Get to know Social Studies Department Chair Brian Nichols!

Brian Nichols joined the Marymount family five years ago, and today finds himself at the helm of our Social Studies Department.  Beyond his signature wall of postcards and enriching approach to teaching our girls about history, we thought there might be a few other interesting facts about this Department Chair lurking under the surface.  Read on to learn more about Brian as we check in with him to see how the year is going!

Where are you from?
Valencia, CA
 
Where did you go to College/Graduate School?
B.S., Western Baptist College, Secondary Education: Social Studies
M.Ed., University of La Verne, Educational Management
 
Are there any courses you are particularly excited about this year?
We are offering a new course this year called “AP Comparative Government and Politics.” We wanted to add a course to our curriculum for upperclassmen that would broaden their perspectives, helping them to see how global politics and issues impact their worlds.  This class gives our older students a place to build on the foundation of their prior social studies classes, diving deeper than ever before into the world around them, and challenging themselves to see both historical and current events from a much broader standpoint. 
 
Are there any assignments/projects that our students are excited about this year?
There are definitely some perennial favorites across our Department – one that many students talk about is the ‘Mock Senate’ exercise we complete in the US Government class. First, students research an assigned controversial topic and then pick a side to debate against another student.  Once debates are completed, the class becomes 'The Senate’ and votes on the topic at hand.  This exercise helps our girls go beyond simply learning about an issue – it helps them internalize it and understand it from many different points of view, which ultimately makes it more personal and meaningful to them.   
 
Our US History students also really enjoy the Family History project, which gives each student the opportunity to research her family’s generational history in depth.  Art History students greatly benefit from our proximity to the Getty Villa allowing them to truly make the city their classroom each fall.
 
Life can get pretty busy here. How do you and your department stay so cheerful all the time?
We definitely bond over food!  Our department is full of “foodies,” so we’ve committed to a new tradition, “Foodie Friday” where we take turns providing breakfast for everyone else in the department and take time to bond and share a meal together. We also make it a point to go out to a different restaurant around town each semester to try it out for dinner all together.  These traditions have served as a nice “glue” for our department and it is exciting to see how it has helped our collaboration as a team overall!
 
Besides being Department Chair and AP US Government teacher, what else do you do on campus?
I am the advisor for the student government team and activities program at Marymount.  We organize dances, spirit week and First Friday activities.  Being involved in these pieces of student life outside of the classroom has helped me get to know and bond with my students in new ways – it’s wonderful to see how they grow not just as students, but also as friends and leaders to their fellow peers.
 
Are there any fun facts we should know about you?
I have to duck when I go through just about every doorway on campus since I am 6’8”!
Also, I am ridiculously organized, so the girls often make fun of me for having special places for every single item on my desk.
 
What is your favorite thing about teaching at an all-girls school?
The confidence that our girls exude on a daily basis continues to impress me.  They are not afraid to share their thoughts and really want to be heard – this serves them well in my classes, but beyond that, I know it will serve them well in chapters ahead!
 
What do you appreciate most about Marymount students?
I love that even after five years of teaching at Marymount, I never get tired of hearing the girls say “thank you” as they leave the classroom. 
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