Dr. Susan Durst joins Lick-Wilmerding High School’s math department this year, teaching Pre-Calculus and Honors Calculus. Originally from San Leandro, just south of Oakland, Dr. Durst credits her hometown as having “really spectacular diversity and some really spectacular access to arts.” That appreciation for a diverse community has continued to LWHS. “I love that you walk through this place and feel like you’re seeing a real slice of the Bay Area,” Dr. Durst said.
Dr. Durst discovered her passion for teaching while studying math in college. Although she enjoyed the subject itself, she found that explaining mathematical concepts to others was what she loved most. “The more I did math, the more I realized that the thing that I really enjoyed was explaining it,” Dr. Durst said. “If what you like is talking about math, there’s just no better job than teaching it.”
Before joining LWHS, Dr. Durst taught students in grade six through 12 at a private school, worked at and ran academic summer math camps, and taught at the University of Arizona for several years. Despite her years of experience, she continues to find new ways to engage with students in the classroom. “The same math that you present every single year becomes a totally different puzzle of how to explain it,” Dr. Durst said.
Outside the classroom, Dr. Durst keeps busy with an equally varied set of interests. She rock climbs with a women’s meetup at Mission Cliffs, sings with a karaoke crew once a month, and goes West Coast swing dancing every Tuesday. She also has an unusual talent: playing the piano behind her back, although she admits that her shoulder flexibility may not be what it was before.
As she settles into her first year at LWHS, Dr. Durst looks forward to getting to know her students beyond the classroom and learning the culture of a new school community. She also has a goal of learning the names of at least half the faculty. For students who are getting to know their math teacher, however, one thing is clear: “I am available for math questions,” Dr. Durst said.
For Dr. Durst, the appeal of the amazing LWHS community extends beyond the classroom. “This is a really special place where people are really good to each other, and that’s amazing,” she said.
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