothing; and Electron Vision, computers and other electronic equipment.
The students had an imaginary bank account to finance their businesses and pay utilities, rent, custodial services and other expenses.
Terrie Bigler, another teacher, said the bank account helped the students learn how to open and balance a checkbook. Most didn't know how to maintain an account.
Carl Coles was one of four students who formed Snap Shots, a camera shop.
Coles said he became interested in photography when he took a photography course in Ruffner Middle School's magnet program last year.
After visiting Tanglewood, Coles said he got the idea for a camera shop that would be similar to a shop in the mall.
"We've been working on this for four weeks," Coles said. "We have had to learn everything about the business."
Bigler said the course has benefited the students in other ways, too.
"They've had to learn how to work together," she said. "It has helped boost their self-image and made them feel better about themselves."
Kantor Casey, another student who helped plan Snap Shots, said he didn't realize so much was involved in starting a businesses.
The specifications for Snap Shots are detailed: "The area of our store is 25 feet by 50 feet. We have four employees; their salary is $4.25 an hour. The location of our store is near an entrance."
Consider these plans for a music store in Mall Mania:
"JTK Music employs seven people - four full-time and three part-time employees. Full-time employees must have a degree in business. They receive $5.50 an hour, full health insurance coverage, one week paid vacation and 25 percent discounts on store merchandise."
by CNB