Meet Rachelle R., a first-generation college graduate whose passion is, unequivocally, to live her truth, be as creative as possible, and to make a positive impact in the lives of others, especially her students. Get to know Rachelle - and who she’s a No. 1 fan of, according to Spotify - on the blog!
Where are you from?
I’m an LA local but I’m first generation - I’m half Ukrainian, half Russian. My family came from a rural area, and I’m the first person in my family to go to college. I was always a big reader, English is my second language, and I really had a passion for learning from an early age.
What was being a first-generation kid like?
It was really hard. My parents couldn’t help me with my homework if they tried; everything was so different for them. I was pretty much on my own so sometimes they’d get me tutors to help and I was never comfortable with them. I had to figure out most of it by myself.
I was an oddball growing up because I was very much into books and reading and used to draw a lot. One time, some kids stole my pen and called it the “alien pen.” I thought I had to hide that I drew well to avoid being picked on. It took me a while to realize I don’t have to hide.
Where did you go to college?
I graduated from Columbia in New York in 2016 in film studies; I was interested in art history also but from a more modern/postmodern lens. I wanted to be literate in every sense of the word, deconstructing images and deconstructing language. Because we live in a very visual culture, I thought film was the most relevant thing I could study that would also be interesting and not too sterile.
After graduating I attended Antioch and studied psychology. I am fascinated by anything that helps me make MORE of my everyday life. For a number of reasons I eventually left the program, but I don’t regret the time I spent there - I learned a lot, and feel like I’m still learning. One big thing I learned is that when people feel heard and understood - when they engage - they learn. When you have fun, dopamine floods your brain and helps keep you alert so that you retain information. I think that’s what resonated most for me, and something that I relate to now as a tutor.
How did you decide to start tutoring?
After graduating, I worked in a film production office. The company went under, so they laid off a lot of people. I realized I wanted to do something more meaningful and one on one, connecting with people, and not in an office. I’m also very academic, the kind of person that reads 200 pages for fun in a day. I enjoy tutoring and the things I go over with students: whether it’s world history, which is always good to catch up on, or English, which helps you be a convincing speaker and writer.
Tutoring is about constant translation: understanding what a student is trying to say, talking about it, then helping them get their message across. It’s not about telling them what to say but giving them confidence in their own ideas.
How did tutoring become so integral to your post-grad life?
Tutoring honors who I am as a person, makes me feel productive, and I do feel like I make a difference. My students really touch my heart - they come from all kinds of backgrounds. You never know what kind of difference you can make by making a kid or teen feel heard. Sometimes they don’t even hear themselves out. As a tutor, you’re helping them change their future. If there’s a kid who hates school, acts out, rebels, they might dig themselves into a deep hole a few years down the road. But if you’re direct, open-hearted, and open-minded, they can start to see you’re on their side and that learning is not bad.
When you’re a kid or a teen you really have an opportunity to explore that… before you have to go into the reality of the adult world, paying bills, etc. I think that’s precious and it’s inspiring for me to help other kids find their passion that may not “seem cool.” I feel cool now but back then, I didn't know my potential. When you can convince someone to find something cool about them, that goes miles toward them being confident and being capable of more than they’re aware. If you don’t make a student feel heard and special - in every area of their life - they feel small. You have to make them feel special and connected. Because everyone is special, ya know?
What has tutoring taught you?
It was while studying psychology I realized I prefer meeting people on an equal level. Through tutoring, I’ve learned you have to deliver the truth in a way that will be accessible to someone. You have to be honest and real.
I’m really creative, so being constantly creative helps me stay sharp and keeps my mind open to new ways of seeing. If a student doesn’t seem to “get it,” maybe it’s just that you don’t see how to connect with them. I didn’t expect to enjoy tutoring as much as I did - I had tutors as a kid and didn’t always like them, but being on the other side of things has helped me come up with a personalized approach for every student. Everyone can teach someone else just by sharing the way they see the world. Tutoring makes me feel like I can do something meaningful every day: to make an impact on a student’s life and connect with them is such a good use of time and energy.
