Educator Of The Month: Christopher Kohl

Christopher Kohl has traveled the world, but he found a home at Severn School in Severna Park.

“Severn School’s philosophy and mission fit well with who I am as a teacher and as a person,” he said. “The school’s values — leadership, lifelong learning, character, community — are values that I share.”

Kohl currently teaches two subjects: AP Comparative Politics and AP U.S. Government and Politics. Those are informed by his unique life experiences.

He caught the travel bug early and did international consulting in college. Kohl spent one year in the Caribbean, writing business legislation and doing other tasks related to government. In 2005, he took a break from the corporate world and got his English teaching certificate, which he put to use in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

While he enjoyed his time in Buenos Aires, Kohl returned to the corporate world and continued to teach part-time until 2010 when he moved to Brazil, where he attended graduate school, earned a Brazilian secondary teaching certification, and subsequently taught at an International Baccalaureate (IB) school in São Paulo.

When his family decided to come back to the U.S., he learned of an opportunity in the upper school history department at Severn School. His wife had lived in the Washington, D.C. area, but he had little familiarity with Maryland.

“I had never been to Severna Park or anywhere in Maryland other than airports,” he said. “I joke that I arrived with 10 suitcases, a wife and two kids,” he said, adding that the decision instantly felt like the right choice.

For both of his classroom subjects, he likes to go beyond the course material and empower students to develop as thinkers and civic-minded citizens.

“I’m here to provide, as unbiased as I can, material to help their understanding of politics and government,” Kohl said. “If we’re looking at some (directorate), whether it is a prior or current administration, we look at it from a political scientist standpoint or strategist standpoint. We take out the party standpoint.

“We recently looked at the history of executive orders,” he said. “I had students look at previous executive orders and evaluate the constitutionality and what’s the impact and what are the branches of government. We looked at how the Supreme Court affects the direction of the country long-term.”

He described AP Comparative Politics as an international politics class.

“I’m looking to challenge some ideas or assumptions but in a way that is not singling out students but providing context,” he said. “It’s about understanding that sometimes there are more than two or three sides … so it’s looking at surrounding countries and globally as well, at all the stakeholders.”

In the classroom, Kohl helps students grow and feel confident. He has that same mission in mind as an assistant coach for the varsity swimming team.

“Severn is a special place because of having the support and great sense of collegiality here,” he said. “The school gives us a lot of opportunities and encourages teachers to attend sporting events and other school events,” he said, citing the school’s November production of Shakespeare’s “Macbeth” as an example. “When you show an interest in their interest, it translates to a more positive class environment.”

With the nature, amenities and people in the Severna Park-Annapolis area, Kohl feels fortunate to have settled here. He has two kids enrolled at Severn School as well.

Teaching is his passion, and he’s grateful for a career that allows him to encourage students to set high goals and to pursue them with their full potential.

“We invest a lot in kids, and we see that our support and guidance helps lead the students to success,” Kohl said. “It’s them doing the work, but you contribute to being part of that process and you don’t get that in many workplaces.”