While Susan Kvicala was pursuing her Master’s of Education at Georgia State University, she completed her practicum at Ridgeview Middle School. During that time, Susan Kvicala developed the “Math Connections” program in order to provide support for at-risk students at all three grade levels. The program was so successful that Susan Kvicala was asked to continue the concept after she completed her degree and became a teacher at Griffin Middle School.

At Griffin Middle School, Susan Kvicala found herself in a more traditional classroom setting, but she was still able to adapt the Math Connections concept to fit the needs of her new students. Over the next seven years, Susan Kvicala was able to teach students better math skills through this program. Griffin Middle School still uses the program in order to make sure that all of their students are able to pass their math classes.

Susan Kvicala believes that Math Connections has been so successful because it offers a more unique approach to math. “Most of my students have only been exposed to one teaching method in their math classes,” comments Susan Kvicala. “When I introduced Math Connections, many of them are able to understand challenging math concepts for the first time. It’s always rewarding to see a student realize that he or she can in fact be successful in a math class.”

It’s not surprising that Susan Kvicala has a unique approach to teaching. As a dancer and choreographer, Susan Kvicala has had an entire career apart from teaching middle school students. Susan Kvicala is a former dance instructor at the Georgia Dance Conservatory. Teaching dance allows Susan Kvicala to instruct students in a more creative atmosphere, which allows her to gain alternative perspectives on how to teach.

Susan Kvicala believes that her two different teaching careers are actually complementary of each other. “In the end, teaching math and teaching ballet requires similar basic skills from an instructor,” comments Susan Kvicala. “In both settings, the teacher must find creative ways to connect with students and communicate complex concepts. I hope that I can continue to inspire both my ballet students and my math students for years to come.”