Teacher Spotlight: Lee Irby
Sometimes a teacher’s passion and skill make a subject truly come alive. Lee Irby, a history teacher and published author from St. Petersburg Collegiate STEM High School, is one such educator. In this teacher spotlight, we introduce you to the man who brings history to life for his students and his readers.
A native of Richmond, Virginia, Irby has a long-standing fascination with history, particularly the complex issues of race in American society. “When you grow up in the Capitol of the Confederacy, it’s hard to escape the heavy weight of history pressing down,” he says. “I’ve definitely spent much of my academic life trying to understand the dynamics of race in American life.”
Irby’s educational journey includes a bachelor’s degree in English and History from the University of Virginia and a Master of Arts in U.S. History from the University of South Florida. His life experiences are as varied as his academic pursuits; he has worked as an oyster shucker and even a mouse farmer.
He considers winning a third-grade math contest to be “one of his greatest achievements.” Irby also credits his “lifelong love of Shakespeare” to his high school AP English teacher, Ms. Jacobs, who introduced him to Hamlet.
When asked what inspired him to become an educator, Irby shared, “When I learned that the great philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein taught kindergarten, I decided to keep my mind open. I do naively believe that teachers can change the world, despite all the evidence to the contrary.”
His advice for new teachers is to start in middle school. “Nothing else will prepare a teacher like middle school,” Irby explains. “Getting the attention of a 7th grader requires talent beyond my abilities.”
Included in a long list of accomplishments is that Irby is a published author. His peer-reviewed publications include works of history, fiction, and poetry. His study of “trailer-trash” culture has received numerous awards, and his novel 7,000 Clams (Doubleday, 2005) was named by the Tampa Bay Times as one of the “10 Books Every Floridian Should Read.” Most recently Irby wrote a review for Southern Spaces titled Sunset Colonies: Photographs by Diego Alejandro Waisman which examines the economic disparity in south Florida.
SPCSHS Principal, Dr. Raquel Hairston, expressed her pride in Irby’s recent published work, stating, “Mr. Irby’s passion for history and his dedication to his students are evident in everything he does. We are incredibly proud of his recent achievement and the example he sets for our students.”