“They helped me achieve my dream of becoming a teacher and giving back to my community.”
Taina Arce is the head kindergarten teacher at the Bronx Charter School for Excellence, a job she found through a partnership with Monroe. She received a bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education and is currently enrolled in the Master of Arts in Education program at Monroe with a focus on special education.
Taina, a Bronx native, is driven to help her students find confidence in themselves the same way Monroe did for her. “The professors and faculty at Monroe supported me every step of the way and made me feel I could do anything,” she said. “They helped me achieve my dream of becoming a teacher and giving back to my community.”
She also credits her “real-world” student-teaching experiences while at Monroe that gave her the unique opportunity to work with children from all different backgrounds, life experiences, and abilities. “Having that hands-on exposure prepared me for my very first day in the classroom by giving me the confidence I needed to ensure my students were getting my best.”
