Meet Rachele DeMeo

We were lucky to catch up with Rachele DeMeo recently and have shared our conversation below.

Rachele, looking forward to learning from your journey. You’ve got an amazing story and before we dive into that, let’s start with an important building block. Where do you get your work ethic from?
Where do you get your work ethic from? I’ve always been pretty determined, focused and disciplined. When I am “into something” or see the end goal, I’m highly self-motivated and committed.

As a child (who was born and raised in Southern France), I took ballet, horseback riding, piano and voice lessons. I did my diligent homework and trained outside of lessons.

Later on, I surfed competitively (also in Southern France in Palavas, Marseille and Sausset-les-Pins) which required discipline.

On the working side, I technically started at age 12 even if I don’t count that in my teaching experience. I taught French adults English. Being raised bilingual and multicultural (my father is American-Italian, my mother is British), I spoke English fluently and taught others. I took my job, even at such a young age, seriously. At 15, I taught English in a French elementary school for 3 years (K-3rd grade) as well as tutored teen students in English, outside of my own schooling. Again, I would show up on time (or early) for work and came prepared and ready to teach.

In many ways my parents drove my work ethic and motivation. I also knew I wanted to become a teacher and that the experience, even at such a young age, was a good test in a way.

Fast forward, I taught middle school and high school as well as college level French for 15 years. I’m proud of the reputation I have as a teacher, college professor and educator. One of the most important things I’ve discovered and I believe drives my such good work ethics is to not count the hours you actually work. It’s been the key to my own success. Now, as educator, director of FLAM San Diego (French school with programs in North County San Diego and other parts of the United States) as well as an educational presenter/speaker, I don’t count the many hours I put into my work either. But when you’re passionate about something, you don’t need to.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
After 15 years in the classroom, I left my successful teaching career a few years ago. I opened up a French School called FLAM San Diego (that’s part of the FLAM USA Federation and hence accredited by the French government, etc). We have a variety of programs: French classes and extracurricular activities. We have our own classes and we also work with schools in North County San Diego school districts providing after-school French classes. We have different levels: FLAM (French as a Maternal/Heritage Language) for French speakers (children of expats for instance), FLS (French as a Secondary Language) for students with some knowledge of French and FLE (French as a Foreign Language) for learners new to French. We also have different extra-curricular activities such as cooking, dance, soccer, crafts, etc.

Additionally, since 2015, I’ve been an educational presenter/speaker. I train different instructors (language professors and other teachers) in a variety of schools and universities (both in person and online).

Finally, as an educator, I’m also the author of 6 published books (available on Amazon, Audible and iTunes) as well as a YouTuber. I create weekly YouTube videos with: French lessons, everyday life scenarios and conversations in French. I have additional self-paced French courses at Belle Terre Academy for working professionals and other adults.

As you may gather, I’m quite passionate about languages and cultures and especially my native French language and cultures around the vaste French-speaking world.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
First, self-motivation and determination. If you wait for others to push you or approve you, you won’t go far or advance. To do this, you have to look at the big picture. Instead of focusing on the small stepping stones to get you there, or the challenges along the way, focus where you are headed, even if you aren’t there yet. Second, is to always learn and be willing to learn. The best teachers are the ones who continue learning. They continue on with professional development and learning new methods to best help their students. They are learning their students and how to best teach them. Be teachable! Even if you’re the expert, keep learning.
Being open-minded is finally an important skill that can be acquired. It is different from being willing to learn. One of the greatest skills I was told I have is my openness to other languages and cultures. Fortunately I was raised in a bilingual, multicultural home and surrounded with other cultures which formed my passion for languages and cultures. There can be so many misconceptions or misunderstandings due to differences in cultures. Being open-minded to a different perspective is key. Ask questions, don’t make assumptions. This is actually something I’ve had to learn in my personal life. If you’re able to travel (I’ve been to 25 countries so far) and/or surround yourself with other nationalities and cultures, do so. You’ll learn so much and become a more well-rounded individual.

How can folks who want to work with you connect?
I am looking for different people to collaborate with. First of all, with our tremendous growth and expansion, I’m looking to hire native French teachers. Please go to www.FLAMSanDiego.com to apply if you’re interested. Second of all, we are wishing to collaborate with more schools in the San Diego area to provide more after-school French classes in American schools.

Lastly, we are looking for sponsors. I opened up FLAM San Diego French school as a volunteer. We have high quality classes taught by native, experienced and talented French instructors, at an extremely affordable price. We are hence looking for individuals, schools and companies to sponsor us so we can continue offering such amazing programs and expand. Did you know that while French is spoken on all continents in 38 countries, it has a huge place in the United States alone? French is the 3rd most spoken language in America. ¼ of American employers seek French-speaking candidates. There are over 20,000 French speakers in San Diego. And studies suggest that French may be the most spoken language by 2050. To create well-rounded individuals, prepare them for the workforce and give them the gift of speaking another language, we need sponsors to help us grow. You can find out more information on our website or email me directly at: [email protected]

Contact Info:

Suggest a Story: BoldJourney is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
Leadership Development
Empathy Unlocked: Understanding how to Develop Emotional Intelligence

“Empathy is the starting point for creating a community and taking action. It’s the impetus

Productivity
Where do you get your work ethic from?

We’ve all heard the phrase “work hard, play hard,” but where does our work ethic

Productivity
Boosting Productivity Through Self-Care

When you have a never-ending to-do list it can feel irresponsible to engage in self-care,