POV. The Learning. Community Engagement & Education. A Film by Ramona Diaz.

Transcription

1 POV Community Engagement & Education Discussion GuiDe A Film by Ramona Diaz

2 LeTTer from The filmmaker Baltimore, 2011 rather than simply retelling events, i am drawn to exploring the way power is harnessed, and especially how it may be seized by charismatic individuals in the name of the people, and then reclaimed by the people when, collectively, they are able to break the spell. in my film Imelda (2005), i tried to understand how imelda marcos, in her role as First lady of the Philippines, was able not to steal power from the Filipino people, but to use their fascination with myth and symbols, their pride and their deep insecurities to coax power from them during the interminable and dispiriting years of martial law. in Spirits Rising (1996), i tried to understand how the grassroots People Power movement was able to catalyze and sustain an insurrection that ended the 20-year regime of President Ferdinand marcos and sent him into exile in in, i wanted to look at power from another vantage point. i conceived of this film as a sort of reverse angle response to both imelda marcos and the female insurgents who took part in overthrowing the marcos government. While imelda marcos was charming and ruthless in her pursuit of power, the Filipina teachers in this film are women cornered by economic circumstances. While the women of the People Power uprising empowered themselves within the context of a movement to secure the future of the Philippines, the teachers act in isolation, as they are entirely on their own in trying to secure brighter futures for their children. i make films about the Philippines because it s what i know. i have a great advantage when it comes to looking at the Philippines, because, while i was born and raised there, i ve lived my entire adult life in the united states. i m both an insider and an outsider, which allows me to have a very distinct point of view. Ramona Diaz, Director/Producer/Writer 2

3 TabLe of contents credits 3 Introduction 4 Potential Partners 4 Key Issues 4 Using This Guide 5 Background Information 5 Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) 6 From Manila to Maryland: A Teacher Migration 8 Outsourcing Education in the United States 8 Baltimore City Statistics 9 Impact on Education in the Philippines 10 Selected People Featured in 10 General Discussion Questions 11 Discussion Prompts 13 Taking Action 14 Resources 16 How to Buy the Film Writer Faith Rogow, PhD Insighters Educational Consulting background Writers and editors Kristine Wilton Guide Producers, eliza Licht Vice President, Community Engagement & Education, POV Jamie Dobie Coordinator, Community Engagement & Education, POV Aubrey Gallegos Intern, Community Engagement & Education, POV Design: Rafael Jiménez Copy editor: Natalie Danford Thanks to those who reviewed this guide: Katrina Abarcar Katarungan: Center for Peace, Justice and Human Rights in the Philippines Ramona Diaz Filmmaker, introduction When the united states took possession of the Philippines in 1898, american teachers set up schools modeled on the american public school system. now, in a striking turnabout, american schools are recruiting Filipino teachers. (90 minutes) is the story of four Filipina women, each facing her first year in the Baltimore public schools, where learning is a two-way street marked with disappointment and inspiring breakthroughs. Declining school funding, urban poverty and crime have given these teachers a golden opportunity and delivered rude shocks as the women are thrust into the heart of the american educational crisis. as an outreach tool, the film uses the touching lens of personal profiles to offer opportunities to examine educational issues facing urban schools, the ways that cultural differences affect classroom dynamics and the challenges faced by foreign workers in the united states who leave their families behind in order to improve their economic status. 3

4 PoTenTiaL ParTners key issues is well suited for use in a variety of settings and is especially recommended for use with: your local Pbs station Groups that have discussed previous Pbs and films relating to education, including The Boys of Baraka and The Principal Story, or films relating to the economics of immigrant remittance payments, such as The Sixth Section Groups focused on any of the issues listed in the key issues section high school and college students faith-based organizations and institutions cultural, art and historical organizations, institutions and museums civic, fraternal and community groups academic departments and student groups at colleges, universities and high schools community organizations with a mission to promote education and learning, such as local libraries is an excellent tool for outreach and will be of special interest to people looking to explore the following topics: asian/pacific islander culture african americans baltimore cultural competency economics education hard-to-staff schools immigrant labor Philippines/filipinos Poverty remittances Teachers urban schools using This Guide this guide is an invitation to dialogue. it is based on a belief in the power of human connection, designed for people who want to use to engage family, friends, classmates, colleagues and communities. in contrast to initiatives that foster debates in which participants try to convince others that they are right, this document envisions conversations undertaken in a spirit of openness in which people try to understand one another and expand their thinking by sharing viewpoints and listening actively. the discussion prompts are intentionally crafted to help a wide range of audiences think more deeply about the issues in the film. rather than attempting to address them all, choose one or two that best meet your needs and interests. and be sure to leave time to consider taking action. Planning next steps can help people leave the room feeling energized and optimistic, even in instances when conversations have been difficult. For more detailed event planning and facilitation tips, visit 4

