CHANDLER, Ariz. — One south Phoenix teacher believes it’s never too late to learn to speak Spanish.
Now, she’s embarking on a new venture to help people learn about the language and Latin culture.
“I love teaching,” said Kecia Beasley, a Spanish teacher at the Academies at South Mountain. “I Iove to see my students learn.”
“I’ve always had the desire to help people learn Spanish… to speak Spanish,” she said.
VERSIÓN EN ESPAÑOL: Una maestra escribió un libro para que la gente pueda aprender español fácilmente
Recently, she accomplished a big goal, publishing a book of her own. It’s called "Spanish in a Bag."
“I’ve always wanted to share my Spanish strategies with the world,” said Beasley. “This is like a dream come true.”
Beasley talked with 12News at a special book signing at the Barnes and Noble store at Chandler Fashion Center.
“I am so excited to share this time with the other local authors… I share this moment with you as well,” she said. “We share our experiences... we touch people with what we do.”
“To see the book in print, you know, basically a lesson plan, that’s now bound and in a store that other people can get, it’s fantastic,” said Ayesha Hassan, one of Beasley’s friends, who is also a teacher.
“I’m so happy for her,” said Rocio Ochoa, who is one of Beasley’s mentors and a fellow teacher. “I’m so proud of her… she supports me, I support her.”
Beasley was inspired to write the book when she heard many people telling her the same thing.
“Many of the clients that come say ‘After years of taking Spanish at a university, I still cannot speak a lick of Spanish,’” she said.
Beasley hopes to grow even more of a following, as she works to inspire students of all nationalities to learn Spanish and understand the diverse Latin American and Ibero-American cultures.
“In Spain, we say 'zumo' for juice, but in Latin America, we don’t say 'zumo', we say 'jugo,'” she said. “There are different little diverse pieces of culture, that everybody can all embrace.”
“She is an awesome teacher,” said Sgt. John Brown of the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office. “Being in law enforcement, it’s very important for me to learn Spanish and communicate with the community, to just learn different languages… and she has been 100% instrumental in that quest.”
While her students may not learn how to speak Spanish overnight, because after all, it takes some practice, she hopes they gain a better understanding of not only the language, but also the culture behind it.
“It has been a beautiful experience,” said Beasley.
You can find 'Spanish in a Bag' on Amazon.
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