Tyronna Hooker did not grow up dreaming to one day become a teacher.

In fact, as a student, Hooker did not excel in the classroom, nor did she enjoy school.  But as winner of North Carolina Teacher of the Year, Hooker shared in a forum open to the College of Education that she had no intentions of becoming an educator after graduating from high school in Elizabethtown, NC. 

Hooker went on instead to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice from North Carolina Central University, which led her to work with death row inmates in a ladies’ prison in Raleigh. There, Hooker realized that in many of her interactions with the inmates, often the missing piece in their lives was education. 

Hooker noticed a similar trend in her work as a probation officer, and yet again during her stint with child services. 

But it wasn’t until Hooker became a foster parent to a young male who accidentally fired the shot that killed his best friend that she realized how terrifying an experience school can be to youth. It was a very conscious decision to become an instrument of change that led Hooker to return to school for her teacher certification and enter what she deemed the “noblest profession of all”: education.

Currently teaching social studies and special education students at Graham Middle School in Alamance County, Hooker is motivated by the stories she heard in prison to establish the conditions for her at-risk students to become valued citizens. 

“I am the variable that matters in my classroom,” Hooker stated. She views it as her responsibility to create a safe and comfortable learning environment for the unique needs of every student, with consideration to their backgrounds and learning level. 

“Know each child’s story,” Hooker said. 

Her own constant struggle in school throughout adolescence has influenced her belief that every child has potential that can be unlocked. 

“I teach to change lives, and the one life I change will go on to affect thousands of lives more,” Hooker said.

Hooker emphasized highlighting her students’ positive attributes, both academically and behaviorally. Her school has implemented a system of Positive Behavior Intervention Support, or PBIS, to reward good behavior and promote a safe environment through positive reinforcement. The PBIS system allows students to earn tickets for exceptional work or behavior, which can in turn be cashed in for prizes or rewards.

“Our school detention rate has decreased dramatically since the implementation of this system,” Hooker said. “It has allowed us [teachers] to create better relationships with the students.”

She remarked that looking for the positive in students, rather than constantly focusing on correcting negative behavior, has changed the way she sees her students.

Hooker encouraged the future educators present in the forum to appreciate their role in the education system. 

“Many people have the perception that education is broken,” Hooker said; but that is not what she believes.  “Parts of the system are starved, but there are pockets of excellence in education. I know because of all the teacher leaders I see sitting here before me today.”

Many of the students present in the forum, Monday, Nov. 21, seemed particularly motivated by Hooker’s words of encouragement and her experiences in the field of education.

“Her [Hooker’s] speech inspired me because she teaches to the students’ potential so that she can help them all succeed – every student has a chance in her classroom, and I want every student to have a chance in mine,” Ebonee Taylor, a junior teaching fellow in mathematics education, said.

Samantha Melton, a junior teaching fellow in middle school language arts and social studies education, said she saw Hooker’s teaching style as a beneficial way to encourage and reward students.

“I liked how [Hooker] focused on finding the positives in your students,” Melton said. “She mentioned that while it is sometimes easier to see the negative, by finding reasons to celebrate successes, you will get a lot more out of your students.”