Everyday people file in and out of math teacher Roman Kosoy’s class. They learn mathematics, and leave, probably without a second thought about the things he’s been through and the interesting journey he has experienced in life.

Kosoy was born in Ukraine, known as the Soviet Union at the time, where he spent 37 years of his life. He studied math at Odessa State University in his native city and received his Master degree in Mathematics. When he was a high school student, he won the republic math competition and placed second in the Soviet Union. In 1983, he won the nation-wide mathematics contest on problem solving, which was organized by the journal Mathematics and school. The contests were very interesting and he enjoyed competing among other people. Most of all, he loved the challenge.

After graduating from Odessa State University, he taught math at a high school in Ukraine for 15 years from 1977. However, in 1992, he left the country for a better life for him, his family, and most importantly, a better future for his son.

When Kosoy immigrated to the US, he had a limited knowledge of English. Naturally, without that knowledge, he wasn’t able to express himself as well, nor was he able to share everything he knew. Abraham Lincoln High School was his first employer. Instead of being hired as a teacher, he received a job as a paraprofessional for the English as a Second Language (ESL) department where he taught Russian-speaking students who also had language barriers preventing them from learning. Being amidst all the Russian speaking students and their parents helped him gradually learn English. He studied English at the College of San Mateo and in an adult school; his rigorous work helped him pick up the language quite easily. In 1996 he got his Calif. teaching credential. The biggest challenge for him was to pass the Calif. basic educational skills test. Fortunately, he passed the test, got his teaching credential and continued his teaching career in Abraham Lincoln High School.

Today, Kosoy’s students learn a lot from him.

“At first, I thought he [Kosoy] was hard to understand, but I gradually grasped what he was teaching and had no problem learning from him, he’s a great teacher,” one student said.

In addition to teaching, Kosoy loves music. He has been playing the guitar since he was 17, when his father gave him his first guitar as a gift for entering the university. He has one guitar at home, and one in school, which he plays it during class breaks to create a serene environment for the students, relieving them from the stress math is known to cause. His favorite rock groups are 70’s bands such as the Beatles and Led Zeppelin.

“I learned some of my English from the lyrics in songs by The Beatles,” Kosoy said. His other hobbies include spending time with his family, jogging, reading, and solving soduku puzzles.