With education curricula largely based on 19th century society, it’s no wonder teenagers now spend most of their time on screens, disillusioned with their schooling. Always looking for new ways to engage and up-skill his students, Tennessee high school teacher Alex Campbell thinks outside the box - way outside it.
When he handed a bunch of local cold cases to a sociology class in 2018, Campbell aimed to improve their problem-solving skills and awaken their empathy. Never did he imagine they‘d solve any of them. Since then, he and his students have helped many victims of crime ignored by the justice system and brought closure to grieving families who never thought they’d find out what happened to their missing loved ones.
I'm not glorifying violence. I'm trying to equip our younger generation with the skills they need to be creative problem solvers and to give back to their communities.Alex Campbell
In this episode, we talk to the innovative educator and subject of the hit podcast Murder 101 about meeting today’s teenagers where they’re at, equipping them for the future, and using true crime to teach valuable lessons that mirror the realities many of them face.
Links
TBI asks Tennessee high school students for help solving nearly 50-year-old cold case Justice for Tracy Sue Walker
Grave Matters is an SBS Audio podcast about death, dying, and the people helping us do both better. Find it in your podcast app, such as the SBS Audio app, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or LiSTNR.
Credits
Hosts: Anthony Levin and Nadine J. Cohen
Producer: Jeremy Wilmot
Writers: Anthony Levin and Nadine J. Cohen
Art and design: Karina Aslikyan
SBS team: Joel Supple, Max Gosford, Bernadette Phương Nam Nguyễn, and Philip Soliman
Guest: Alex Campbell