5 background information overseas filipino Workers (ofws) since World War ii, the Philippines has gone from being one of the richest countries in asia after Japan to one of the poorest, with a gross domestic product (GDP) per capita of just $2,007 in 2010, compared to $32,700 in Japan. a severe recession in the 1980s saw the economy of the Philippines shrink by more than 10 percent, and years of political volatility during and since the time when Ferdinand marcos was president (1965 to 1986) have contributed to economic stagnation. easing poverty has been a top priority for decades, with leaders attempting various reform programs in hopes of spurring economic growth. one such effort was a decree by marcos in 1974 to facilitate and regulate the movement of workers in conformity with the national interest. He believed that exporting Filipinos would serve as a source of foreign exchange and would increase revenue for the country s economy. annual overseas deployment increased tenfold. Working abroad has since become commonplace for Filipinos, weaving itself into the political and social fabric of their country. of a total current population of 92.2 million, there are approximately 10 million overseas Filipino Workers (ofws) around the world in 170 countries, with 1 million in saudi arabia alone, followed by Japan, Hong Kong, the united arab emirates and taiwan. Financial motivations for leaving are high: according to the World Bank, in percent of Filipinos were living below the poverty line, and as of april 2011, the unemployment rate and underemployment rate in the Philippines was 7.2 percent year over year and 19.4 percent year over year, respectively. remittances account for more than one tenth of the gross domestic product of the Philippines. as of 2007, the Philippines ranked fourth in the world in annual remittances, behind only india ($25 billion), china ($24 billion) and mexico ($24 billion). in 2010, remittances from Filipinos based abroad reached over $20 billion, the highest figure ever recorded, marking 8.2 percent growth from the $17.07 billion registered in the movement does draw criticism, however. economist Joseph anthony lim of ateneo de manila university notes that, prior to the financial crisis, economic growth in the country was largely spurred by remittances, which were used for private consumption rather than investment. He argues that the government needs to focus on implementing real reform at home that will provide sustainable growth and address systemic and structural poverty. other common criticisms focus on the high social cost of migration, including the breakup of families out of economic necessity, and government neglect and insensitivity. those focusing on the positive side of overseas employment point out that poverty rates have been cut in places like the Philippines as a result of the practice, private money is less susceptible to corruption than foreign aid, governments have been able to reduce their borrowing, and consumption among the poor is a positive development rather than a negative one. in the Philippines, ofws are commonly called bagong bayani, which means new heroes. sources: american Federation of teachers. importing educators: causes and consequences of international teacher recruitment. Baltimore Hiring of Filipino teachers Questioned. associated Press, april 6, Baltimore school District travels to Philippines to Hire teachers. Filipino Reporter, January 20, briefs/briefs_1/ Bowie, liz, and erica l. Green. city used Hiring Practices criticized in Prince George s county, Filipino teachers say. The Baltimore Sun, april 5, bs-md-filipino-teachers _1_filipino-teachers-filipino-educatorsanthony-japzon cia. the World Factbook: Philippines. DeParle, Jason. a Good Provider is one Who leaves. The New York Times, april 22, &sq=a%20Good%20Provider%20is%20one%20Who%20leaves&st=cse ellao, Janess ann J. Worst Year of ofws. Bulatlat, July 24, Goodwin, liz. school District must Pay millions in Back Pay to Foreign teachers. Yahoo! news, april 7, school-district-must-pay-millions-in-back-pay-to-foreign-teachers Katigbak, Jose. Baltimore to Hire 178 Pinoy teachers, The Philippine Star. 5

