5 Questions with Ms. Hoffmann

Biljana Hoffmann is a second grade teacher at . Hoffmann has been a teacher at Wood Canyon Elementary for five years and a teacher within the Capistrano Unified School District for 16 years.

Favorite memory from teaching career?
"My favorite memory of teaching is always at the end of each year. I love to compare where each child started and where they are in June," Hoffmann said. "The progress that each child makes is amazing. We work hard in second grade and to see the growth in front of your eyes makes teaching rewarding and memorable."

What are some teaching hardships you face?
Hoffmann said the growing budget cuts and increased class sizes have been hard on all teachers.

"Long are the days of the 20-1 student teacher ratio of teaching. I believe that was ideal, but now teachers are faced with up to 33 or more children in the classroom."

Hoffmann added that the idea of losing activities like school's music and art programs is a hard possibility to consider.

"Each year we need to raise enough money to have this continued. I couldn't imagine losing our arts program," she said.

What makes Ms. Hoffmann's class unique?
Hoffmann said it is the varying personalities her student's bring to the school year that makes her classroom unique.

"We have a really fun class this year. There are a lot of different personalities in the classroom," she said. "Every child is unique and I do my best to meet their needs...No year is ever the same. We have a good time in second grade."

Hoffmann said she is fortunate to have the help of many parent volunteers this year as well as a student from Soka University who volunteers her time.

"With all the help, it is like having an assistant in the classroom. But it is not always like that. You never know how much help you’ll get. It varies from year to year," Hoffmann said.

What was Ms. Hoffmann's favorite subject when she was in school?
Math and English.

"It came easy to me. I love to introduce new math concepts through the use of literature. This gets students excited to learn. We also use math manipulatives in the classroom which allows students to explore and visualize math in their hands," Hoffmann said.

What are Ms. Hoffmann's hobbies?
Hoffmann said she loves to plat tennis and has been playing since she was a child. 

She received a tennis scholarship to the University of California, Irvine, where she played on the school's team for four years.

"It is a lifetime sport," she said.