Seoul Woosol Elementary School

At Seoul Woosol Elementary School, imagine the clicking of beads. It’s not the sound of a trendy toy. It’s the rhythmic symphony of an abacus class. Seoul Woosol Elementary School, located in southern Seoul, has revived a traditional learning method. Abacus math has become surprisingly popular. It’s so popular that the after-school program often has to hold a lottery. Over 100 students apply for a limited number of spots. This isn’t your average math class. Seoul Woosol Elementary School’s abacus program isn’t about rote memorization. It’s about visualizing numbers. It’s about building a concrete understanding of arithmetic. Students like Lee Sang-ah, a fourth grader, find that the abacus helps them see the calculations unfold before their eyes. For students like Jang Seok-hoon, also in fourth grade, the abacus has been a lifeline. He struggled to catch up with math after returning from a year abroad. The abacus class gave him renewed confidence with numbers. The after-school program, run by SE After-School Education Center, is held four times a week. The program’s popularity isn’t limited to Seoul Woosol Elementary School. It extends to ten other elementary schools in Seoul. Each school runs three to four packed classes. The resurgence of interest in traditional learning methods like the abacus isn’t a coincidence. Parents at Seoul Woosol Elementary School have also pushed for new programs in Go and hanja (Chinese characters). The school responded, and these programs are just as popular as the abacus classes. They also require a lottery system due to high demand. It seems there’s a growing recognition among parents of the value these traditional skills offer. Seoul Woosol Elementary School’s embrace of the abacus stands as a testament to the enduring power of traditional learning methods. In a world dominated by digital devices, the simple abacus provides a tangible, visual way to grasp mathematical concepts. It sharpens focus and strengthens memory. The clicking of beads at Seoul Woosol Elementary School is more than just a sound. It’s the sound of tradition blending with modernity. It’s the sound of students rediscovering the joy of learning in a hands-on, engaging way.