I'm currently pursuing my Master's degree in the Sociology of Education. NYU's program mainly explores social and academic systems in the United States: with a needed emphasis on how those systems fail students from under-resourced communities. When I applied to this summer's Literacy & Learning program in London, I knew that I wanted to compare the expectations of both American and British students & learning communities - do students feel a sense of 'belonging' in their school? How do teachers strive to make learning accessible? How do schools engage with their communities? Do parents feel respected and valued within the schooling system?
I felt that there were many examples of positive engagement, and this probably was related to the types of visits and excursions we made in London. Still, I felt especially moved by our day spent in the hull of the Hackney Pirate Ship. We learned that the Hackney Pirates had been founded by a teacher in the Hackney school district (a historically low socioeconomic neighborhood) who saw students being left behind. Teachers with nationally mandated curriculum, near-constant standardized test prep, and 30-student classrooms did not have the energy or resources to uplift the students struggling to keep up.
Much of our lesson there rang true in my knowledge of American teacher motivation. Despite a passion for education and a desire to help others, teachers in low-income neighborhoods often struggle to provide both the curriculum instruction and personal connection that so many students seek. These schools experience high teacher turnover and poorer student outcomes, with few interventions available to give students what they need the most: individualized attention, confidence, and the ability to persevere.
Hackney Pirates works as a model to prove that the responsibility to nurture students doesn't lie solely on the teachers' shoulders. Learning communities consist of family members, tutors, volunteers, librarians, principals, booksellers, movie theater attendants, bookshop dwellers, and yes - pirates.
Facing similar struggles and needs as in the US, a Hackney teacher was able to make a difference that reverberates throughout this community and the children's lives.