By Valentina Rojas-Posada

New math teacher Susan Flicop spent her first year as a teacher teaching at Newton North High School and then came to Brookline High School. She began teaching at the college level, left teaching when her children were born, and now has come back to teach at the high school level.

What got you into teaching math?

I taught it at the college level. I was a graduate student and I was teaching, and I had intended to be a college professor, but I ended up having my kids instead and decided not to go back to work. And now my children are growing up. I have one in middle school, one in high school, and one in college. I decided that it was time that I go back. When I thought about, did I want to focus more on research or more on teaching? I decided that I really wanted to focus more on teaching.

Do you have any cool hobbies or interests?

I still have my kids, so I go to a lot of soccer games and go up to Vermont most weekends in the winter because I have a daughter who is a competitive snowboarder, so I drive her places for practice. What do I do for fun? I read. I just moved over the summer so I’m still settling in. I like to watch movies, I like to read books and spend time with my family.

Do you think having children has affected the way you teach?

Yes. Absolutely. Because I have teenagers I’ve seen the stresses on them and I know as a parent what it’s like to watch your children really enjoy a class or really be stressed out by a class. I talk to my students and try to design my class so that they’re not stressed, so they know exactly what’s going on and their questions are answered so they feel like they have some control. They know that if they put in a good effort they’re going to get a good grade and they’re going to learn a lot.

Do you have any piece of advice for your students coming from your or your childrens’ experience?

I wish they could remove the stress from student’s lives, so that they can focus on learning as much as they can and not always think about college and trying to fit in.

Who is your inspiration?

This is going to sound really really corny but I have to tell you my mother. My mother also was at home, raised us, and went back to work. And she’s 80 and she’s still driving and going strong and in good health, she is an inspiration.

Valentina rojas can be contacted at [email protected]