Tutoring keeps me on the grind and helps me stay alert and productive. I feel like I’ve learned so much in just the year I’ve been working with PCH Tutors - I have such special and unique students from all different backgrounds and I’ve gotten to know them and build relationships. It’s really like the perfect job for me. I get to build my schedule and be forced to be creative because nobody’s like this is how you do it. You have to be intuitive, aware of yourself and your surroundings, and inventive about solutions. You’re helping yourself be heard to them and helping them be heard back to you. It’s engaging and fascinating.
What is your favorite subject to tutor?
Probably writing. It’s very cool to talk about works I read in middle school and how they’re still relevant. That’s when I feel like I can connect with my students’ perspectives. They have a lot to say - anyone who thinks young people are apathetic, well, I feel that just isn’t true. It’s inspiring to see and help them care. Tutoring for me is about connecting students to their work. For example, if you hate writing something, nobody’s gonna want to read it! You have to find an angle to engage them. I help them polish and craft a passage from nothing but it’s really their ideas and when they seem them come to light it’s a good feeling both ways. Also, many kids and teens mostly communicate through texts and online, but writing a thoughtful essay helps them realize how effective good vocabulary can be. Through writing, you see it in action and that’s rewarding.
What are your hobbies?
I value creativity and having lots of hobbies. When I am pursuing creativity, it helps me interact with my students with fresh ideas. I’m passionate about guitar and piano. I love languages and writing. I’m a big reader - I cut off social media and streaming because I don’t want to be passive, I want to be creative. Writing music’s like writing an essay for me. There’s an opening statement, a closing statement, body paragraphs/chorus, and you have to get a point across to connect with your audience. Music is a universal language that speaks to all ages and I love the freedom in that. I also love to draw. I’ve been been drawing my whole life and I have an online art gallery.
Following your dreams can be scary. But I want to share my love for life, my curiosity, my humor, and my happiness to just be here with all my students and help them feel confident to follow their own dreams. The more things I can do that make me feel like I’m doing something positive for myself and the others around me, I think that’s really powerful.
What are you reading right now that you love?
It took me a while to discover it, but The Da Vinci Code is like Harry Potter for adults. It’s a page-turner and the amount of history and politics and facts might otherwise sterile, but [Dan Brown] uses narrative elements very well and it’s so fun and engaging. I finished it in a week and now I’m reading the sequel. The books remind me that if we’re constantly curious and happy then we keep learning. I find that liberating. Dan Brown would probably be a great tutor!
What inspires you?
According to my Spotify, I’m a top 1% fan of Neil Young. It’s a little embarrassing, but what I love about him is that he’s very open and raw and vulnerable in his lyrics. He’s a real rock star without trying to be anything he’s not. He writes songs that come from a place of urgency, and it makes me feel ok to be human.
In reality there’s only a couple years or maybe circumstances between people (i.e., tutor/student). There’s no reason to be condescending or pretend you know it all. It’s brave to just accept that we’re all human and in this position together. Neil Young’s trying to speak and live his truth, which in turn inspires others to live more authentically which makes them feel alive. That’s what I want to be for others, too.
What are some of your dreams you’re following?
Since I was little, I’ve thought about how our time on Earth is finite. Learning the basics takes up so much time - for example, you have to learn music theory and there’s so much history to cover - but even in my 20s, I have to start somewhere and do what I can now. I don’t want to be rich or famous but if I don’t continue to create, I’ll feel like a failure. My earliest dream job was to be a writer or animator. I’d love to write an amazing scenario for cartoons including music. Maybe by the time I’m 40 or 50 I can invest fully in that and nurture future generations.
Any parting thoughts for the kids and tutors and parents out there?
I want to feel like I’m living my truth and being the best I can be. I like to think it’s heroic to be a good tutor. You can make such a special impact because growing up can be such a rough time for kids. I know I had a hard time when I was in school because I was a first-generation, kind of a nerd, the whole deal. None of those things are bad but if I’d had someone to be like, “I believe in you, you have all these skills...” who knows. Not everyone can have that but if you can do that for something you’re standing up for yourself, too.