6 background information neufeld, sara. Filipino teachers learn life lessons in Baltimore. The Baltimore Sun, august 28, /news/ _1_teachers-mercado-baltimore.. remo, michelle. ofw remittances Hit $18.76B, an all-time High. Philippine Daily Inquirer, February 15, school District Fined millions for Violating immigration laws. Balitang America, april 7, tancinco, lourdes santos. Hundreds of Filipino teachers in maryland Face uncertainties. Philippine Daily Inquirer, april 16, /Hundreds-of-Filipino-teachers-in-maryland-faceuncertainties u.s. Department of state. Background note: Philippines. from manila to maryland: a Teacher migration currently, 600 Filipino teachers are working in Baltimore, comprising 10 percent of teachers in the Baltimore city school system. statewide, the number is estimated to be more than 1,200. teaching abroad is an attractive option for many Filipino teachers, who stand to earn as much as 25 times their standard salaries in the Philippines. in Baltimore, which has been actively recruiting in the Philippines since 2005, Filipino teachers earn as much as $45,000 a year, as compared to an average of $3,500 earned for teaching public school in the Philippines (and slightly more for teaching private school). typically, interested teachers apply through a for-profit recruitment agency and pay $5,000 to $8,000 in fees to cover transportation to the united states, immigration certification and housing assistance. For school districts such as Baltimore s, recruiting abroad is efficient and cost-effective. studies conducted by the center for american Progress and the national commission on teaching and america s Future show that teacher turnover rates are highest in the nation s poorest areas, leaving many low-income urban schools in constant need of new teachers. according to a maryland teacher staffing report, 60 percent of new teachers in the city of Baltimore leave after fewer than five years. teacher attrition is estimated to cost maryland approximately $42 million annually. rather than recruiting at various job fairs and through other outlets in the united states, a recruitment agency can fill multiple positions by sending representatives on one trip to manila in the Philippines. there, they can choose from hundreds of pre-screened applicants. Filipino teachers are highly valued because of their excellent english skills; when american teachers set up the public school system in the Philippines, english was established as the language of instruction and remains so to this day. a recent decision by the u.s. Department of labor, however, has halted the recruitment process. an april 2011 investigation of maryland s Prince George s county school district, which had recruited more than 1,000 teachers from the Philippines since 2005, found that the district had failed to pay proper wages and to maintain proper documentation. the district was ordered to pay a penalty of $1.74 million, as well as back wages amounting to more than $4.3 million, to 1,044 teachers, most of them Filipino. on July 7, 2011, the Prince George s county public schools reached a settlement 6

7 background information and agreed to pay the $4.3 million in back wages and to be barred from employment-based sponsorship for two years. For scores of teachers, this agreement meant an abrupt end to their lawful status in the united states. according to u.s. immigration law on H1B visas, a temporary nonimmigrant professional worker must be paid the prevailing wage, and no cost of petitioning the worker may be paid by the worker, including filing and legal fees. By requiring Filipino teachers to pay their own fees, Prince George s county was essentially paying them less than it paid their american counterparts. teachers employed by the Baltimore schools say their district, which already has more than 600 Filipino teachers, followed the same procedures for which Prince George s county is currently being penalized. Prior to the announcement, an association of Filipino teachers in Prince George s county had written to the Board of education claiming unlawful dismissal after promises of tenure. Hundreds of teachers in the district had been told in organized meetings that visas would not be extended to teachers in noncritical areas due to budget cuts. the teachers have since learned that the district was already under investigation at that time. the Prince George s county public school system has been denied the opportunity to sponsor any more foreign national teachers, either for H1B visas or for permanent resident visas. H1B visas may be renewed once, but not for more than six years total. once a visa runs out, the H1B worker (or teacher, in this case) should have an employment- or family-based immigrant petition approved or underway. However, these applications are not always accepted. citizenship has been denied to 15 Filipino teachers since march teachers whose visas are no longer going to be extended some of whom have already invested in homes for themselves and their families in the united states face a choice between returning to their home countries, pursuing claims for wrongful termination and/or finding new employers to petition for them in the united states. However, it is believed that the Prince George s county decision may discourage other school districts from hiring. sources: american Federation of teachers. importing educators: causes and consequences of international teacher recruitment. Baltimore Hiring of Filipino teachers Questioned. associated Press, april 6, Baltimore school District travels to Philippines to Hire teachers. Filipino Reporter, January 20, Bowie, liz, and erica l. Green. city used Hiring Practices criticized in Prince George s county, Filipino teachers say. The Baltimore Sun, april 5, center for american Progress. teacher turnover, tenure Policies and the Distribution of teacher Quality: can High-Poverty schools catch a Break? n.pdf cia. the World Factbook: Philippines. DeParle, Jason. a Good Provider is one Who leaves. The New York Times, april 22, =1&sq=a%20Good%20Provider%20is%20one%20Who%20leaves&st=c se Goodwin, liz. school District must Pay millions in Back Pay to Foreign teachers. Yahoo! News, april 7, okout/school-district-must-pay-millions-in-back-pay-to-foreignteachers Katigbak, Jose. Baltimore to Hire 178 Pinoy teachers, The Philippine Star. maryland teacher shortage task Force report. BB4B-e98ea716ec46/18195/mD_tstF_report_0608.pdf neufeld, sara. Filipino teachers learn life lessons in Baltimore. The Baltimore Sun, august 28, /news/ _1_teachers-mercado-baltimore.. remo, michelle. ofw remittances Hit $18.76B, an all-time High. Philippine Daily Inquirer, February 15,

