From self-proclaimed “bad kid” to high school English teacher to everything in between, what makes Danny Pecoraro “Mr. Pec?” When you ask around, most students will tell you that their favorite teachers earned the title because of their big and fun personalities, or even their niceness. That is not the case for Pecoraro.
He seems to take a new approach to teaching, being as open as he can with students while still maintaining a calm and collected persona. “It was easy to focus in his class. He’s understanding and patient, and he’s very clear with what he teaches,” sophomore Liv Resnick said.
Building and maintaining a stress-free classroom environment is important to Pecoraro. “I try to make sure that I’m rigorous in the classroom. I don’t think that has to be a stressful, high stakes, terrifying situation. Student’s learn best when they’re comfortable and calm, so it doesn’t mean throwing out pop quizzes and bringing back short deadlines, it doesn’t help me do what I need to do in here,” Pecoraro said.
In turn, Pecoraro was always an avid reader growing up, working in any English department was a huge possibility and opportunity as well. “I was an avid reader growing up, I was put in advanced classes. I remember having a bookshelf of Hardy Boys that I would read through all the time. In high school I started reading a lot of 60s counterculture, beat generation, those types of things,” Pecoraro said.
Another aspect that students enjoy about Pecararo is his fashion style. Sophomore Liv Resnick believes that style can create an enjoyable and more comfortable environment in the classroom. “Pec has a really good distinct style. He wears old-fashioned flannels and glasses, and it gives English class some really good energy,” Resnick said.
Pecoraro pledges to give students enough of his own life. Students can remember how he brings his own life and real stories to the classroom and finds ways to relate his past stories to the books and assignments. Sophomore Peyton Higgins recalls how Pecoraro would tell her class on the first day of school that he was going to be straightforward and honest with them about his own life. “He’s so open with his students, I really liked how interesting all his stories were. My favorite was how he told us that he used to live in Hawaii before he moved back here,” sophomore Peyton Higgins said.
Pecoraro also doesn’t shy away from getting to know his students. He’s found a quicker and easier way to get to know everyone, even the quieter kids in the classroom: role call. Pecoraro emphasizes student engagement, whether that be one on one or with the whole class. When in Hawaii, one of his coworkers would take attendance by asking for a little fun fact such as ‘favorite food’ or ‘favorite color.’ “It’s a really good way to wake kids up, get them engaged in class, get them talking. Some kids will go for an entire day in class without saying a word, and you also get to meet them. It gives them a chance to show their personality a little bit with these random little trivial questions. Sometimes they’re deep and sometimes they’re silly,” Pecoraro said.
