Bryony Kinnear is joining SDA’s math department this year. Before coming to SDA, she taught at various schools in the San Diego area, teaching mainly algebra and geometry. Kinnear attended UC San Diego and studied math combined with secondary education, and minored in dance.

When asked what convinced her to study math, she said, “My ninth grade math teacher was a very interesting guy; totally not what you would expect a math teacher to be like. But he was silly and would sing songs to help us remember different ways to do algebra. He made an impact on me because it wasn’t about being the fastest anymore; it was about whether you understood how to get to your answer and if you could work through it.” She also said that she became interested in matrices and that steered her towards the pathway of mathematics.

Now that she’s teaching, Kinnear said that she wants to help her students enjoy math and learn as much as possible, because she feels that many people have a negative attitude towards the subject.

She’s also looking forward to attending one of SDA’s biggest traditions: Exhibition Day. “I really like when [students] show [their talents],” she said.

She also mentioned that she is a dancer in addition to being a math teacher. In high school, she used it as a mental break between her school responsibilities. Now that she’s a teacher, she wants to form a dance homeroom for any students who are interested in dance.

After being at SDA for almost two weeks, Kinnear is enjoying the atmosphere of the school. “The students here are awesome,” she said. “This is the best community possible. I really like this area and everyone here is happy and easygoing. It’s just a really enjoyable place.”