8 background information school District Fined millions for Violating immigration laws. Balitang America, april 7, tancinco, lourdes santos. Hundreds of Filipino teachers in maryland Face uncertainties. Philippine Daily Inquirer, april 16, /Hundreds-of-Filipino-teachers-in-maryland-faceuncertainties u.s. Department of state. Background note: Philippines. outsourcing education in the united states the american Federation of teachers reports that there were an estimated 19,000 teachers working in the united states on temporary visas in 2007, and numbers were increasing. according to the u.s. Department of labor, the five states with the highest numbers of overseas teachers are texas, new York, california, maryland and louisiana. schools having a particularly hard time recruiting and retaining teachers include those in the inner cities and in rural areas, where populations tend to be poorer, books and supplies scarce and salaries low. science, math and special education positions are the hardest to fill. critics of recruiting abroad, such as the american Federation of teachers, say that rather than importing teachers from countries that may, as a result, end up with their own shortages, u.s. government and school districts instead ought to address the reasons underlying their shortages, in particular teacher compensation and benefits. they say that bringing in teachers from elsewhere only patches over problems in the current education system by providing a quickfix solution sources: american Federation of teachers. importing educators: causes and consequences of international teacher recruitment. Bazar, emily. schools in need employ teachers From overseas. USA Today, october 27, southern Poverty law center. Guestworker teachers Defrauded in international labor trafficking scheme. -labor-trafficking baltimore city statistics 2010 Baltimore demographics: 63.7% african american, 29.6% white average: 16% of all Baltimore families were living below the poverty line, compared to 10% nationwide. in 2010, 57% of african american boys in Baltimore public schools received high school diplomas, a 12% increase over the previous three years. according to a maryland state report card, the comprehensive dropout rate for grades nine through twelve in the city of Baltimore declined from 11.69% in 2005 to 4.07% in the maryland Department of education s suspension rates report indicates that from , 6,547 students from Baltimore public schools were suspended, down from 11,892 in the school year; 95% of the students suspended in the Baltimore city schools in the year were african american. according to the 2008 DaWn emergency Department metro report, there were 25,000 total substance abuse treatment admissions in Baltimore. residents of Baltimore seeking substance abuse treatment are more likely to report heroin as their primary substance of abuse than other members of the u.s. population seeking substance abuse treatment. a 2010 report issued by the maryland Department of Juvenile services shows that Baltimore had the highest number of juvenile intakes in the state that year; 95% of all people subject to intake in Baltimore were african american. most were between the ages of 15 and 17. sources: u.s. census Bureau. state and county QuickFacts: Baltimore city, maryland. u.s. census Bureau. Fact sheet: Baltimore city, maryland. &geo_id=05000us24510&_geocontext=01000us 04000us u s24510&_street=&_county=baltimore&_citytown=baltimore&_state=04 000us24&_zip=&_lang=en&_sse=on&activeGeoDiv=&_useeV=&pctxt=f ph&pgsl=050&_submenuid=population_0&ds_name=dec_2000_saff &_ci_nbr=null&qr_name=null&reg=null%3anull&_keyword=&_industry Bowie, liz. Fewer Black males are Dropping out of school in Baltimore. The Baltimore Sun, october 20, pout-rate 8

