<p>He has more TV and radio credits than most working journalists — and nine months ago, he walked into a high school classroom and had to learn how to take attendance for the first time.</p><p><br></p><p>Alex Jones spent seven years at WBRC 6 News in Birmingham across eighteen different roles, acted on Disney XD at 13, and ran a college radio station as general manager before teaching a single class at Thompson High School. This conversation is about what none of that prepared him for — and why he already has the thing that takes most teachers a decade.</p><p><br></p><p>**In this episode:**</p><p>- Why Alex volunteered to present at a statewide conference in his first year of teaching (and why that instinct matters)</p><p>- The &quot;about me&quot; strategy he ran week one — and why it paid off in November</p><p>- What happened after his students&#39; first show (the answer is not what you&#39;d expect)</p><p>- The promise he made to a kid who didn&#39;t believe he was good enough to lead</p><p>- What &quot;year two&quot; actually means when year one is survival</p><p>- The difference between knowing your industry and knowing your kids</p><p><br></p><p>If you teach AV, broadcast, or media production — especially in your first five years — this one is for you.</p><p><br></p><p>Teaching to the Test Pattern is a StreamSemester.com production. Subscribe for new episodes featuring teachers, stories, and the real work of building broadcast programs in K-12.</p><p><br></p>