History is boring. Dead white guys making decisions for everyone. For the past few years, however, students at Riverside have been lucky enough to have a teacher who made history fun: Andrew Markham.
Markham, who started at RHS in 2010, taught AP US History, Civics, and American History 1. While at Riverside, he taught over 1,000 students. He also served as the adviser of the Riverside Democrats Club and helped organize graduation.
In addition to teaching at Riverside, Markham was also a student. He graduated in 1995, and attended Wake Forest University, where he majored in history and minored in education.
As a teacher, Markham made lessons fun, by condensing long periods of history into 90 minute long, vaguely entertaining lectures. He also recorded lectures at home, which normally included his dog barking in the background.
Students also got to connect with him over social media, where he interacted with kids, parents, and the official Durham Public Schools Twitter account. He tweeted relatable memes, chatted with former students, and posted funny photos from his time at Riverside
While Markham is an old white guy, he’s not dead. He’s just at Panther Creek, which is basically the same thing. Markham, you are in our thoughts and our hearts. We miss you.
