{"id":1150,"date":"2025-01-24T15:18:15","date_gmt":"2025-01-24T15:18:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wcsu.edu\/success-stories\/?p=1150"},"modified":"2025-01-24T15:25:45","modified_gmt":"2025-01-24T15:25:45","slug":"trusting-her-instincts-and-powers-of-observation-adds-up-to-recognition-as-new-milfords-teacher-of-the-year-for-alumna-colleen-peterson","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wcsu.edu\/success-stories\/2025\/01\/24\/trusting-her-instincts-and-powers-of-observation-adds-up-to-recognition-as-new-milfords-teacher-of-the-year-for-alumna-colleen-peterson\/","title":{"rendered":"Trusting her instincts and powers of observation adds up to recognition as New Milford\u2019s Teacher of the Year for alumna Colleen Peterson"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Colleen

2025 New Milford Teacher of the Year Colleen Peterson<\/p><\/div>\n

Often, great teachers possess not only the ability to successfully transmit ideas and information, but also the ability to observe and uncover a student\u2019s true strengths. Recent New Milford Teacher of the Year<\/a> Colleen Peterson, a Western Connecticut State University<\/a> 2002 Bachelor of Science in Justice and Law Administration<\/a> graduate, 2005 Teaching Certificate earner and 2014 Master of Science in Education<\/a> alumna, has these powers of observation and ended up where she is today thanks, in part, to the powers of observation of one of her WestConn professors.<\/p>\n

Peterson, who lived in Stratford and moved to New Fairfield at age 16, attended Lauralton Hall, a private high school in Milford. \u201cLauralton really pushed college,\u201d Peterson said. \u201cI was going to be the first generation in my family to go to college and I really didn\u2019t know what I wanted to study. I applied early decision to the University of Vermont, but they offered no financial aid, so I applied to WestConn and was accepted and able to live on campus.\u201d<\/p>\n

Unsure of her path, Peterson said she \u201cbounced around a lot\u201d in different subject areas, but was frequently drawn to criminology classes, where she met Professor of Justice and Law Administration Dr. Casey Jordan.<\/p>\n

\"Colleen

Colleen Peterson in her New Milford High School Classroom.<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cColleen was one of those students who distinguished herself early as not just a determined student, but a dedicated learner,\u201d Jordan said. \u201cShe was one of the very first majors in our Criminology track, and she established the Criminology Club and recruited a dozen students in our first meeting. Together, we not only went to academic conferences, participated in Clubs Carnival and sponsored many guest speakers, but under Colleen\u2019s leadership we did a lot for the community: she spearheaded holiday baskets for the families who lost loved ones in the 9\/11 attacks in New York City, and collected food for Thanksgiving baskets for the families of the victims of a serial killer in Poughkeepsie.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jordan continued, \u201cColleen was an excellent student and born leader, but she was also one of the hardest working humans I\u2019ve ever met. She filled every moment of every day with purpose:\u00a0 when she wasn\u2019t in class, studying, writing papers, organizing club activities, she was working, and working hard. She put herself through college with waitressing, babysitting, teaching swimming lessons, working at an antiques gallery \u2014 anything necessary to meet a challenge.\u201d<\/p>\n

After graduating with a bachelor\u2019s degree in Justice and Law Administration, Peterson enrolled in a master\u2019s program in Criminology at another CSCU institution, but did not enjoy it and dropped out. She applied for jobs at local police departments and at the Federal Correctional Institution in Danbury, but \u201cnothing spoke to me,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\"Colleen

(l-r): Colleen Peterson, White collar crime expert Jay Albanese, WestConn student Sue Laiuppa, Mercyhurst College Professor Dr. Peter Benekos, WestConn Professor of Justice and Law Administration Dr. Casey Jordan, and criminology textbook author Frank Hagan at a 2001 Criminology Conference in Atlanta that WestConn’s Criminology Club attended.<\/p><\/div>\n

Fortunately for her, Peterson\u2019s connection to her professor remained, and during an antiques shopping trip together, Peterson asked Jordan her thoughts on what she should do with her degree. \u201cIt turns out, Casey had overheard me helping other students with a math problem. She suggested I was great at it and should consider becoming a math teacher. After my initial shock, I decided that Casey knew me well and that I trusted her.\u201d<\/p>\n

Peterson enrolled in WestConn\u2019s Math Teacher Certification program in 2003. \u201cI had to take almost 30 math credits because I only had my gen-ed math requirements from my first time through,\u201d she said. \u201cI took a 19-credit semester in spring 2004 (16 of those credits were math), and a 23-credit semester in fall 2004, and completed a total of 68 in two years to complete the requirements for the certification-only program\u201d she said. \u201cI got my math certification in 2005, did my student teaching at New Milford High School, and they hired me before I even finished my student teaching.\u201d<\/p>\n

