POV‘s 24th season on PBS continues with the U.S. broadcast premiere of The Learning, the story of four Filipina women who reluctantly leave their families and schools to teach in Baltimore.

Watch a free, exclusive sneak preview of The Learning now on the PBS mobile app for iPhone or iPad or watch the film on PBS stations this Tuesday, September 20, 2011 at 10 PM. Check your local listings.

View the trailer for the documentary The Learning, premiering Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2011, on POV.


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. The Learning is the story of four Filipino women who reluctantly leave their families and schools to teach in Baltimore. With their increased salaries, they hope to transform their families’ lives back in their impoverished country. But the women also bring idealistic visions of the teacher’s craft and of life in America, which soon collide with Baltimore’s tough realities. 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.

After watching the film, visit POV’s website for interactive features about the film:

  • Watch The Learning on POV’s website starting Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2011.
  • Watch deleted scenes from The Learning.
  • Join a live chat with Ramona Diaz and teachers from The Learning, on Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2011, at 4:30 PM ET.
  • View images from the film and a behind-the-scenes gallery of stills from the production in the Philippines.
  • How far does a dollar go in the Philippines? Compare the lifestyles of Americans and Filipinos.
  • Meet teachers Angel, Grace, Dorotea and Rhea.
  • The filmmakers update POV on what’s happened since the camera’s stopped rolling.

  • Replay a live chat with the NewsHour’s Hari Sreenivasan; filmmaker Ramona Diaz; Grace Gonzales-Amper (one of the teachers); John Merrow, NewsHour’s correspondent for education; and several reporters from The Baltimore Sun.

  • Go behind the lens with an exclusive extended interview with the director.
  • <!––>View a map<!––> of Filipino populations in America.

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  • CONTEST: Watch related films about environmental issues, including Butterfly, the story of Julia Hill, who climbed a 1000-year-old redwood tree in 1997 to save it from being clear cut. Ten lucky viewers will win Julia’s book, “The Legacy of Luna”!

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POV’s 24th season continues Tuesday nights through September 27, concluding with a special broadcast on November 10. Keep up with the films at http://pbs.org/pov, on Twitter @povdocs or on Facebook.

Published by

POV Staff
POV Staff
POV (a cinema term for "point of view") is television's longest-running showcase for independent non-fiction films. POV premieres 14-16 of the best, boldest and most innovative programs every year on PBS. Since 1988, POV has presented over 400 films to public television audiences across the country. POV films are known for their intimacy, their unforgettable storytelling and their timeliness, putting a human face on contemporary social issues.