9 background information 2010 maryland report card. Baltimore city. a=state#dropout maryland Department of Juvenile services. FY 2010 annual statistical report. maryland state Department of education. maryland Public school suspensions by school and major offense category, a-951b-99b5476a463a/8109/susp05_sch2.pdf open society Foundations. out-of-school suspension, maryland and Baltimore city ations/suspension-factsheet substance abuse and mental Health services administration. substance abuse treatment in metropolitan areas. md.pdf impact on education in the Philippines the recruitment of large numbers of Filipino teachers to work in the united states has contributed to a shortage of approximately 16,000 teachers in the Philippines, and the teacher-pupil ratio has become the worst in asia, 1 to 59. in addition, those teachers who do work abroad tend to have better credentials, and finding replacements for them is not easy, meaning that quality of instruction, particularly in science, math and special education, is suffering. in 2006, double sessions were introduced in order to accommodate increasing student populations, but conditions are still dire. congressman antonio tinio of the alliance of concerned teachers says that some schools offer as many as four sessions per day, beginning as early as 6 a.m., but classrooms are still packed with 70 to 80 students, even in the capital city of manila. in order for the double-session system to work, tinio said, a new set of teachers would have to relieve the first-session set, to improve efficiency and reduce overworking. But teacher shortages in the tens of thousands make that unlikely. according to the education Department in the Philippines, 8,000 additional classrooms need to be built percent, up from percent in overall, both scores are down from tinio has argued that the only solution is for the government of the Philippines to spend more on education. according to recent statistics, the government spends 2.5 percent of its budget on education, far less than the 6 percent recommended by unesco. in comparison, Japan spends 3.5 percent of its gross domestic product, while thailand spends 4 percent and the united states 5.7 percent. sources: al Jazeera. students brave obstacles in the Philippines. June 17, Federis, trina. Picturing the state of education. Bulatlat, June 4, Federis, trina. two-shift classroom scheme Does not solve education crisis, Bulatlat, June 4, mydans, seth. the Philippines Face classroom shortage. The New York Times, august 24, new america Foundation. Federal education Budget Project. ronda, rainier allan. Deped: achievement rates of students Declining. The Philippine Star, may 26, categoryid=63 u.s. Department of state. Background note: Philippines. recent standardized-test results reflect poor student performance: the average national achievement test percentage score for high school students in was 46.30, reflecting a decline for the third year in a row. For elementary school students, the average was 9

10 background information Selected People Featured in angel alim-fores is a 25-year-old seventh grade math teacher who has been teaching since she was 21. she is the breadwinner for her family. Having accepted responsibility for supporting five of her seven siblings, angel fulfills her obligations by going to the united states. Grace amper is a 32-year-old ninth grade math teacher with 10 years teaching experience. she leaves her infant son in order to secure a brighter future for him. dorotea Godinez is a 43-year-old high school science teacher with 22 years of teaching experience. When asked why she wants to teach in Baltimore, she responds candidly, For greener pastures. the Philippines is financially ill, and employees are receiving salaries below the poverty line. in the united states, Godinez earns 25 times as much as she would in the Philippines, enough to support her husband and four sons adequately. rhea espedido is a 35-year-old special education elementary teacher who has been an educator for 13 years. When she moves to the united states, she is separated from her husband for the first time in 19 years. she also leaves her two children behind. GeneraL discussion QuesTions Immediately after the film, you may want to give people a few quiet moments to reflect on what they have seen. If the mood seems tense, you can pose a general question and give people some time to themselves to jot down or think about their answers before opening the discussion. Please encourage people to stay in the room between the film and the discussion. If you save your break for an appropriate moment during the discussion, you won t lose the feeling of the film as you begin your dialogue. One way to get a discussion going is to pose a general question such as: if you could ask anyone in the film a single question, who would you ask and what would you ask him or her? What did you learn from this film? What insights did it provide? if a friend asked you what this film was about, what would you tell him or her? describe a moment or scene in the film that you found particularly disturbing or moving. What was it about that scene that was especially compelling for you? 10

