How Learning Spanish Helped a School Counselor Build Confidence and Connection

 

Updated November 2025
Written by Carlos A. Rubí, Senior Digital Communications Strategist & Language
Education Writer at Spanish55


A story about a Kansas school counselor who rediscovered her confidence, her voice, and her connection to families through a language she never stopped coming back to.


In This Story

  • A sixth-grade counselor rekindles a twenty-year journey with Spanish after countless starts and stops.

  • Cultural warmth from friends and families inspired her to keep returning to the language.

  • After trying many programs, personalized online lessons with her Private Spanish Tutor, Valeria, finally helped things click.

  • Using Spanish at school opened new connections with parents and students in her community.

  • Travel, music, and daily practice now help her build confidence - one small win at a time.


A Long Path Back to a Language That Never Let Go

 

Brittany Volk spends her days guiding sixth graders through the tricky landscape of middle school. It’s work that demands empathy and communication, skills she’s also been practicing in another context: Spanish. “I’ve been trying to learn this language for over twenty years,” she says. “I’d start, stop, and start again, but I always came back to it.”

 

A Friendship That First Sparked Her Interest

 

Her interest traces back to junior high, where she first encountered the language. Later, in college, it deepened thanks to a roommate whose mother was from Mexico. “She would speak Spanish to me and make homemade tortillas,” Brittany recalls. “I didn’t grow up eating Mexican food, and she introduced me to that whole culture. I think maybe that’s where it started.” The warmth of both the tortillas and those interactions lingered, even though she chose to formally study German at the time.

 

A Culture That Felt Like Home From the Start

 

What drew her in went beyond vocabulary. “I really like the Spanish language. I really like the culture. I really like the food. I really like the music,” she explains. “All the Spanish people I’ve met, whether they’re from Peru or Ecuador or Mexico, they’re so welcoming. It doesn’t matter if you’re blood-related or not: they make you feel like family.” That sense of belonging kept pulling her back, no matter how many pauses she took along the way.

 

Finding a Learning Style That Finally Worked

 


Brittany Volk proudly receiving her Spanish55 50-hour completion certificate.

 

Brittany tried many routes: continuing education classes, community college credits, tutoring, and even a program in Costa Rica. Nothing quite worked until she stumbled on Spanish55 while puzzling over a grammar detail. The difference was immediate. “I never really felt satisfied with the way anybody else taught me,” she says. “With Spanish55, it felt like someone finally met me where I was.” That’s how she connected with her online Spanish tutor, Coach Valeria.

 

A Spanish Tutor Who Teaches With Patience and Heart

 

The bond proved to be more than academic. “She’s patient. She’s kind. She remembers everything,” Brittany says. “If I tell her I played basketball or had a barbecue, she remembers and brings it up. It feels like talking to a friend, but at the same time, she breaks things down and teaches me.” That closeness has become essential for her confidence. Brittany admits she can be a perfectionist, often nervous about making mistakes, but Val never makes her feel small for trying. Instead, she offers encouragement, offers little reminders, and creates room for laughter.

 

When asked what Valeria has meant to her, Brittany’s voice broke. She thanked her coach for the patience, for remembering her stories, and for teaching her in a way that feels personal. “I would consider her a friend for sure,” she said, acknowledging the kind of emotional bond that keeps her showing up to class even on days when she’s tired or frustrated.

 

Using Spanish to Build Trust at School

 

Her online Spanish lessons have also shaped her work. In a school with a large Spanish-speaking population, Brittany now uses her skills to greet parents and connect with students. One of her proudest moments came at a parent meeting. “I said, ‘Bienvenidos, yo soy Brittany, la consejera de sexto grado,’” she recalls. “It was such a short phrase, but it mattered. I could see the parents listening to me differently.” For someone who admits she gets “super nervous and scared” before speaking, the payoff was undeniable.

 

Travel Moments That Bring Spanish to Life

 

Travel has given her more chances to practice. In Puerto Rico, she navigated shops and restaurants in Spanish, even ordering at a meat counter! In Cozumel, she struck up a conversation with a cab driver. “It kind of makes you feel cool,” she admits. “Like, I can speak a different language, sort of.” The cultural side mattered too: in Puerto Rico, she noticed a café called Sin Prisa, “without hurry”, and felt the name captured the slower, family-first pace she admired.

 

Keeping the Language Alive at Home

 

Her practice extends into daily life. She sets her TV to Spanish, reads children’s books, and watches cartoons like Pocoyo and Dora the Explorer because the pace helps her connect words with actions. Music also plays its part, pardon the pun, especially in genres like salsa and merengue. She laughs, describing how she listens to Willy Chirino, a name that draws blank stares from her Spanish-speaking friends. One of her favorites is “Llueve Café.” “Who wouldn’t like it to rain coffee?” she says. “It’s upbeat, it’s happy, it’s fun.”

 

Staying Patient Through the Hard Parts

 

Brittany is candid about the struggles. Grammar, especially verbs, still frustrates her. “It’s hard. Really hard,” she says. “The same verb can mean so many different things. Sometimes you feel like you’ll never get it. And then all of a sudden it clicks, and you’re like, ‘Okay, I can keep going.’” She credits Valeria’s encouragement and those little digital thumbs-up for keeping her motivated on days she feels like skipping class.

 

Choosing Progress Instead of Perfection

 

For her, one thing is clear: the goal is progress, not perfection. “If you’re passionate about it, keep doing it. It’s worth it, and it’s fun.” For her, conquering Spanish means freedom: the ability to travel, to connect, to be proud of navigating in another culture. “I don’t know if I’ll ever conquer it,” she admits. “But I’ll keep working hard, and I’ll keep showing up.” That determination, the same drive that carries her through pickleball games and smoky backyard barbecues, shows how language learning is measured by the doors it keeps opening.

 

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Questions This Article Answers

  • How can online Spanish lessons help educators build stronger relationships with families?

  • What makes working with an online Spanish tutor effective for adults who’ve tried learning Spanish before?

  • Can small, everyday moments help reinforce Spanish learning outside of class?