With a 20-year career as a math teacher at New Milford High School, Peterson said she is honored by the Teacher of the Year recognition, but what is most important to her is the impact she has had on her students. \u201cHearing from former students who were interviewed by the newspaper about my award was the best Christmas present for me,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Peterson shared her favorite memory, which took place when she was a second-year teacher. \u201cI overheard a student helping another student, and like Casey had done with me, I told her she would be a great math teacher. The student had previously had unpleasant experiences with math, and as a result said she \u2018hated\u2019 math and wanted to be a Spanish teacher. I kept working on her, and she finally said the only way she\u2019d be a math teacher was if she could do her student teaching with me. So, I got certified to take student teachers, my student went to WestConn to get her Secondary Education \u2013 Math degree, and she student-taught in my classroom. She went on to get her master\u2019s degree and is now the department head at a middle school in Ridgefield and is in her 11th<\/sup> year of teaching. She\u2019s phenomenal and will be a Teacher of the Year herself someday.\u201d<\/p>\n

Peterson continued, \u201cI love students like her who think they\u2019re not good at math. I like being able to change their mind, and I think anyone can learn math with enough time and patience. It\u2019s most meaningful to me when I see that something \u2018clicks\u2019 for them. I can appreciate the student struggle because I remember struggling myself.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Colleen

Colleen Peterson in her New Milford High School classroom.<\/p><\/div>\n

What has worked for her, Peterson said, has been emulating the teaching styles of the faculty at WestConn. \u201cThe Math Department<\/a> is phenomenal,\u201d she said. \u201cDr. David Burns, Dr. Amanda Lubell, Dr. Chuck Rocca \u2014 they really helped me become who I am now. The classes were small, I got to know my professors, and all of them went above and beyond to individualize what I needed as a student. I was more than just a face \u2014 I was a person. They really helped support me to get to where I am today.\u201d<\/p>\n

And of course, Peterson\u2019s enduring friendship with her Criminology professor, Casey Jordan, continues to impact her life.<\/p>\n

Jordan said, \u201cI know that she didn\u2019t get any math skills from me during her time as a Criminology student, but I\u2019d like to think she got her \u2018tough but fair\u2019 approach to teaching from me. It\u2019s a reputation that any educator should be proud to have, and if you really care about your students, it is the best compliment ever!\u201d<\/p>\n

Being named Teacher of the Year has not changed Peterson\u2019s desire to stay in the classroom to help everyone from the students who are struggling the most to those who take to math easily. \u201cMy claim to fame is working with a colleague at New Milford High School to start the Math Honor Society,\u201d she said. \u201cWe started with only six students and it was up to over 100 students at one time. I\u2019ve met a lot of great students and have taught a lot of remedial students and love changing their opinion about math.\u201d<\/p>\n

In addition to her duties at New Milford High School, Peterson also serves as an adjunct instructor in WestConn\u2019s Math Department and says she loves teaching at WestConn. \u201cI\u2019m teaching Math 120 \u2013 Statistics, and I get to focus on content and work directly with students. What I\u2019m really looking forward to is piloting an Early College Credit partnership between New Milford High School and WestConn that will allow New Milford students to get WestConn credit for Math 120. It\u2019s very exciting.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Western Connecticut State University changes lives by providing all students with a high-quality education that fosters their growth as individuals, scholars, professionals and leaders in a global society. Our vision: To be widely recognized as a premier public university with outstanding teachers and scholars who prepare students to contribute to the world in a meaningful way.<\/em><\/p>\n

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Often, great teachers possess not only the ability to successfully transmit ideas and information, but also the ability to observe and uncover a student\u2019s true strengths. Recent New Milford Teacher of the Year Colleen Peterson, a Western Connecticut State University …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":41,"featured_media":1152,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"wds_primary_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[8,33,6],"class_list":["post-1150","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-success-stories","tag-jla","tag-mathematics","tag-success-stories"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wcsu.edu\/success-stories\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1150","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wcsu.edu\/success-stories\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wcsu.edu\/success-stories\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wcsu.edu\/success-stories\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/41"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wcsu.edu\/success-stories\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1150"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.wcsu.edu\/success-stories\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1150\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wcsu.edu\/success-stories\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1152"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wcsu.edu\/success-stories\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1150"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wcsu.edu\/success-stories\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1150"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wcsu.edu\/success-stories\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1150"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}