In the classroom, the most valuable experiences are created by the educators who challenge and urge you to ask questions, all while providing a fun and engaging atmosphere. February’s staff of the month celebrates a teacher who does just that, the friendly face and source of history knowledge around campus that many know and love, Eric Dunham.

Born in upstate New York and later attending the State University of New York at Oswego, Dunham was initially unsure of what the future held for him as a history major. Although history was a subject that he enjoyed studying when receiving his undergraduate degree, the idea of teaching it came about unexpectedly.

“Teaching came to me as more of a surprise, I substituted on the side when I was in college but I wasn’t sure if I officially wanted to go into teaching. I ultimately decided to go into it because of the coaching aspect at first, but my studies prepared me for it because I later got my master’s degree in education,” Dunham said.

However, after deciding to commit to teaching, he was met with the daunting and impossible-to-navigate job search in New York, leading him to move and begin his career as an educator in North Carolina.

“It was 2007 and it was very difficult to get a teaching job where I grew up in New York. My parents’ family had moved here so I came down there with them,” Dunham said. “I subbed at West and applied for a job at the end of the school year, and I’ve been here ever since.”

Dunham has taught a range of classes during his time at West, but currently teaches AP World History and AP United States History (APUSH), two of the college-level courses that require much critical thought and analytical discussion. In order to be the most efficient when teaching these difficult courses, Dunham approaches the classroom with methods that he appreciated when he was a student.

“I thought back to my high school days and teachers, and I took the teachers that impacted me the most and I used the best traits of theirs and kind of combined them all. For example, I had a math teacher, and I don’t like math all that much, but he would tell personal stories sometimes and it helped me pay attention in class. I had other teachers who were very organized so I liked the structure of the class, and some were just funny in general. I took different traits from various teachers and applied them in my own classroom,” Dunham said.

Dunham is often known for his humorous and lighthearted approach when presenting difficult course material, creating a space in his classroom for open discussion and the opportunity to dive deeper into new subjects. He makes an effort to build a relationship with students and be a resource when needed, often lending a helping hand with writing their college or scholarship recommendation letters.

“I try to use my humor and friendly sarcasm to make things stick for students. I try not to get into the educational jargon stuff and I treat my students like people and make them laugh while we learn. Being both an educator and a resource is part of loving the job. I enjoy building a rapport with students and forming that kind of connection,” Dunham said.

With experience in teaching standard, honors and AP-level classes at West, Dunham has worked with students from each educational level. By working with students who learn and consume information at different paces, he has gained a long-lasting, valuable lesson from each class he has taught.

“My teaching experience has taught me one word: patience. I’ve become very patient in my life. The most rewarding part of it is probably teaching both of the extremes, with standard-level students and AP-level students who may be struggling with the coursework. I like to be challenged as a teacher, because in AP classes you have to try really hard to be successful, so it’s a good challenge to motivate students,” Dunham said.

In AP courses, students work all year in preparation for the final exam in May, which determines if they receive college credit for the course. The achievement of passing an AP exam is significant, and Dunham makes sure to commemorate this feat with his “Wall of Fame,” where the names of his students who have gotten 4’s and 5’s on the exam are proudly displayed.

“I thought it was a great idea to make students become self-motivated. Oftentimes I have siblings in my classes, so they will say ‘My brother’s on that wall, or my sister is on that wall, so I want to be there too.’ It kind of helps to immortalize a student,” Dunham said.

If students are considering taking an AP history course, Dunham recommends doing some research on the class, but will provide students with a rewarding year packed full of information that furthers their understanding of history.

“Before taking APUSH or AP World, I would advise that students talk to their peers first and they can help guide you in what kind of coursework to expect, but I am always available to help as well. In my classes, students can expect history mixed with a little bit of excitement and laughter,” Dunham said.

The Staff Member of the Month title celebrates the teachers who put significant effort towards aiding their students’ learning while providing a positive classroom environment, which is exactly how Dunham approaches teaching, with his sentiment: “I want my students to know that I care.”