Celine Cornejo - I Have Been a Passionate Educator for More Than Two Decades (Filipino Based Digital Creator)

I have been a passionate educator for more than two decades. I am a Preschool Teacher by profession. Before the pandemic, I used to host learning through play children's parties and parenting forums several times a week. The pandemic started as a heavy creative and financial burden on me.

Tell us about your background and journey.

My students and clients call me Teacher Celine. I am a Filipino, a mother of two energetic boys, an educator, a content creator and a commercial model. Most of the things I do now are focused on my two learning advocacies. My primary advocacy is learning through play. My secondary advocacy is promoting a love for reading.

I have been a passionate educator for more than two decades. I am a Preschool Teacher by profession. Before the pandemic, I used to host learning through play children's parties and parenting forums several times a week. The pandemic started as a heavy creative and financial burden on me. 

Over time, I learned to adapt and turned frustration into creative energy. Working from home allowed me to focus more on my family and content creation. Of all the hats I wear, the most important to me is being a loving wife to my husband and a nurturing mom to my two sons.

I believe that every child is unique and can learn at his or her best when done in ways that relate to the child's unique smarts. I try to include play in teaching whenever possible. Learning through play simply means teaching using different fun learning styles. Learning can be through arts, dance, math, music, nature and outdoor activities, sports, socialization, and stories.

I look forward to making a difference in the lives of children even just for a few minutes. It's for this reason that I love having my online learning channel. I'm motivated by feedback from my viewers. I cherish learning how I'm able to contribute to the development and education of young learners I've never met in person but who I truly consider my students. 

Parents send me photos or videos of their young learners who've never been in a formal classroom setting but can now sight read and can write their names and simple words. These kinds of feedback keep my heart full.



When did you first decide that you wanted to create digital content and how did you start?

When I was still teaching in a classroom, I realized that I wanted to teach more kids, especially those who don’t have ready access to preschool education. It has always been my dream to reach out to underserved kids. Going online seemed to be the best way forward for what I wanted.

My vision is to develop an authoritative and free online preschool. I want to reach out to the most number of young learners possible. My mission is twofold: 1. Provide supplemental lessons to preschoolers already enrolled in traditional and non-traditional schools; and 2. Provide core lessons to underprivileged eager learners across Asia. Every week, I do my best to create appealing educational content for eager learners.

I encourage nurturing children by making learning fun. I'm hoping that my students grow with a love for learning. I hope, wish and pray that my digital platform will allow kids and parents alike to have fun learning with me. Despite the challenges of online learning, I hope that my passion, patience, creativity, and sincerity come across on my digital channels.

You can check out my online learning channel on YouTube



Is vlogging and digital content creation a financially sustainable career?

As with most things, you need scale to consider digital content creation as a sustainable career. You need to scale on the consumption side and scale on the content creation side. Typically for digital content, you need a loyal base of followers and consumers of your content to sustainably monetize your channels. 

This requires acquisition and retention activities. And both activities are a function of the quality of your content. Simply put, for digital content creation to be a financially sustainable career, you need consistent, quality content that is relevant and appealing to a broad consumer base.



How and where do you find inspiration to churn out content?

I love being with kids. Their curiosity and different smarts motivate me to find the best ways to share knowledge. And that motivation started my advocacies. I find inspiration in feedback that I get from my viewers. 

As my content on YouTube is for kids, I don't have the benefit of the comments section for feedback. That's why I use Instagram and Facebook as channels for parents and kids to reach out to me. 

Seeing how my students develop and learn through my content is the fuel that keeps my passion for teaching burning.



What piece of advice would you like to give to future and aspiring digital creators?

I deem it most important to create content that you love. Strive to create each one with a passion for quality. Then do it consistently and frequently. Keep growing your channels. Again, you need scale--scale on the consumption side and scale on the content creation side. 

As long as you create appealing, relevant and quality content, expect to grow your viewers as you grow your library of content. Feedback is also important. For me, constructive feedback drives your passion to continue growing and improving. 

Also, try your best to keep your channels and your community positive. Spread kindness and positivity to your viewers.

Interviewed by - Saba Parveen