Monica Barrera is a proud Virginian hailing from Arlington. She attended Holy Trinity School Georgetown, before attending The Purnell School, a boarding school in New Jersey. After graduating from Purnell, Monica spent time traveling and building her skills in the education field. Her teaching journey has taken her to classrooms in Zambia, Vietnam, Cambodia, India, Jamaica, and more before returning to the DC area to attend Marymount University.
At Marymount University Monica earned her B.A. in sociology with a minor in history. During her time in the sociology program, she focused on human rights and social justice in education. Monica believes that all students and teachers world-wide deserve equal opportunities to reach their full potential without boundaries.
Upon graduation from Marymount, Monica enrolled in graduate school at Pacific Oaks College, where she is currently pursuing dual masters degrees in elementary education and human development with a concentration in leadership in education and human services. She hopes to use this newfound knowledge to be the best educator she can be for her students at Little Folks.
Before coming to Little Folks, Monica was a teacher at Temple Sinai Nursery School where she refined her skills as a Reggio Emilia educator. At Temple Sinai, she learned to focus on relationship-based education, celebrate all kinds of minds, and collaborate with children to create a unique, thoughtful, and meaningful learning experience.
She is excited to join the Little Folks team, and to embark on a new journey of growth and discovery alongside her students.