We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Michele Montierro. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Michele below.
Alright, Michele thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Going back to the beginning – how did you come up with the idea in the first place?
In 2016, I stumbled upon the world of blogging. As a mama of 3 young children, I learned about this opportunity to work from home, and be with my kids, while sharing a passion through written content creation. I launched a homeschool blog and a work-from-home blog later that year, eager to share my experiences and insights with others. As I delved more into homeschooling, I was searching for more opportunities to connect with our culture, as a Filipino American family. I looked for resources to teach my children Tagalog, one of the languages of the Philippines. In my search, I kept hitting dead ends, so decided to create my own activities to use in homeschooling my kids.
With my background in education and my newfound experience in blogging, it seemed natural to document and share these resources with others. And so, I embarked on a new venture, giving birth to a fresh blog I affectionately named “Fil-Am Learners.” The name itself encapsulated the essence of our journey—a Filipino-American family committed to the pursuit of knowledge and language.
My own upbringing played a significant role in this endeavor. As a second-generation Filipina, born and raised in California, I had been exposed to the Tagalog language through my parents and my “Lola” (grandmother in Tagalog). While I could comprehend the language, speaking it fluently had always been a challenge. Fil-Am Learners became my opportunity to not only reconnect with my roots but also to share the language with my own children.
In the beginning, the blog was a labor of love—a hobby born out of my enjoyment in creating resources that I could use in our homeschooling journey. The excitement of sharing these resources with a community that had been sorely underserved was immeasurable. There were few available resources tailored to families like ours, and I was determined to fill that void.
With the positive feedback and support from the community, I knew our mission was worthwhile. Despite the challenges of learning the ropes as a small business owner while juggling the demands of motherhood, the insights gained and the progress achieved have been invaluable.
Fast forward to 2023, I’m astounded by the growth of Filipino and Tagalog resources, classes, books, and events geared toward families, children, and adults. We have also seen more Filipino languages, other than Tagalog, being shared through classes, literature, and online platforms. It’s a testament to how far things have grown since 2016. As I look ahead, I can’t help but feel a sense of optimism, knowing that more of the Filipino culture, languages, and stories will continue to grow, connecting more people to their roots.
Fil-Am Learners has been a journey filled with challenges, learning, and personal growth, but above all, it has been a journey of pride and purpose.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
Initially, on my Fil-Am Learners blog, I started by sharing free resources and activities, offering digital downloads that people could easily print at home or at school. These printables cover basic learning concepts including colors, numbers, parts of the body, family, and feelings. Over time, I ventured into the creation of physical products, such as Tagalog magnetic play sets, a Bingo game to teach fruits and vegetables in Tagalog, and the “Bulilit Kit,” a project I collaborated on with Filipina author, Jocelyn Francisco from “Little Yellow Jeepney.” It creates opportunities for little ones to explore Tagalog vocabulary through Filipino children’s literature and play. One of my favorite passion projects that I had envisioned for a long time was “Flip Your Story: A Series of Taglish Storytelling Games.” With the amazing artwork of Filipino illustrator, Albert Balbutin Jr., I created an educational set of storytelling games, using a deck of Filipino flashcards and a spiral-bound activity book. The joy of collaborating with like-minded Filipinos and Filipino-Americans who shared the same mission of introducing Filipino culture and language to others was truly rewarding.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
The most rewarding aspect of being a creative is the ability to create content inspired by my interests and imagination. Having the freedom and following the spark from within makes the whole experience so fulfilling. And then getting to share that joy with others is icing on the cake.
Is there mission driving your creative journey?
The main driving goal comes down to my children. I wanted to apply my creativity paired with my mission to share a part of my Filipino roots with them and others around the world. Fil-Am Learners became a significant learning journey for me, one that brought personal growth and fulfillment. Over the years, I poured my heart and soul into creating content and resources, making them accessible to a wider audience. I am extremely proud of what Fil-Am Learners has become and how it has evolved. More than that, I am immensely proud of the impact it has had on my children. It’s been heartwarming, watching them eagerly engage in learning our language and culture. They not only embraced it as a part of their education but also wholeheartedly joined me in my journey as a small business owner. They actively contributed by helping to brainstorm lesson ideas, supported with product creation and production, and offered lots of encouragement. This was especially supportive given the challenges that come with owning a small business.
Contact Info:
- Website: filamlearners.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/filamlearners