| POV's "The Learning" Follows the Hopes and Trials of Four Filipina Teachers Coming to America Premiering on PBS on Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2011; Film Streams on POV Website Sept. 21 - Oct. 21 |
A Century After American Educators Helped Create Public Schools in the Philippines, Filipino Teachers Are Returning the
Favor - in America's Inner Cities
"The Learning is like no other teaching film - it sensitizes you in fresh and unexpected ways to the transactions between
instructors and students." - Michael Sragow, The Baltimore Sun
One hundred years ago, American teachers established the English-speaking public school system of the Philippines.
Now, in a striking turnabout, American schools are recruiting Filipino teachers. Ramona Diaz's The Learning is the story of
four Filipina women who reluctantly leave their families and schools to teach in Baltimore. They hope to use their higher
salaries to transform their families' impoverished lives back home. But the women bring idealistic visions of the teacher's
craft and of life in America, which soon collide with Baltimore's tough realities.
The Learning has its national broadcast premiere on Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2011 at 10 p.m. on POV (Point of View) on PBS.
(Check local listings.) The film will stream in its entirety on the POV website, Sept. 21 - Oct. 21. POV is the winner of a
Special Emmy for Excellence in Television Documentary Filmmaking, an IDA Award for Best Continuing Series and the
National Association of Latino Independent Producers' 2011 Award for Corporate Commitment to Diversity.
POV works with public television stations and national and community groups across the country to foster dialogue around
the issues presented in our films. For a list of upcoming screening events go to http://www.pbs.org/pov/outreach. POV and
nationally recognized media educator Dr. Faith Rogow are developing a discussion guide with background information to
help event organizers. Cari Ladd, M.Ed., is creating a lesson plan. Educators may record and show The Learning in their
classrooms for one year following the premiere broadcast.
POV's website for The Learning will include additional video, an interactive map showing areas of the United States with
large numbers of Filipino immigrants, traditional Filipino songs, and information on the impact of remittances to the
Philippines - on the country's economy and in social and cultural costs.
Credits:
Director/Producer/Writer: Ramona Diaz
Executive Producer: Tony Gloria
Cinematographer: Gretchen Hildebran, Gabriel Goodenough
Editor: Leah Marino
Total Running Time: 86:46
POV Series Credits:
Executive Producer: Simon Kilmurry
Co-Executive Producer: Cynthia López
Vice President, Production and Programming: Chris White
Series Producer: Yance Ford
The Learning is a co-production of CineDiaz and ITVS in association with The Center for Asian American Media, with
funding provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and American Documentary | POV.
* * * *
Major funding for POV is provided by PBS, The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, National Endowment for the
Arts, The Educational Foundation of America, New York State Council on the Arts, New York City Department of Cultural
Affairs, FACT and public television viewers. Special support provided by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Funding for POV's Diverse Voices Project is provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Project VoiceScape is a
partnership of Adobe Youth Voices, PBS and POV. POV is presented by a consortium of public television stations, including
WGBH Boston and THIRTEEN in association with WNET.ORG.
Favor - in America's Inner Cities
"The Learning is like no other teaching film - it sensitizes you in fresh and unexpected ways to the transactions between
instructors and students." - Michael Sragow, The Baltimore Sun
One hundred years ago, American teachers established the English-speaking public school system of the Philippines.
Now, in a striking turnabout, American schools are recruiting Filipino teachers. Ramona Diaz's The Learning is the story of
four Filipina women who reluctantly leave their families and schools to teach in Baltimore. They hope to use their higher
salaries to transform their families' impoverished lives back home. But the women bring idealistic visions of the teacher's
craft and of life in America, which soon collide with Baltimore's tough realities.
The Learning has its national broadcast premiere on Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2011 at 10 p.m. on POV (Point of View) on PBS.
(Check local listings.) The film will stream in its entirety on the POV website, Sept. 21 - Oct. 21. POV is the winner of a
Special Emmy for Excellence in Television Documentary Filmmaking, an IDA Award for Best Continuing Series and the
National Association of Latino Independent Producers' 2011 Award for Corporate Commitment to Diversity.
POV works with public television stations and national and community groups across the country to foster dialogue around
the issues presented in our films. For a list of upcoming screening events go to http://www.pbs.org/pov/outreach. POV and
nationally recognized media educator Dr. Faith Rogow are developing a discussion guide with background information to
help event organizers. Cari Ladd, M.Ed., is creating a lesson plan. Educators may record and show The Learning in their
classrooms for one year following the premiere broadcast.
POV's website for The Learning will include additional video, an interactive map showing areas of the United States with
large numbers of Filipino immigrants, traditional Filipino songs, and information on the impact of remittances to the
Philippines - on the country's economy and in social and cultural costs.
Credits:
Director/Producer/Writer: Ramona Diaz
Executive Producer: Tony Gloria
Cinematographer: Gretchen Hildebran, Gabriel Goodenough
Editor: Leah Marino
Total Running Time: 86:46
POV Series Credits:
Executive Producer: Simon Kilmurry
Co-Executive Producer: Cynthia López
Vice President, Production and Programming: Chris White
Series Producer: Yance Ford
The Learning is a co-production of CineDiaz and ITVS in association with The Center for Asian American Media, with
funding provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and American Documentary | POV.
* * * *
Major funding for POV is provided by PBS, The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, National Endowment for the
Arts, The Educational Foundation of America, New York State Council on the Arts, New York City Department of Cultural
Affairs, FACT and public television viewers. Special support provided by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Funding for POV's Diverse Voices Project is provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Project VoiceScape is a
partnership of Adobe Youth Voices, PBS and POV. POV is presented by a consortium of public television stations, including
WGBH Boston and THIRTEEN in association with WNET.ORG.
