Fifty years ago, the television drama “Diary of a Teacher” by the director Vittorio di Seta was aired for the first time, with the pedagogical advice of Francesco Tonucci.

The screenplay is taken from the autobiographical book “Un anno a Pietralata” by Albino Bernardini and was broadcast on the first RAI channel in four episodes.

The subject is set in a school in the Roman suburbs and tells the story of a teacher struggling both with school dropout and with youth social unease, and who, thanks to pedagogical innovation, manages, together with his pupils, towards building a different school. A school that wants to know and respect its children, following their interests and proposing topics and strategies that have real meaning for the lives of children and the world around them.

It is a total of 4 and a half hours of film, followed in 1973 by 11 million people for each of the first 3 episodes. The last episode, on the other hand, set the record by reaching 15 million viewers with 82 percent audience approval.

For those who see the script, it will be impossible not to notice Francesco Tonucci’s behind-the-scenes participation and the ideas brought forward by himself and by the great Italian masters of the Educational Cooperation Movement.

This is why we wanted to hear his testimony and reflections on the film, and on today’s school, after all these years.

Subtitles:

For those who want to see the screenplay, this is also available on our youtube channel.