Hookki Chance was born in Bangkok, Thailand, and moved to Michigan at just 18 months old. She grew up in Jackson alongside her parents and four sisters. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of Michigan, later completing her elementary teaching certification at Eastern Michigan University and earning her Master’s in the Art of Teaching from Marygrove College.
Chance has spent 28 years teaching in Ann Arbor Public Schools. She began her career at Allen Elementary, then taught at Haisley, and has been part of the Lakewood Elementary community since the school reopened in 2001. Her passion for teaching—and for Lakewood in particular—has remained a constant throughout her career.
Principal Airess Stewart praised her impact, saying, “Mrs. Chance is dedicated to building strong relationships with each of her students. She works hard to make a meaningful difference in her students’ lives and utilizes a variety of strategies to help them succeed each and every day. We are grateful to have Mrs. Chance as part of the Lakewood community.”
Outside the classroom, Chance enjoys spending time with family and friends, golfing, gardening, bird watching, and keeping up with her two mischievous cats.
Why did you choose to work for Ann Arbor Public Schools, and have there been any surprises?
The semester before my student teaching, I started substitute teaching in Ann Arbor and spent a lot of time at Allen Elementary, where I got to know the staff well. One of the teachers, Karen Slotten, asked if I’d be interested in being her student teacher. I was really excited about the chance to work with her and work in the Ann Arbor Public Schools. It ended up being one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I loved the experience and getting started in the district.
Why did you pursue a career in teaching?
While I was in college, my younger sisters were in elementary school, and my parents often asked me to help them with homework and projects. I really enjoyed working with them and loved seeing them start to understand things and feel more confident. Those moments made me realize how much I enjoy helping kids learn and grow. That’s when I knew I wanted to become a teacher and have that kind of impact on more students.
What are your best tips for classroom management?
My best classroom management advice really comes down to relationships and consistency. When students know you care about them and are truly on their side, everything else falls into place a lot more easily.
I focus on building strong connections from day one and creating a classroom community through routines, conversation, and shared expectations like being kind, doing your personal best, and being respectful. I’m firm but loving, with a clear and consistent structure so students know what to expect.
When challenges come up, I try to look at the cause of the behavior and talk things through with students whenever possible. In my experience, when kids feel respected and supported, they respond with honesty, trust, and growth.
What do you like about working at Lakewood specifically?
The best parts of working at Lakewood are my colleagues, the students, and our supportive families. I’m lucky to work with such a dedicated and fun group of people who truly have each other’s backs. When things get tough, I know I can count on my work family, and my students always find a way to brighten my day. They bring so much energy and make every day interesting. We also have strong leadership and families who support all students, which makes Lakewood a great place to be.
What’s the happiest part of your day?
I love starting the day with our Morning Meeting because it gives us a chance to connect with each other and begin the day on a positive note. It helps set the tone for the day, builds relationships, and creates a real sense of community where students feel seen, heard, and ready to learn.
What do you want most for your students?
What I want most for my students is that they come to school each day feeling like they’re in a warm, caring place where they’re supported, valued, and ready to learn. I want them to feel successful, grow their confidence, and know they can learn new things every single day while growing both academically and personally.
How do you prevent burnout?
Honestly, I’m still working on that! It sometimes feels like you could work 24/7, and there would still be more to do. I’m trying to get better about finding a better work/life balance, but I’m not quite there yet.
What have you learned from your students lately?
Definitely 6-7 (sigh)… and that any combination of 6 and 7 is hilarious to them. Their favorite numbers are 6, 7, and 67, and their favorite math problem is 6 + 7 = 13 because… 6-7. I can’t believe how many of the math problems in the lessons somehow involve 6 and 7! It’s made math class super exciting for my students whenever that happens.
Favorite podcasts, websites, apps:
Pokémon Go!-Gotta catch them all! I also like reading things on Reddit. It’s like a box of chocolates. You never know what you will get. Some of my current favorite threads are r/illegallysmol, r/aww, and r/made me smile.
Was there a teacher who had a particularly strong influence on your career? If so, what did you learn?
My cooperating teacher, Karen Slotten, had a huge impact on me. I absolutely loved working with her and learned so much from watching her teach. She really modeled what strong classroom management looks like, especially how it’s grounded in building genuine relationships with students. Her classroom always felt like a warm, nurturing environment where students were known, supported, and comfortable being themselves.
Favorite meal at your favorite local restaurant?
I love the sushi at Godaiko and Yotsuba, chili cheese dogs with onions, and the lobster bisque at Le Dog, and the prime rib at Knight’s on Dexter.
How do you spend your summers?
In the summer, I love being able to spend more time with my husband. He travels a lot for work during the school year, but things slow down a bit in the summer, so it’s nice to be able to spend more time together. I love to travel and visit my sisters and in-laws, who all live in California. It’s hard to see them during the school year, so summer is a great time to catch up and spend time together. I also love going up North, gardening, and golfing.
Be the first to comment