11 discussion PromPTs immigration issues Economic Issues Which factors explain why, according to Dorotea Godinez, teachers in the Philippines earn a salary that is below the poverty line, while the same teachers working in the united states can make nearly 25 times more? What policies, choices or institutions do you think perpetuate that disparity? Given that in the near term the Philippines cannot offer salaries that compete with the salaries available to teachers in the united states, does the united states have a responsibility to ensure that its school districts don t rob poorer nations of all of their best teachers? Based on the high social cost of migration, does the government of the Philippines have a responsibility to keep its citizens in the country? angel alim-fores uses Disney World and mickey mouse to explain to her students and family the importance of pursuing dreams and that being in the united states is a dream fulfilled for her. What represents the united states to you? What do you think represents the american dream? according to the film, an estimated 10 million Filipinos work overseas. in 2010, these workers sent close to 20 billion dollars to support their extended families in the Philippines. these remittances encouraged economic growth in the Philippines. What is the likely economic impact on the united states? is this a viable long-term economic development strategy for developing nations such as the Philippines, or will the global flow of capital simply sustain existing hierarchies? Why or why not? Family Issues compare and contrast family members reactions to the absence of their wife, mother, daughter or sister. Which of the teachers do you think will end up with the healthiest relationship with her children? spouse? Parents? siblings? Why? How does absence change each woman s role as a parent? in what ways does age influence how the children handle their mothers absences? What strategies do the mothers use to keep ties strong? What, if anything, do you imagine might have been different if the teachers were men? How are the situations you see like or unlike that of another family you know whose children live apart from a parent? alim-fores father says that his daughter has taken over my responsibilities as a father. How does the fact that these women are the primary breadwinners influence the dynamics of their families, especially with regard to decision making? an interviewer asks Godinez, so, it would be worth it to you to leave the country where you ve lived your whole life, your family, your friends, your support groups, everything that you know in your whole life and move to a different country? You re ready to do that? What circumstances would make you ready to do that? How does each woman define success for her family? For herself? Where does each find the most success and what things present the greatest obstacles to success? How do the women s ideas compare to their respective families definitions of success? How do the women s visions of success compare with your own? in what ways is the choice to teach in the united states freeing and in what ways is it a burden for each woman? What role do family expectations play? (alim-fores father says, she will bring us out of poverty. all my dreams will be fulfilled through her, and Grace amper s family plans to use her salary to build a house.) What role do the women s own expectations play? (at 35, rhea espedido says, You know, after 18 years [of being married], here i am again with my own self. i can do, you know, everything i want. ) When amper returns home, her infant son refuses to engage with her. she says, i know in the long run he ll be in a better position. i really have to suffer the consequences of what i did and what i m doing. in your view, at what point does the personal cost of a sacrifice outweigh the potential benefit? What factors force families like amper s into difficult choices (i.e., you can earn a living, but you have to leave your baby, or you can stay with your child and live in poverty)? in your opinion, are such choices an inevitable part of life or are there things that communities, governments, civic or religious organizations or employers could do or have done to minimize the need to make such choices? in the face of her family s very materialistic demands, alim-fores says that she will pay for her siblings education but adds, We have to help each other out. so we can really go from rags to riches. But i can t be the only one to work for all of you. We all have to work to go from rags to riches, not just me. Because i cannot do it alone. Honestly, i cannot. We have to help each other. What might you have said or done in alim-fores position? What types of things do your fam- 11

