Monica Griffin

BA, International Studies, University of Monterrey, Mexico

Born in Mexico, Monica spent her young life traveling the world with her family. Her father, an engineering executive with a Mexican steel company, moved his family to countries such as Indonesia and Venezuela to accommodate his job. For Monica, global living provided a bounty of rich cultural opportunities, which she notes guided her toward teaching. “Living in other countries gave me the chance to learn about new cultures and to teach about my culture. The opportunity to teach Spanish to young children is rewarding because they are excited about learning. They are eager to absorb the beauty of language.”

Bilingual since elementary school, Monica graduated from college and moved to the United States to work in the Georgia Project, an initiative to serve the growing Latino population in Dalton. Her work in this program sparked a passion for education, and Monica accepted a position as a Spanish teacher at the Chattanooga School for the Arts and Sciences (CSAS). She also enrolled in the master’s program at the University of Tennessee, Chattanooga. 

An exceedingly enthusiastic and talented educator, Monica has become an ardent advocate for Spanish immersion programs. When she is not fully engaged with her young preschool students, she and her husband, Tom, spend time with their son and daughter, Alex and Emma Sophia, who are both bilingual.