RSM teachers are an essential part of a concept we call the RSM triangle: a three-way partnership between our students, teachers, and parents. When all three work together, students have the best opportunity to develop strong mathematical skills, intellect, and character.
This success begins with our teachers. Every RSM teacher has a background in mathematics or a related field and has a passion for the subject. They also go through extensive training in the RSM methodology and curriculum to ensure a consistent, high-quality learning experience across all our classrooms.
RSM classes are interactive and discussion-based. Rather than simply presenting solutions, our teachers encourage students to ask questions, explain their thinking, and work through challenging problems together. Guided by their teacher through the shared effort of learning and discovery, students learn to debate, explain, and verbalize their thinking to a group of like-minded peers.
Students don’t grow when in their comfort zone, so our teachers ensure they are consistently (and appropriately) challenged. This style of teaching empowers students with the flexibility and agility of thought, as they can view and solve problems from different angles and in multiple ways.
Let's meet some of our fantastic teachers!
Kate Pertsovsky is the Principal of RSM-West Newton and also teaches classes, combining her leadership role with a passion for working directly with students. She holds a Master’s degree in Education and brings over 15 years of teaching experience in both public and private schools. She joined RSM in 2018 and previously served as Dean of Students at RSM Newton. Kate teaches all levels from Kindergarten to 5th grade. Outside of work, Kate enjoys traveling with her family and doing Pilates.
"The best part of teaching is watching my students grow over time, both academically and personally," Kate said. "It's wonderful seeing that 'aha' moment that students experience when understanding clicks."
Kate believes there is nothing more rewarding than watching young learners grow more curious, confident, and engaged in math. Teaching is a work of the heart; it's a passion and it's something she truly enjoys doing.
"One of my favorite teaching moments happened when my class was learning about negative numbers," Kate shared. "One student kept getting the positive and negative signs mixed up and confidently announced: 'Two negatives make a positive… because negatives are tired of being negative.' It turned a challenging moment into something everyone remembered and enjoyed."
Kate particularly enjoys teaching the "Guess My Rule" lesson, also known in RSM classrooms as the "Math Magic Machine" lesson, which students are solving in the picture below.
Dmitrii Trushchin is the Vice Principal of RSM Math Competition Preparation (MCP). He teaches MCP and National Math Competition Preparation (NMCP) classes for grades 4-9.
Dmitrii earned a Ph.D. in Mathematics from Moscow State University. He is a two-time prize winner of the final stage of the Russian National Math Olympiad (the Russian equivalent of USAMO). Dmitrii began leading his first math circle for middle school students while still in high school and has continued teaching ever since.
Over the years, dozens of Dmitrii's students have become prize winners at the final stage of the Russian National Math Olympiad, and two have earned medals at the International Math Olympiad (IMO), the highest level of global math competition. More recently, a team of his RSM students won the Middle School division of the Brown University Math Olympiad (BrUMO).
Dmitrii is a father of three RSM students and is a passionate board game player.
"My favorite part about being a teacher is being able to share my passion for math with my students. It's amazing to see that one little moment when a student's mindset changes from 'I don't know how to solve it' to 'Wow, so that's how it works!'"
Irena Burmistrovich is a Senior Teacher for Kindergarten through 4th grade classes. She has been with RSM since 2006 and primarily teaches at RSM-Newton. Irena loves travelling and spending time with her family.
"My favorite part about teaching is introducing my students to challenging problems and seeing them get excited when they are able to solve it," Irena said. It's such a thrill to see my students' excitement and their enthusiasm about learning."
Irena is always proud when a child, who has a hard time concentrating, starts to show interest in learning and is able to focus on the lesson when she is teaching. One of her favorite lessons to teach is introducing students to balancing scales.
Thank you Kate, Dmitrii, and Irena for sharing your experiences and insights with us! We are grateful for the passion, expertise, and dedication that you and all of our RSM teachers bring to our classrooms every day.
