"Working with Ms. Kivisto was an incredible gift. She encouraged me to move out of my comfort zone and worked with the material in such a way that truly encouraged mastery—not just basic understanding—of the topics we covered together in AP Calculus AB. Because of her clear passion for math, I felt myself and my peers begin to develop that same passion and a new excitement for learning the material as we moved through different topics. She was always clear and helpful when I asked questions and delivered the material in a way that was easy to understand, even when the areas of study were very challenging. She encouraged a true understanding of the material. Ms. Kivisto taught me to persevere when confronted with difficulty and, because of her teaching, I now know I can and will conquer the difficult problems, both in math and life. Ms. Kivisto helped me learn from my mistakes and encouraged me in my strengths. It was an honor to have her as a teacher and I encourage you to consider working with her as your teacher as well." Alicia, student
"I had the privilege to be one of Ms. Kivisto's students my senior year of High school. Throughout the school year I went to see Ms. Kivisto outside of class, for tutoring on anything math related, which was very unique. Ms. Kivisto made sure that if you were willing to put in the work you will see the benefit in the understanding of the material. Throughout my career as a student, I have had plenty of experience being taught one on one with a teacher; however she was able to simplify the most complicated of problems. Ms. Kivisto would break up problems into multiple parts and then help me bring all the parts of the problem back together to get a final answer.
During the school year the general consensus was that Ms. Kivisto was the best math teacher we ever had, because even for kids that always did poorly in math they saw their grades and understanding for math improve, and not because she was going easy on us. Ms. Kivisto was able to relay the information in such a simple way it was like we were not in a very complicated math class. Ms. Kivisto will go out of her way to make time, so that you are able to learn the material. The reason why I think she was so successful at our school was because she understood, what it was like to be a high school student.
I would highly, without hesitation, recommend Ms. Kivisto because I learned first hand from her. I was able to find interest in the subject, which would otherwise be mind-numbing and tiring. Ms. Kivisto is hands-down the best math teacher I have ever had, and I was just one of many that thought this way." Alex, student
"Before taking Ms. Kivisto's Precalculus class, math was frustrating and unenjoyable for me. Ms. Kivisto helped reignite my passion for math, making it one of my favorite subjects. Ms. Kivisto goes above and beyond to ensure that every student understands the concepts. Her passion for math is evident, and it comes through in her teaching. When a teacher is as passionate as Ms. Kivisto, it is almost impossible for the students not to feel the same passion. She is passionate not only about math, but about her students’ success, which she places as an ultimate priority. She is patient, understanding, and extremely dedicated. I would frequently visit Ms. Kivisto outside of class, and she would welcome all of my questions, explaining concepts and problems until I understood the material. When Ms. Kivisto explained something, it made sense to me, a talent that only the best of teachers have the ability of achieving. I am so incredibly lucky to have had Ms. Kivisto as a teacher, and I cannot speak highly enough of her." a student
"I've sincerely enjoyed learning from you, Ms. Kivisto! I believe you helped me learn the values of perseverance and self-advocacy, and helped me discover a certain confidence with Precalculus. Thank you so much for helping me thrive as a student and grow as a person." A.B., student
“Although I did not have the pleasure of meeting Ms. Kivisto more than a few times, I could see from my daughter’s growing strength and confidence in math that Ms. Kivisto was the catalyst for this process. She is extremely bright, patient with her students, and excellent at breaking down difficult concepts into understandable steps. She is a born teacher who knows how to get right to business with her students, set a high bar, at the same time instilling confidence in their math skills while infusing plenty of caring, compassion, and support along the way. Not one to use teacher’s guides in the back of her teaching texts, Ms. Kivisto completes each problem first so it is fresh in her mind for teaching it in the most helpful and relevant way. Ms. Kivisto is a once in a lifetime math teacher - one each student should have the privilege of working with. She has utmost faith in her students’ abilities to excel in math, while instilling the relevance of utilizing these useful skills on an everyday basis. I cannot recommend her more highly. " a parent of a high school student
Ruth is able to simplify the most complicated of problems. She breaks problems into multiple parts and then helps me bring all the parts of the problem back together to get a final answer."
