Alex Campbell is a high school social studies teacher at Elizabethton High School in East Tennessee, where he’s spent more than two decades reimagining what learning can look like. His classroom became known nationally after his students helped investigate and solve Tennessee cold cases, turning lessons in history and sociology into powerful acts of justice.
As the author of 10 Lessons That Will Get You Fired (But You Must Teach Immediately) and a featured voice on the podcast Murder 101, Alex challenges the limits of traditional education. He believes teachers aren’t just keepers of knowledge, they’re creators of learning experiences who can help students make a tangible impact on the world around them.
Together, Ashanti and Alex dive deep into:
The masks teachers wear: confidence, control, and hidden doubt
Why project-based learning transforms classrooms, and lives
The story of Alex’s students helping free a woman wrongfully imprisoned for murder
How vulnerability, trust, and risk-taking open doors to real learning
What it means to teach with courage in a system built for compliance
How purpose-driven teaching builds hope, belonging, and self-worth
Alex’s reflections challenge us to ask:
Are we teaching content… or changing lives?
And what happens when we finally trust students to lead their own learning?
Timestamps:
(0:00) Welcome & introduction
(1:22) Alex on teaching in East Tennessee and finding purpose through connection
(4:10) The mask Alex wears: confident on the outside, uncertain within
(8:35) “10 Lessons That Will Get You Fired”, why he wrote the book
(14:55) The power of project-based learning in real classrooms
(23:10) Students investigating cold cases and seeking justice
(30:25) When learning becomes life-changing, the story of freeing an innocent woman
(38:20) How Alex redefines the teacher’s role as a “creator of learning experiences”
(45:05) Vulnerability and risk-taking in front of students
(50:15) “Trust your students”, Alex’s message to every educator
(58:00) Closing reflections: what courage looks like in education today
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Connect with Alex Campbell:
Book: 10 Lessons That Will Get You Fired (But You Must Teach Immediately)
Podcast: Murder 101
Feature: Knox News – Teacher Alex Campbell and His Students Help Solve Tennessee Cold Cases
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