Conner Peters – Social Studies
Meet Conner Peters, a social studies teacher here at WAHS. Mr. Peters started his career as a Civics and Economics teacher at Buford Middle School last year. He grew up in Amherst County, what he calls a “Friday Night Lights Town ” and lived in Los Angeles for a change of pace. In addition, he wanted to have a chance to experience something different. He had lived in VA his whole life and wanted a chance to explore the country. In November of 2020, he moved to Crozet to finish graduate school at UVA. Mr. Peters is very excited to share his passion for social studies with students at WAHS.
Q: What made you want to be a teacher?
A: That’s a big question! In a sentence, I’ll say it was a chance to impact the world around me in a more profound way. Also, I really love helping students find their passions and joys in life. So yeah, [it was a] combination of those two things.
Q: Were there any teachers that had inspired the decision to become a teacher?
A: My uncle’s a college professor and he helped me become more familiar with the idea of teaching and pushed me in that way. But when I was in high school, I had a government teacher named Ms. Farrell. She was the sweetest old lady, but she ran around and had more energy than anybody I had ever met in my entire life, to the point where we were in DC and she was walking faster than everybody going to see the monuments. She just taught in a very energetic and exciting way and it made me really enjoy history as a subject.
Q: What are some of your favorite things or aspects of Western so far?
A: I love the academic opportunities that students are given and the goals they set for themselves and strive for. I think that’s very important. I also love the community aspect of it, that so many students have known each other since elementary school and they are still friends now.
Q: What advice would you give to your younger self and why?
A: Oh that’s good! I’d probably tell my younger self that effort is more important than results. Focus on the processes rather than the outcomes.
Q: Was there any specific situation you were thinking about that this advice applies to?
A: Yes! As a high school student, well as a student in general, I was more concerned about the grades I got rather than learning the material, and looking back there were times where I may have gotten an A in the class and I didn’t necessarily learn as much as I could have because I was only focused on just cramming before the test. Whereas if I would have actually been process-oriented I would have wanted to learn the material more and gotten more engaged in it, rather than just cramming and trying to get the grade.
Q: What is something that you want your students to remember you by?
A: I think I want them to always know that they have a place in our school. I’ll say that I want students to know that in my class they are allowed to take risks. That’s it! They’re allowed to take risks and have the opportunity to make mistakes without being ridiculed for it.