Exploring Life & Business with Barbara Kaneb of Spanish Academy of the Rockies

Today we’d like to introduce you to Barbara Kaneb.

Hi Barbara, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
My name is Barbara Acuña Kaneb. I am from Chile and have lived in the United States since 2015 with my husband, whom I met in 2014 while he was traveling through South America to learn Spanish firsthand.
I studied Marketing and Communications, and I worked in advertising for 10 years in my country with clients such as Walmart and 3M, among others, before changing my career path. When I arrived here, I was surprised by how many people were interested in my culture and Language.

Looking for something to do with very little English, I spoke up when I offered to volunteer at a private Spanish school in Denver. I trained, observed, and learned from them, and soon I became one of their teachers. Over five years, I worked with them, taught Spanish to dozens of people, including people with special needs, and fell in love with seeing someone go from zero to bilingual, including my husband and me.

After these precious years of teaching and meeting amazing people who love the Latin culture, I had to say goodbye and focus on my pregnancy. I spent 3 years raising my two sons. I was pleased, but missed teaching and working with students, so I decided to start my own school in Douglas County, where I’m now located, and called it the Spanish Academy of the Rockies. First, I taught some of my fellow mom friends, and soon I was teaching them and new students who found me through word-of-mouth and my website.

Now, I’ve taught so many kids and adults across Denver, including engaging lessons at the Denver Animal Shelter, not just in Douglas County, but also traveling to meet with students wherever they need us. Our lessons are flexible and can be conducted both in-person and online, meeting the diverse needs of our students. In-person classes are typically available throughout Douglas County and Denver, while online classes allow students beyond these areas to participate. Now I have a team of teachers who are trained to become Spanish teachers, so we can cover even more places. Right now, there is so much interest in learning Spanish, not just for travel, but also because people know the great benefits it brings to our brains and, in some cases, because they want to help the Latin community, or people who speak Spanish but can’t find the time to teach their own children. To give people a taste of our program, we offer a complimentary mini-lesson that introduces them to both the Spanish language and elements of rich Latin culture. This free lesson provides potential students the opportunity to experience our teaching style in a low-pressure setting before making any commitments.

It’s not an easy road, but we work hard to make it as simple and enjoyable as possible. I feel immensely fortunate to have started my own school and to have amazing students who keep studying with us as long as it is needed, no matter what. Consistency is one of the things we need to learn a language. We know this because we have lived it ourselves and learned the tricks to make any journey successful, so we can pass this along to more and more people around Colorado.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
As a mother of two little boys, my biggest challenge is finding time to balance my focus on current students’ progress, designing new material for our growing curriculum, and then making time for new students and class groups. Having to fit all of this into a busy mom’s schedule is why I seek driven, talented individuals who want to teach and have flexibility in choosing what times work best for them.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Spanish Academy of the Rockies?
Our Spanish academy offers in-person and online Spanish classes for individuals or groups.

We offer classes for the whole family in the comfort of their home, and we tutor people who already know Spanish but want to keep it going.

We offer group classes for adults and kids, from beginner to advanced. Each case is different, and we work to meet any needs.

Our students cherish our programs since we never put pressure on them. If someone wants to learn with us, then we ensure it happens. We help learners become bilingual if they commit and dedicate time, and work at their own pace and schedule

Also, we travel to you. So, wherever you are, we will get there and make it possible.

What matters most to you?
Making people feel capable of learning Spanish. Making it believe this is possible because the most crucial part they already have is the desire. The understanding that this is not easy, but so advantageous. Helping people make their dreams come true is what moves us the most.

Pricing:

• Private tutoring – $240 every 4 classes.
• Group class – $140 every 4 classes
• Family class – $280 every 4 classes
• Company class – $35 per student per class
• Kids tutoring after school – $260 every 4 classes

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.spanishacademyoftherockies.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/spanishacademyoftherockies/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Spanishacademyoftherockies/