12 discussion PromPTs ily members do to help each other out? What happens to a community when most of the women leave? How does that impact a community that is mostly run by women? Impressions of the United States anticipating her trip, alim-fores says, i really picture out america as one of the beautiful places in the world. and even when i m a kid, i really dream of going there. contrast this idealized image of the united states with what the teachers find when they actually arrive in Baltimore. What meets their expectations and what surprises them? Godinez says, i only see america in television movies, in pictures of books or in magazines. i haven t had a picture of what america really looks like. Do you think that Dorotea has good reason to doubt the accuracy of media portrayals of life in the united states? What images are typically included in such portrayals and what is left out? What media impressions have you seen of the Philippines? How credible were those sources? Did the film confirm or contradict any of your impressions? What do you think the teachers learn about the united states that they didn t know before their year in Baltimore? Do you think teachers from an impoverished country such as the Philippines share common experiences with inner city students in the united states? if so, what might some of those experiences be? Education Issues Why do you think there is a shortage of math, science and special education teachers in school districts like the city of Baltimore? in your view, what are the best strategies to meet that need? What are the advantages to the district of hiring teachers from the Philippines? to the students? to the community? What are the downsides? Godinez readily acknowledges that she doesn t always understand the language or behavior of her students, even saying to one student, You re so weird. Do you think Godinez s gaps in understanding the culture(s) of her predominantly black urban students differ from those that might be experienced by a white teacher who grew up in a rural or suburban area? in your view, on a scale of one to 10, how important is it for teachers to understand the culture(s) of their students? What does a teacher gain by understanding students cultures? What is your reaction to the greetings the Filipina teachers offer their students on the first day of class? none of the Filipina teachers in the film speak perfect english. Do you find that problematic? What might students gain by having teachers for whom english is a second language? What might they lose? if you were asked to brief the Filipina teachers on the meaning of the slang used by their students, what phrases would you include? Dorotea says, i think how they understand respect is... maybe different. in Philippine culture respect is... if you respect your teacher you don t talk back. But according to the students, it is not disrespect. We are just expressing our point of view. it is clear that sometimes her students are deliberately disrespectful and other times behavior that the students think is normal is interpreted by Godinez as disrespectful. How do you show respect? What signals do you look for from others? What happens when there is no shared understanding of what respectful behavior looks like? one of Godinez s students asks if she is coming back next year and if she likes the Philippines better than Baltimore. Why might a student want to know this? Why does the student doubt that her teacher will return? What is the subtext of this conversation? at one point, Godinez has to cover for an absent teacher, and her class size increases to 40. From what you see in the film, why might class size matter? if you were a parent of any of the students in the film, would you be satisfied with his or her teacher? Why or why not? if you were speaking with each of the teachers at a parent-teacher conference, what would you say to her? What would you want them to know about what your child needs? Despite what we see of Godinez s class, her overall performance is rated as satisfactory. What rating would you give and what would be the basis for your rating? How would you rate the other teachers? When Godinez returns to her former school in the Philippines, she is greeted like a rock star. How do you account for the difference between how students in the Philippines view her and how students in Baltimore view her? 12

13 TakinG action Find out what your school district s policy is regarding the hiring of foreign nationals. Work with school officials as needed to ensure that all teachers, including migrant teachers, are treated fairly and equitably. Help develop cultural competency programs to familiarize teachers from other countries with the culture and customs of your community and/or to familiarize students with the cultures and customs of their teachers. create or support public recognition for all of the excellent teachers in your community (not a zero-sum competition for a single best teacher). consider what else your community could do to create a climate that values teachers and teaching. convene a study circle or a public forum to examine why there are teacher shortages in certain subject areas and/or why certain schools have a difficult time recruiting and retaining teachers especially teachers certified in math, science and special education. Plan steps to address the issues raised by your research or event. study the impact of current immigration policies on migrant teachers and their families, in particular obstacles they may face in their pursuit of permanent residency in the united states, possibly causing them to join the ranks of the undocumented. share your findings through forums such as the White House roundtables on immigration reform. additional media literacy questions are available at: 13

