Hinako Ninomiya was employed by Principal Kuno to help deal with all the "delinquent" students at Furinkan High. Initially she appears to an elementary school aged child who is rather giddy and excitable. In actuality her tale is much more complex.
When Hinako was very young, she was quite sick and was hospitalized. While there she was discovered by Happosai and learned a chi-draining technique from him (he taught her this so that she would stop the nurses from chasing him after he stole their underwear).
When Hinako uses this technique she grows into an older, twenty-something woman (her proper age). But the rest of her time is spent as a young, energetic child. Her personality changes to reflect her different ages.
Hinako is the homeroom and English teacher at Furinkan for the 10th grade. She also has quite a crush on Soun Tendo because he was nice to her when she was in her child form. Hinako looks upon it as her mission to help Ranma improve his behavior, whereas Ranma would much rather spend his time doing just enough to scrape by scholastically speaking.
(Source: Rumic World)