Dr. Irvin Scott (he/him) is a Senior Lecturer at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and the faculty co-chair of the Online Master’s in Education program. He has been a HGSE faculty member since 2016, and his concentration is in Education Leadership, where he teaches classes in both the School Leadership Program and the Doctoral Education Leadership Program.
What brought you to the field of education?
I have had so many people who have had an outsized impact on me, and many of them were educators of some sort. Starting with my parent, both of whom held education in high esteem. Then there were many teachers – like Scritchfield – who saw greatness in me before I did. There were also college professors, like Ms. Hazel Jackson, who made me believe I could be a great teacher like they were.
What are some of the classes that you teach, and what is your favorite class to teach?
All my classes are my favorites – while I teach them. I co-chair and teach in the OEL program. I teach a required course entitled Strategic Leadership in the PK-12 Education Ecosystem. The course use cases from the education sector to help students build the skills, knowledge, and dispositions needed to lead in schools and non-profits. I also teach a course called, Faith, Education and Leadership. This course is all about tapping into the role of faith, religion, and/or spirituality in order to understand another area of our identities that we might leverage to do the work that we do on behalf of children and communities. Finally, I teach an innovation and entrepreneurship course to amazing doctoral students in our Ed.L.D. program.
Is there any research you are currently working on that you’d like to share more about?
I am excited to be doing a research project with professor Bryant Jensen from Brigham Young University. He and I have been commissioned by the Wheatley Institute at BYU to look at the role of faith and spirituality on education in PK-12 schools in America.
What is your favorite thing about working at HGSE?
Our students! I love working with students in the various programs in which I lead and teach. For example, OEL students are working full-time, and they take the learning from class and apply it in their work lives – the next day. Sometimes it works out, other times it doesn’t. But they are still learning in deep and impactful ways. Working with students in person is just as powerful. The EdLD students spend time here and then go out and have influence throughout the PK-12 Education Ecosystem. I feel so blessed to be training the next generation of education leaders!
Who is an educator that inspires you?
I’m inspired by students and my colleagues! During my time here at HGSE, Dr. Bob Peterkin’s influence on my life and career is without comparison.
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