Sookmyung Women's University to Create Cultural and Artistic Content for First Graders at Neulbom School

Sookmyung Women's University announced that it has been selected for the cultural arts education operation support project related to Neulbom School, implemented by the Korea Arts & Culture Education Service. Neulbom School is a policy that provides integrated care before and after regular classes at desired times if students wish, and it was officially introduced this year.

Sookmyung Women's University campus. [Image source=Sookmyung Women's University]

Under the leadership of Professor Shim Sook-young of the Department of Early Childhood Education (Director of the Asia Women’s Research Institute), Sookmyung Women’s University established the 'Sookdae Neulbom Development Center' to apply for this project. The project will involve master's students majoring in Children's Arts Education and professors and researchers in the doctoral cooperative program of Cultural Arts Education.

The Sookdae Neulbom Development Center was solely selected as the representative operating institution for the first zone of the support project, covering Seoul, Incheon, and Jeju areas, and will receive 600 million KRW in project funds by August. This project is conducted with the purpose of developing and applying customized cultural arts education programs for first-grade elementary school students, who are at the beginning of school age, ahead of the full introduction of Neulbom School.

Accordingly, the Sookdae Neulbom Development Center will develop cultural arts education programs to help first-grade elementary school children regulate their emotions and adapt to school life. Sookmyung Women’s University explained, "We plan to create programs that integrate fields such as ecological art, music therapy, and art therapy," adding, "We also intend to support art instructors through customized cultural arts education training for first graders and training on child abuse and children's rights."

In addition, the Sookdae Neulbom Development Center plans to strengthen internal and external cooperation by signing business agreements with the Seoul, Incheon, and Jeju Offices of Education and closely collaborating with Sookmyung Women’s University’s Asia Women’s Research Institute and the Graduate School of Music Therapy.

Professor Shim said, "The customized program for first-grade students at Neulbom School will serve as a foundation to bridge educational gaps and provide safe care," and added, "I hope Neulbom will contribute to sociocultural development through the emotional, happiness, and community-building effects that cultural arts provide."