As a multi-time Teacher of the Year recipient, Alex Campbell has seen his fair share of stories while teaching in Carter County.
Those stories are now documented for the public to read in his new book Ten Lessons That Will Get You Fired (But You Must Teach Immediately), currently on sale now at local bookstores and online.
“I had a teacher in college that told me it would be great if a teacher would just record their stories of stuff that happens in the classroom,” Campbell said.
Writing comes natural for the current EHS teacher, who has had multiple articles published in three different magazines and online journals.
A graduate of East Tennessee State University, Campbell has taught over the past 15 years, doing his student teaching within the Johnson City School System. A graduate of Hampton High School, Campbell has taught seven years at Happy Valley and is currently in his eighth year at Elizabethton High School.
Noted on the book, Campbell has “pushed the boundaries of schooling only to find that he has upset the traditional architecture of the public school world.”
Joking around about his sometimes unorthodox style, Campbell added that the way he teaches is a way to make learning enjoyable for his students.
“I’ve had a couple of trips to the principal’s office and superintendent’s office before,” Campbell said. “But I’ve looked at different ways of expanding the way of making learning fun for the students.”
Throughout the 220 pages of the book, which was published by Jan-Carol Publishing, Inc., Campbell goes through a variety of chapters, documenting different stores through his time of working with students. A variety of chapters are creatively titled throughout the book, including “Let Your Students Play,” “Brainwash Your Students” and “Make Your Students Cry.”
The creative style of the book delves into various teaching methods Campbell has used during his career.
“It’s about making learning fun for the kids,” Campbell said. “I recorded some of the most intriguing stories that happened over my career.”
Campbell will have a book signing at the Elizabethton-Carter County Public Library on Thursday, Sept. 15, from 4 to 7:30 p.m. and encourages past students to stop by and visit to share in some of the moments throughout his teaching career of 15-plus years.
“I’ve had so many students over the years,” Campbell said. “And I loved working with them. I would love to see some of my former students stop by and share some of the stories from the book.”
Along with his book signing, Campbell will also be on TV on Tuesday, Sept. 13, on the Daytime Tri-Cities morning show to promote his book.
Ten Lessons That Will Get You Fired (But You Must Teach Immediately) is available at local bookstores including Barnes & Noble and available online for the price of $14.95. For more information, visit the Alex Campbell: Ten Lessons That Will Get You Fired Facebook page online.