Skip to main content
Character

Cougar Queries: "Coaching basketball inspired me to become a teacher."

Name: Blake Peterson

BYU employee since: 1996

My job at BYU is… a professor of Mathematics Education. Simply, I teach mathematics and teach teachers how to teach mathematics.

Blake Peterson
Photo by Todd Wakefield/BYU Photo


I’m currently working on… Studying how to teach teachers to recognize teachable moments and how to effectively use those moments to help everyone in the class better understand the mathematics at hand.

Being an assistant basketball coach as a high school senior after being cut from the team ...sparked my interest in being a teacher. Coaching was fun and I liked mathematics so when I started college I thought, “Why not become a mathematics teacher?”

My advise to incoming freshman is… Work hard because success in college is much more about working hard than about your performance in high school or your performance on the ACT/SAT.

My advise to graduating seniors is… When selecting your first job, do so with an eye to the future and how that experience may help you in subsequent career or education choices.

When I have 30 minutes of free time, you can find me… Riding my mountain bike in Maple Canyon with my wife.

My favorite spot on campus is... the Marriott Center …because… I like listening to Devotionals and watching basketball games.

The title of my autobiography would be… When You Work, Work Hard. When You Play, Play Hard.

I’m most looking forward to… Playing with my grandchildren as they get older.

My most embarrassing moment was when… I agreed to speak at a stake priesthood meeting and I forgot to go.

Blake Peterson
Photo by Todd Wakefield/BYU Photo

Related Articles

overrideBackgroundColorOrImage= overrideTextColor= overrideTextAlignment= overrideCardHideSection=false overrideCardHideByline=true overrideCardHideDescription=false overridebuttonBgColor= overrideButtonText= overrideTextAlignment=
overrideBackgroundColorOrImage= overrideTextColor= overrideTextAlignment= overrideCardHideSection=false overrideCardHideByline=true overrideCardHideDescription=false overridebuttonBgColor= overrideButtonText= overrideTextAlignment=
overrideBackgroundColorOrImage= overrideTextColor= overrideTextAlignment= overrideCardHideSection=false overrideCardHideByline=true overrideCardHideDescription=false overridebuttonBgColor= overrideButtonText= overrideTextAlignment=
overrideBackgroundColorOrImage= overrideTextColor= overrideTextAlignment= overrideCardHideSection=false overrideCardHideByline=true overrideCardHideDescription=false overridebuttonBgColor= overrideButtonText=