A calculating

instructor
Ancient abacus a
potent tool
By Tamara Rogers
Half Moon Bay Review
June 5, 1991

Math may be a sore subject for
many, but Half Moon Hay resident
Mina Watanabe is sure she has the
solution to the problem. Watanabe
is an expert on the abacus, which is
called "soroban" in Japan. She
teaches soraban classes in San
Francisco and Los Altos. This fall
she plans to share her skills and
instruction with local students by
opening the "SuperMath Soroban
School" on the Coastside.
While soroban study is
mandatory for third-grade students
in Japan, most Americans have
little understanding of it. Brought
in Japan from China 500 years ago,
the soroban is an ancient method of
calculation, which uses a frame set
with rods. The rods hold beads or
balls, which are moved up and
down to make calculations. The
rods at the far right represent ones.
Moving to the left, the next rod
represents tens, the next, hundreds,
and so on.
Students who study the
soroban begin with simple addition
and subtraction and eventually
team learn to multiply, divide and
calculate square and cube roots.
One of the most beneficial aspects
of learning to use the soroban is
mastering "anzan", according to
Watanabe. Anzan is a Japanese
word, which means mental problem
solving. People who become so
familiar with the movements of the
soraban beads no longer need the
device itself. The student can go
over the movements of the beads
mentally or can move fingers in the
air as though he or she were
moving beads on the soroban.
Children can begin learning
soroban skills at 41/2 years of age,
according to Watanabe. However,
it requires a strong commitment
from parents. If a child begins
studying at that age, when it's time
for kindergarten, he or she will be
able to add and subtract one-digit
numbers without the aid of the
soroban. Soroban skills are
measured in levels. Beginners start
at "kyu" level 10 and work toward
kyu level one. Advancement
requires passing a timed test.

"I believe there is not one person
who cannot be good at numbers.
They are just not confident enough
with them. Numbers are the most
sincere thing in the world. One plus
one is always two! I believe my
responsibility is to make soroban a
tool for developing the confidence
needed in a person to enable him to
excel in math."
Mina Watanabe

Watanabe is beyond the kyu
level and is currently at 'dan'
level six. She compares her
accomplishments in the study
soraban and anzan to having a
black belt in karate. She
continues to challenge herself to
hone her own skills. She said this
helps her understand how her
students feel as they push
themselves to practice and
prepare for tests.
Watanabe's son, Michael, who is
called "Tets" began study soroban
and anzan at 4 . He is eight now
and is a second grade student at El
Granada Elementary School. At the
fifth kyu level, he is able to multiply
two digit numbers by one digit
numbers and divide three digit
numbers by one-digit numbers in his
head. He can complete 20 problems
in three minutes. In addition and
subtraction, he can calculate two-
digit problems at the rate of 20 in 90
seconds. While his accomplishments
are above average - he was named
intermediate level champion in a
competition in San Francisco this
year - his mother feels that anyone
learn soroban and anzan skills, and
that these skills will improve a
persons ability to think.
"It is like jogging for your
brain," she said. "There is so
much emphasis on memory in
education. A child is always
thinking in soroban training.
Education is searching. This is
what education means, not just
memorization."
Raised in Japan, Mina came to
the United Slates when she was 25 to
study English. She met and married
Michael Watanabe, who was an
engineering student. He now works
for Pacific Gas and Electric. They
have three sons and have lived in
Half Moon Bay for four years.
Watanabe said she encourages
parents to be involved in their
children's soroban and anzan studies.
The parents can attend the weekly
lessons, practice for 10 minutes daily
and learn right along with the child.
Tuition at the SuperMath
Soroban School will be $45 per
month. That will include a one hour
weekly lesson and books. A soroban
must be purchased separately at a
cost of around $30. Anyone
interested in meeting Watanabe or
seeing her demonstration and anzan
skills can call one of the schools
coordinators, Janis Karabals at 726-
0950, or Nancy Mason at 726-3788.