Tyson Banker helps coach the Hermiston High School football team Sept. 5 during their season opener against Walla Walla.

To help motivate students, first-year teacher Tyson Banker uses the team approach in the classroom.

Banker, a 2003 Hermiston High School graduate, groups students by pods and awards points to the entire team based on attendance, turning in homework, test scores and behavior.

“I’m trying to establish teamwork,” he said. “Some (students) don’t get pushed from home, so they push each other.”

Banker understands the value of working as a team. During his senior year, Banker captained the basketball team. Also, during his four years as a Bulldog, Banker played football, baseball and ran track.

Rather than studying for a physical education teaching endorsement at Linfield College, he chose to focus on math.

“That’s just what I was best at and what I felt most comfortable in,” Banker said. “Everyone told me it was hard to get a job in P.E., so I steered away from that.”

However, as an assistant coach for the varsity football team and the head coach for junior varsity, Banker still is involved in physical education and training.

Banker practically lives at the school – arriving at 6 a.m. to work out. And he doesn’t typically get home until after 8 p.m.

But that suits him just fine. Banker said he wanted to choose a career he would enjoy.

“I wanted to pick a job where I’d have fun and this is definitely fun,” he said. “I think it started with the fact I really wanted to coach. When I started teaching I found I just like the interactions with the kids.”

Although this is Banker’s first full-time position, he did team teach a wellness and physical education class last spring with Patti Turner.

“It was a good experience. Patti actually taught me,” Banker said.

Although Banker is comfortable calling Turner by her first name, he finds it difficult with other colleagues whose classrooms he once sat in.

“I still call Karen Bounds ‘Mrs. Bounds,’ so that’s been kind of interesting,” Banker said.

He hasn’t insisted students he’s known for a long time address him as Mr. Banker.

“I’m not strict about that – as long as they respect me,” he said.

Banker said it’s important to be enthusiastic in the classroom. He recalls classes that could be real snooze-fests because the teacher appeared to have lost the passion for teaching.

Although Banker enjoys teaching, he admits he doesn’t always go “by the book.”

“I enjoy interacting with the kids – just talking to them and being real,” Banker said. “I want them to feel comfortable coming to me about anything.”