Watch CBS News

Shakopee High's Bio Teacher Michael Hoffman Gets Students To Challenge Themselves

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Michael Hoffman teaches biology at Shakopee High School. It's his 10th year teaching at the school.

He says he went into teaching because he liked to work with the students.

"These guys, working with students and seeing the excitement when they have the light bulb go off in their head, when they get an idea," he said. "It's always changing, with biology everything is evolving all the time. And to work with students, their needs are changing, my needs are changing."

Hoffman keeps his lessons exciting, but it's the relationships with the students that excites him the most.

"Everything we do is to build on relationships," he said. "Day one I always tell them, 'I got you as long as you let me help you,' and I always try to always understand the content."

At the end of the school year, Hoffman's goal for his students is for them to have evolved.

"To keep challenging themselves and to keep fighting through, especially in an AP classroom. ... As a teacher, it's not always easy to get up in front of them and find a way to engage them with difficult material, but we're in it together," he said.

Click here to nominate an Excellent Educator in yours or your child's life!

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.