Title: Teacher (Retired)
Company: Holbrook Elementary School
Location: Detroit, Michigan, United States
Toya Janice Chandler, retired teacher at Holbrook Elementary School, has been recognized by Marquis Who’s Who Top Educators for dedication, achievements, and leadership in elementary school education.
Committed to the importance of education, Ms. Chandler devoted 40 years to teaching at a number of schools. Her professional journey began in 1965 as a teacher at various schools in the Archdiocese of Detroit. Among other assignments during this time, Ms. Chandler was associated with St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Academy. She also spent time as an educator at St. Gertrude High School and Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic School, both located in the Detroit area.
Beginning in 1978, Ms. Chandler became a teacher at Holbrook Elementary School, where she would stay for the rest of her career, until retiring in 2005. Across more than 25 years at this institution, she became a well-regarded teacher and learned important lessons about how to best support the development of children and young adults. Ms. Chandler recalls her greatest challenge as recognizing the ways in which every student in a school carries their own life experiences into the classroom, affecting how they act and how they learn. She prioritized constructive support and positive reinforcement, paying close attention to the needs of each individual student, rather than focusing on punishment and negative consequences for bad behavior. Ms. Chandler drew great satisfaction from attending to the development of her students on all levels—emotional, mental, moral, physical and spiritual. She also highlights the importance of being willing to navigate a student body with a diverse racial and cultural composition.
Ms. Chandler’s performance in the field was born of her own academic journey. She obtained a Bachelor of Science in education with minors in art and history from West Virginia State University in 1964. Subsequently, Ms. Chandler earned a Master of Education from Wayne State University in 1969. Dedicated to lifelong learning and improvement, she completed a Specialist in Education at the same institution in 1975. Ms. Chandler’s academic career was driven by growing up in a family that placed emphasis on the importance of education despite limited opportunities. All 15 of her female cousins pursued higher education, including 11 of them earning master’s degrees, and many attended West Virginia State University as well.
Known for her contributions as a civic-minded citizen, Ms. Chandler has supported many nonprofit causes and organizations in her local community. In particular, she has given her time and resources to assist the Detroit Institute of Arts Museum, the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History and the Smithsonian Institution. These efforts reflect Ms. Chandler’s deep appreciation for art and history. In her retirement, she has continued to engage with these topics, embracing travel to locations with historical significance.
Ms. Chandler has distinguished herself throughout the field in a number of capacities. She is a lifelong member of the NAACP and has held multiple roles on West Virginia State University’s membership committee, including chairman, secretary and vice president.
When considering the source of her accomplishments, Ms. Chandler points to the guidance offered by her family. In particular, she notes the example set by her mother, who came from a large family of 18 children, only 10 of whom survived to adulthood. Despite the challenges posed by this upbringing, Ms. Chandler’s mother offered her unerring love and support.
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