The Russian School of Mathematics (RSM) is an after-school program based in North America that provides

mathematics education In contemporary education, mathematics education—known in Europe as the didactics or pedagogy of mathematics—is the practice of teaching, learning, and carrying out Scholarly method, scholarly research into the transfer of mathematical know ...

to children attending K–12 public and private schools. The school provides children with the opportunity to advance in

mathematics Mathematics is a field of study that discovers and organizes methods, Mathematical theory, theories and theorems that are developed and Mathematical proof, proved for the needs of empirical sciences and mathematics itself. There are many ar ...

beyond the traditional school curriculum. The founder of RSM is Inessa Rifkin and the co-founder is Irina Khavinson. The focus of RSM is primary school mathematics. The high school level classes offer preparation for standardized tests such as the

SAT The SAT ( ) is a standardized test widely used for college admissions in the United States. Since its debut in 1926, its name and Test score, scoring have changed several times. For much of its history, it was called the Scholastic Aptitude Test ...

SAT II SAT Subject Tests were a set of multiple-choice standardized tests given by The College Board on individual topics, typically taken to improve a student's credentials for college admissions in the United States. For most of their existence, from ...

, and AP exams. Each class usually involves intensive reinforcement of topics using many examples and

exercise Exercise or workout is physical activity that enhances or maintains fitness and overall health. It is performed for various reasons, including weight loss or maintenance, to aid growth and improve strength, develop muscles and the cardio ...

s. Accompanied by classwork, all students are given

homework Homework is a set of tasks assigned to students by their teachers to be completed at home. Common homework assignments may include required reading, a writing or typing project, Exercise (mathematics), math problems to be completed, informatio ...

to reinforce what they have learned.

History

According to the official website, Inessa Rifkin (born in

Minsk, Belarus Minsk (, ; , ) is the capital and largest city of Belarus, located on the Svislach and the now subterranean Niamiha rivers. As the capital, Minsk has a special administrative status in Belarus and is the administrative centre of Minsk region ...

) and Irina Khavinson (born in

Chernigov, Ukraine Chernihiv (, ; , ) is a List of cities in Ukraine, city and List of hromadas of Ukraine, municipality in northern Ukraine, which serves as the administrative center of Chernihiv Oblast and Chernihiv Raion within the oblast. Chernihiv's populatio ...

) left the

USSR The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...

in search of a better life for their children. Together, they created a math education program based on quality and depth. According to the website, they "Sparked a Movement." In 1997, the first class was held at Ms. Rifkin's kitchen table, also said to be in her living room, outside of Boston, Massachusetts. Russian School of Math BPC 2023 jeh

Locations

The after-school mathematics program was originally established in

Boston Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...

, inside Inessa Rifkin's living room. Since then, the school has expanded to include more than 75 schools in the US and

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

, as well as online programs. RSM also runs an overnight camp in

Sunapee, New Hampshire Sunapee is a town in Sullivan County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 3,342 at the 2020 census. The town is home to part of Lake Sunapee and includes the village of Georges Mills. History Like many other towns, Sunapee we ...

Controversy

On March 20, 2022 the cofounder Inessa Rifkin posted in the private RSM Summer Camp Facebook page stating:

Ukraine had a choice of surrender peacefully with min human casualties and min property loss to Putin. President Zelensky made a choice to fight back. He is risking not only his own life but by now thousands of civilians already lost their lives, among them a lot of children. On top of it almost 3,000,000 people become refugees. Theoretically one could argue that President Zelensky also, not only Putin, is responsible for human suffering. Was he right? Did he have a right to decide for other people’s children?

Rifkin has since elaborated on the statement on her facebook page, saying that this question was intentionally written in a provocative way not to express a view point, but to spark debate within the camp, and is similar to other questions about provocative topics such as Israel and the Holocaust asked in the past.

References

External links

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"A Russian solution to U.S. problem"
(

Boston Globe ''The Boston Globe,'' also known locally as ''the Globe'', is an American daily newspaper founded and based in Boston, Massachusetts. The newspaper has won a total of 27 Pulitzer Prizes. ''The Boston Globe'' is the oldest and largest daily new ...

article) {{DEFAULTSORT:Russian School of Mathematics Private schools in Massachusetts Schools in Middlesex County, Massachusetts Russian-American culture in Massachusetts Educational institutions established in 1997 1997 establishments in Massachusetts