This year, the history department welcomed Scott Boddery, a civics teacher whose background in college-level political science is bringing fresh insight to the classroom every day. While new to the high school, Mr. Boddery brings experience from higher education, having taught at Davidson College and Gettysburg College. This year he is teaching civics, a required history class for seniors that focuses on past and current events in the American government.
After nearly a decade teaching political science at the college level, Mr. Boddery decided it was time for a change.
“It had a lot to do with my love of being in the classroom, but also my love of the Island,” Mr. Boddery said.
“My family and I visited [the Island] for about a decade, and I was able to, I think at a fairly young age, be partially retired,” he said.
Although moving from a college campus to a high school might seem like a big shift, Mr. Boddery says the transition has felt natural. A long history with AP curriculum helped bridge the gap: “I’ve graded the ‘AP Government’ test for years, so I’ve been familiar with the high school curriculum for a long while. The MVRHS civics class mirrors the way I’ve taught ‘Political Science 101’ to college freshmen,” he said.
At MVRHS, Mr. Boddery has created a classroom culture of conversation and exploration. He encourages students to share their opinions, and think critically about how the government affects everyday life: “Teaching ‘American Government’ nowadays is a delicate thing to do, so I think more than anything, what I look for is a place where people can ask honest questions about the craziness that we are going through right now,” he said.
For Mr. Boddery, teaching is something of a family tradition: “Both my mom and sister are career high school teachers, so I guess you could say it sort of runs in the family,” he said. “When they heard about my decision to move to the Island, and that I’d be joining the MVRHS staff, they were both pretty excited.”
Senior Freya Stearns said she appreciates his engaging teaching style: “He’s a really good teacher. He has a good connection with his students. He comes around and helps everyone, which makes me much more comfortable than going up to his desk for help.”
She added that his lessons often work to make civics feel very relevant. “He shows us real-world examples, like when we did a ‘fake news or real news’ activity. It’s stuff that is going on today,” she said.
Senior Walter Prescott, who is also taking civics this year, described the class experience as a refreshing change from the typical high school classroom. “He’s very laid-back. He wants you to know the key events, but then asks for your opinion. A lot of it is up for your interpretation, which makes [the class] feel real,” Walter said.
He also noted that Mr. Boddery’s personality is a major part of the experience: “He’s got really good energy. He’s always positive and vibrant. You can tell he just likes to teach, and he’s not faking anything. That makes it really easy to connect with him.”
After joining the staff, Mr. Boddery has taken on the roles of advanced placement coordinator and AP course audit administrator for the school. History Department Chair Ena Thulin believes that Mr. Boddery is likely to expand his involvement in future years. The history department plans to offer “AP Government” and “AP Comparative Politics” courses next year, with Mr. Boddery as the instructor.
Mr. Boddery’s goal in teaching civics is to understand how democracy works in practice. “I hope students come away with the ability to think critically about what’s happening in American politics,” he said. “To make sense of it, to ask questions, and to think beyond the first blush — that’s the real goal.” HSV
