November Teacher Feature: Mr. Pechanach

Photos provided by Robert Pechanach.

Evan Rosenau and Sienna Kenney

Robert Pechanach has been a teacher at our very own Hamilton High School for 25 years, which is the only place he has taught in his teaching career. Prior to coming to Hamilton, he attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison where he got his undergraduate degree in International Relations before getting his teaching certification at Carroll University, and then his Master’s Degree in History from Cardinal Stritch University. Outside of teaching, Mr. Pechanach has two children who graduated from Hamilton; one now attends Lawrence University in Appleton and the other attends the University of Michigan. He has also been married to his wife for 25 years (whom he credits as the “real brains behind the whole outfit”). As for hobbies, Mr. Pechanach enjoys listening to music, especially live music and even playing it himself on the guitar, collecting and watching old movies, and sports such as college basketball and football.

Keep reading to learn more about Mr. Pechanach!

What would students be surprised to know about you?

Two things I use to de-stress: I still read a few comic books a week—mindless, quick fun. And I grew up with Legos—I love the fact that they’re producing kits for “adults.” (I have a few of the city sets and a big Apollo rocket at home. Also, my family got me the Friends apartment and coffee shop sets a few years ago.)

Describe yourself in one sentence.

I think I’m way cooler than I am—as my students and my own children would be quick to tell me. But that’s OK—I know in reality that I’m a huge nerd and comfortable with it.

If you won 100 million dollars, what would you buy first?

A chartered jet to fly anywhere in the world any time I wanted (see below).

What would your perfect room/classroom look like?

Class would start in a chartered airplane, which I would use to preview the lesson on the place we’d be flying to and experience in-person that day.

If you could meet anyone in history, who would it be and why?

Ugh, tough question—so many to choose from. I’d love to say Theodore Roosevelt because he was pretty hardcore, but I think he’d give me about five minutes of his time before he rushed off to whatever next thing caught his attention.

What Crayola Crayon color are you? (The more specific the better!)

Cardinal Red. (I’m not sure if that’s a real Crayola color, but I’m sticking with it because it’s the Badgers’ official color.)

Are there more wheels or more doors in the world?

More physical wheels but more metaphorical doors… (deep thought, hey?)

If you could teach any other subject, what would it be?

This is it. I’m a history teacher—it’s what I was meant to do. If not teaching, I’d be doing something else in history.

What's your favorite age group to teach (freshman, sophomore, etc)?

I honestly like all four ages for different reasons: It’s nice to have freshmen who are starting to figure out what high school is all about; by sophomore year, things are starting to click and students get more committed to academics and get better at preparing and studying; upperclassmen are nice because I can get into more complex topics at a little deeper level with them.

What’s your favorite place on earth?

There’s no single one—I love the Terrace at the Memorial Union in Madison; I love the mountains and national parks around the country; Walt Disney World will always be special to me because of the memories I’ve made with my family there, and anywhere that my family and I get to spend time together is fine with me.

Would you rather: meet your future self, or go back in time and talk with your past self? Why?

I like to joke around that if anybody ever invented a time machine, I’d use it to go find my late-teenage self so I could give myself a kick in the pants and tell myself, “Grow up, stop goofing around, and get to work! This stuff isn’t that hard!” (I suffered from a dose of general laziness and lack of focus in my first several years of college.)

What got you interested in teaching?

My wife pushed me into it—she knew I was unhappy with what I was doing and as she got to know me, realized how much I liked talking about history and learning new things on my own. She noticed a program that Carroll was running for adult learners and went to the orientation with me.

How do you think students will remember you or your class?

I hope my students leave my classroom feeling like I cared about them and their ability to learn and that the things they learned in my class are valuable far beyond any test they took.

What book or movie would you recommend to your students?

Depends—tell me what topic you’re interested in and I’ll give you a book or movie that I love about that topic! Currently reading a book (Everybody Loves Our Town) about the history of ‘90s grunge that is a must for music fans.

What fictional character best represents you?

I’d love to say Indiana Jones, but he’s way too cool, so… who was Nicolas Cage’s character in the National Treasure flicks? (Still too cool? Then the nerdy guy from the Librarian show.)

What is your favorite TV show? Movie?

I love movies—especially old movies—so I have a lot of favorites: The Great Escape; The Searchers; The Godfather parts I & II; Raiders of the Lost Ark; the original Star Wars trilogy; old Mel Brooks comedies; pre-war rom-coms with actors like James Stewart, Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant; Hitchcock movies; etc. Favorite depends on the day and the mood. I watch a lot of the Turner Classic Movies channel. Drives my wife crazy. :-D

Favorite TV shows: I can rewatch Parks & Rec a thousand times; The West Wing, The Good Place, Mad Men, Band of Brothers

Is there anything you wish you would’ve known as a first year teacher?

Kids will respect you a lot more and value your class if you know what you’re doing; give them structure, control the classroom, inspire them to learn, and learn they will—far more than if you try to be their buddy, best friend, or favorite teacher.