For LFCSA’s newest kindergarten teacher, Erin Jindra, teaching runs in her family. Ms. Jindra was raised by two teacher parents in rural Colorado, but it was not until after entering her teaching program that it became clear that teaching successfully combined all of her interests: theater and improv, speech, psychology, and children.
After receiving her bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Colorado, Ms. Jindra worked in group homes as a behavioral therapist working with at-risk kids. “That was really hard work,” she recalls, but very rewarding. So rewarding in fact, she decided to start teaching as a way to finance a master’s degree in psychology, thinking she would take classes at night and during the summer. “Originally, I thought teaching would just be a stepping-stone for me, but then I started my teaching program and fell in love with it.”
“There’s something really powerful about trying to figure out a way to explain things to people. That excites me. It’s really powerful to think, ‘Wow! That person knows how to read because of the way I explained it!’” So the master’s in psychology was quickly nixed, and instead she received her teaching credential from California State University at Northridge.
With her usual self-confident candor, Ms. Jindra laughs at her naïveté as she recalls “when I was doing my student teaching, I thought I had invented arts-integrated education. In my program we had to create lesson plans and create “units,” and I would always integrate art. I would have the kids stand up and act things out, or do a pattern dance, for example. I thought I was inventing it because nobody else in my class was having the kids do things like that.” Only later while taking a social studies class where the progressive professor used arts-integration in his curriculum did Ms. Jindra discover that arts-integration in education was a “thing.”
A quick Google search of arts-based learning in Los Angeles brought LFCSA to Ms. Jindra’s attention. Her dreams of “maybe some day I’ll be able to work there” quickly became a reality. “I just can’t believe that I’m here. I love everyone here, and I love that I’m helping to grow the program.”
Praise comes easily to the lips of the Four Corners native, and she has no shortage of it for her fellow kindergarten teacher, Ms. Pardo: “I am so grateful to have Ms. Pardo! I see how she [teaches kindergarten], and I see how it works. Luckily, Ms. Pardo and I get along so well that sharing a classroom is great. I just adore her, so it’s easy to do.” She extends this same gratitude towards the rest of the teachers at LFCSA. When hearing of other new teachers in other LAUSD schools speak about their experiences of feeling isolated and disconnected, Ms. Jindra cannot relate. “I wouldn’t even know what that is like. Here, the other teachers are so wonderful and welcoming. We have a lot of fun. All of us are such great resources for each other. I always struggle with, ‘Am I doing this right? Could I be doing it better?’ It seems like Ms. Pardo is always there to encourage me and help me.” Praise is reciprocated by those around her as well. “She’s very involved emotionally with the children. I saw that from the beginning, and I think she does a great job,” says ubiquitous volunteer Grandma Nancy. Principal Newlin sees her presence as both refreshing and positive. “What I love about Ms. Jindra is her enthusiasm for life. Children relate to her well because of the youthfulness that she exudes.”
Being a new teacher, Ms. Jindra finds teaching to be more fun than she expected. Kindergarten especially lends itself to her skills. “I’ve been doing theater since I was really little.” The high schools around where she grew up often would cast young children in their plays for background parts, and Ms. Jindra recalls begging her parents to let her do some of these parts. Ms. Jindra continued to act through high school and college, and currently takes Groundlings improve classes. She likes that she can incorporate her theater background into her class. “The kids and I are always role playing. We’re always acting out stories. I have a puppet that I use all the time and integrate into class lessons. The kindergarten kids respond to that, whereas in a third grade class, they might say, ‘What are you doing? That is so un-cool,’ but kindergarteners still think I’m funny.” She also has the ability to read her audience. “If they’re getting wiggly, then I know it’s time to get up and do something else.” Knowing the importance of having to be very engaging or risk losing her audience, Ms. Jindra is very animated while reading stories to her class. “I love anything by David Shannon. There are always good voices to do for those books.”
LFCSA is glad to have such an enthusiastic and positive teacher as Ms. Jindra joining us this year.
