Zeena M. Pliska - Kindergarten Teacher

I am passionate about teaching, healing, creating, and visioning a future where families are supported and children are heard and respected. I have been an elementary educator with Los Angeles Unified School District for over 25 years. I feel that my primary strength is recognizing and supporting the social emotional needs of students while nurturing intellectual curiosity in a standards-based classroom. Most importantly, I feel it is my job to listen to children. My work in the classroom draws on the work of Alfie Kohn, Howard Gardner and the researchers of Making Learning Visible of Harvard University, and the renowned educators of Reggio Emilia, Italy.

I began working for LAUSD as a substitute teacher. I always say that I didn’t go in search of a teaching career, a teaching career “found” me. Having spent two years in the field of radio and television journalism, upon graduation from the University of Oregon, I came to Los Angeles for the weekend. Needless to say it was a long weekend. Blame it on the sun and sand. I had a mid-life crisis (at the age of 24), gave up pursuing broadcast journalism, and stopped by my neighborhood school to casually ask about substitute teaching. The rest is history.

I briefly worked in Westchester and then went on to the inner-city where I have done much of my work as a credentialed teacher. As I developed into an educator, I developed in other areas as well. I have organized as an activist, exhibited as a visual artist, traveled the world, directed and produced theater productions, and worked in film production. I am trained as a birth and postpartum doula, massage therapist, Touch for Health instructor and parent educator in nonviolent philosophy. Most importantly, I am the mother of a willful, joyful and wonderful (full of wonder) daughter. I note this only because I believe that everything I do, whether it’s related or seemingly unrelated, goes back into my development as an educator and translates to my work with children. I am delighted that my journey has brought me here and am inspired to grow and learn with you.