Marissa Hoffman (Staff) is a new teacher to Yorba Linda High School this year. She is starting off her first year teaching Spanish 1 and Spanish 2. Before she started teaching, Ms. Hoffman attended University of California, Santa Cruz and California State University, Long Beach, where she studied and majored in foreign language studies. There, she started to appreciate Spanish culture, which led her to what she is teaching today. YLHS is very fortunate to have Ms. Hoffman as a new addition to the teaching staff because she is very passionate about teaching Spanish and Mexican culture to her students.

Being a new addition to the teaching staff was a challenging transition. Ms. Hoffman, says that “it was very scary at first  because I had no idea what to expect, but in all of my classes, I seriously like every single kid that I have met.” She also notes, “I felt a little bit lonely at first but I feel super happy now.” New teachers like Ms. Hoffman probably feel like new students at their schools since they do not know many people; however, as they meet more people, they  begin to feel more comfortable teaching at their new school. Ms. Hoffman is still getting to know our school and will hopefully continue to be welcomed as the school year goes on!

Teaching Spanish to high school students is a new concept for Ms. Hoffman. She is trying out different methods of teaching to make learning Spanish easy and fun. There are many things she is looking forward to this year. “I am most excited about getting to know my classes and seeing how each class has a different personality,” says Ms. Hoffman. She is also eager to meet all of her students and “find out what their strengths are and what their interests are.” 

It has only been almost a month since school has started and Ms. Hoffman has already helped her Spanish classes learn a lot! She enjoys all of her classes and students, and is ecstatic to help each student grow throughout the school year. Ms. Hoffman says, “watching my students learn and use Spanish already is super exciting for me.” Her students in Spanish 1 already know how to have basic conversations and are very enthusiastic about learning more Spanish with her, including numbers and the alphabet. Analise Hopper (9) says, “I feel like I’ve learned so much in a short time already. Ms. Hoffman is so great- she applies fun games and group activities to learning another language. Taking this class has been so much fun and I can’t wait to see what we do next!”

Our school is excited to have Ms. Hoffman start teaching this year. With her assistance, her students are sure to excel in learning the Spanish language. Ms. Hoffman’s funny and energetic character is what makes students look forward to her class everyday.