14 resources FILM-RELATED WEB SITES Original Online Content on POV Interactive ( the website for will include additional video, including scenes that were cut from the final version of the film, an interactive map showing areas of the united states with large numbers of Filipino immigrants, fun facts about how far a dollar goes in the Philippines and the united states, and updates on the teachers lives since filming ended. What s Your POV? Share your thoughts about by posting a comment on the POV Blog or send an to pbs@pov.org. AL JAzEERA. STuDEnTS BRAVE OBSTACLES In PhILIPPInES asia-pacific/2011/06/ html this special report details what many Filipino children go through to receive education in overcrowded schools that lack basic facilities. AMERICAn FEDERATIOn OF TEAChERS. IMPORTIng EDuCATORS: CAuSES AnD COnSEquEnCES OF InTERnATIOnAL TEAChER RECRuITMEnT importingeducators0609.pdf this teacher s union report includes a case study of Baltimore. also of interest is the union s position on dealing with hard-to-staff schools: ASSOCIATIOn OF FILIPInO TEAChERS OF AMERICA the website for this support group describes a project designed to help teachers from the Philippines who are teaching in the united states aid their peers teaching back in the Philippines. BALTIMORE CITY PuBLIC SChOOLS the website of the Baltimore public school system provides general information about policies, schools, teacher evaluation and student performance in the area. 14

15 resources KATARungAn: CEnTER FOR PEACE, JuSTICE AnD human RIghTS In ThE PhILIPPInES Washington, D.c.-based Katarungan was formed in 2006 in response to an international campaign to stop extrajudicial killings and other human rights violations in the Philippines. it strives to promote peace, justice and human rights in the Philippines through research, education and grassroots advocacy. WIKIPEDIA. EDuCATIOn In ThE PhILIPPInES Education_in_the_Philippines though Wikipedia should never be trusted as a sole source, this entry provides a good starting point for looking at the historical development of education traditions in the Philippines. LIBRARY OF COngRESS. PhILIPPInES: EDuCATIOn this study summarizes education in the Philippines from a u.s. perspective. LOuISIAnA FEDERATIOn OF TEAChERS. b3402-7a5e-4b a9ec058333a0 like Baltimore, louisiana has recruited a significant number of Filipino teachers. this report examines legal controversies surrounding the hiring process. national EDuCATIOn ASSOCIATIOn the tools and ideas section of the website of the largest teacher s union in the united states suggests methods for teachers to handle things such as classroom management and discipline. REPuBLIC OF ThE PhILIPPInES. DEPARTMEnT OF EDuCATIOn the official website of this department provides statistics and a sense of major educational issues in the Philippines from the government s perspective. The New York Times. TOILIng FAR FROM home FOR PhILIPPInE DREAMS this is a sobering and informative article on communities in the Philippines built by remittances. 15

16 How To Buy THe FiLm To order for educational use, please visit Women Make Movies, Produced by American Documentary, Inc. and beginning its 24th season on PBS in 2011, the award-winning POV series is the longestrunning showcase on American television to feature the work of today s best independent documentary filmmakers. Airing June through September with primetime specials during the year, POV has brought more than 300 acclaimed documentaries to millions nationwide and has a Webby Award-winning online series, POV's Borders. Since 1988, POV has pioneered the art of presentation and outreach using independent nonfiction media to build new communities in conversation about today s most pressing social issues. Visit POV Digital POV's award-winning website extends the life of our films online with interactive features, interviews, updates, video and educational content, as well as listings for television broadcasts, community screenings and films available online. The POV Blog is a gathering place for documentary fans and filmmakers to discuss their favorite films and get the latest news. POV Community Engagement and Education POV films can be seen at more than 450 events across the country every year. Together with schools, organizations and local PBS stations, POV facilitates free community screenings and produces free resources to accompany our films, including discussion guides and curriculum-based lesson plans. With our community partners, we inspire dialogue around the most important social issues of our time. 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. American Documentary, Inc. American Documentary, Inc. (AmDoc) is a multimedia company dedicated to creating, identifying and presenting contemporary stories that express opinions and perspectives rarely featured in mainstream media outlets. AmDoc develops collaborative strategic-engagement activities around socially relevant content on television, online and in community settings. These activities are designed to trigger action, from dialogue and feedback to educational opportunities and community participation. Join our Community Network! Learn about new lesson plans, facilitation guides and our other free educational resources and find out about screenings near you. Joining our network is also the first step towards hosting your own POV screening. You can also follow us on for the latest news from POV Community Engagement & Education. Front cover: rotea Godinez and her youngest son, John Herbert. Bogo, Philippines. Photo courtesy of Miguel V. Fabie III ( ) The See it On PBS logo is a trademark of the Public Broadcasting Service and is used with permission. All rights reserved.