Why I teach...good students and graduation

Laura Wolf and Maryam Ghavidel

What makes a good student? I ask students that in my classes any more, and the range of answers is revealing.  Grades never come up. More on that soon, as I compile the latest batch from Twitter in Journlaism class.
Graduation shows why you teach...good students become more than just ex-students. They are people you trust, who you're glad to see, who you remember for their work ethic, passion and attitude. Here are two of them at graduation last week.

Five days till Christmas

Christmas storm a'coming--4 by 6 watercolor

Twittering star and former student

@clarkclass #clarkclass

Speaker to my Twitter for Journalists class today was Sheri Guyse, @MyJRNY, marketing director for Good Egg Dining, and so much more. We watched Good Egg's video, and referred to Sheri's Blog, Really Most Sincerely, ahead of time.

"This class  so transcends twitter, it's about life" 

The class got the ultimate compliment, in my book, from one student after Sheri left today. he said "This class so transcends twitter, it's about life." 
So what did she talk about? Her journey, personally and professionally. About the booming cultural life in Oklahoma City. About travel. About food. About music. About the avant garde way Good Egg uses twitter and social media to open new restaurants and in daily operation, advertising, PR and marketing.
In our debriefing after she left, several students mentioned how much she inspired them with her off the cuff remarks, honesty and advice about twitter and more. I am so fortunate to have so many great former students.
You can see some of the students tweets during her comments at @okieprof, search #clarkclass.
Here are some student comments during our debriefing, notes take by Lacey Rhodes.

    •    Be a good person, and keep the content clean.
    •    There is nothing at all that you cannot do.
    •    Keep your relationship statuses offline.
    •    “Fear is this weird thing that our brain does that serves absolutely no purpose.”
    •    Use twitter to tell a story
    •    Both speakers we’ve had said to be a good speaker and always keep learning.
    •    Be curious about things outside the box.
    •    Create a personal relationship with your customers or the people who follow you, follow them!
    •    Don’t wait around for the job to be posted but sometimes create your own!
    •    Don’t stay in the digital; there is life happening too.
    •    There is no such thing as a work-life balance because your work is your life. Have a passion for your work.
    •    She would only hire a friend or an intern that she knew on twitter. Align yourself with people that will help you strategically.
    •    It’s not all strategic but sometimes it happens accidentally.
    •    Take advantage of all the classes you can take while you are in school.
    •    Be well-rounded. It really helps you in this field. You can do journalism, advertising and all of it.
    •    Be inquisitive and ask for help when you need it.
    •    Don’t settle for being average.
    •    “Twitter is a drug of choice”
    •    “Live in the flow and then people will fall into your stream."
    •    She created her own position so she has full control of her job now.
    •    She encouraged us to do anything we want. Failure isn’t bad for you. It is a step towards success.
    •    If there is something you don’t like, then don’t do it. If you really hate your job then quit. Move on to something better.
    •    Fear is a weird trick our brain tries to play, we need to ignore fear because it is useless.
    •    Her attention span is dwindling because of social media.

My favorite quotes:

• "Take the classes you want to take."
• "Fear serves no purpose."
• "The holy gospel of social media is that you have to always want to learn."
• "Read fiction. The storytelling will help you."

A journalist's passion for twitter

@okieprof #clarkclass

Mike Sherman, @MikeSherman, sports editor for The Oklahoman, was the first speaker for my Twitter for Journalists class.

Mike, a UCO grad, is one of the most upbeat positive people I know, and he grabs my  students', and my, attention with story after story. 

There's a quote, an aphorism, in almost every statement, and he's full of practical advice about journalism, sports, jobs, and much more. 

He does his homework, and came to class already knowing things about my students because he'd look them up on line.

He told how the sports department uses twitter, from involving readers to write headlines, to staying in touch with readers, to finding story ideas, to looking for employees.

If you want to see some of the things they tweeted while he was speaking --required -- search #clarkclass on twitter, or go to my site, @okieprof, and do the same on #clarkclass. They're immediate and fun. I'll compile and print them later.

His passion and enthusiasm, and broad knowledge of much more than just sports, but the entire social media and journalism world, astounded the students. 

After he left,  and at the end of each speaker session, we debrief, and each student comments.

Here are some of the things that the students said stood out:

• He hired someone without looking at their resume. Maybe twitter is the new resume. 
• Twitter has so much power. The story he told of a  sports writer raising money for the flight for the family to attend a game
• Finds employees by looking at their twitter, makes you think twice before posting something. 
• Do your research; know people before you even meet them.
• Be cautious what you post on social media, everyone sees it.
• Resumes may not be as important anymore, twitter is the new resume. Twitter is a big involvement tool.
• Facebook is more of a family atmosphere where twitter is more about the people you are interested in.
• The search feature on twitter is the most important invention ever
• Finding your role on twitter is important.
• Don’t get hung up on the number of followers you have but more the followers' worth as individuals.
• Make what you post worth your followers' time. Provide a service to them.
• Keeping up with content, responses and reporting.
• Don’t feel stuck in your location. Twitter is a travel tool. Virtually traveling and contacting the world. 
• Insignificant tweets become wallpaper and they can make you look so stupid as a person.
• Twitter is about the now; deliver your content as a service.
• Find your own path for how you use twitter
• Twitter footprints are important.
• Twitter can help you get a job or it can hurt you.
• To thine ownself be true. Be who you are even on social media.
• Mike wouldn’t hire anybody who wasn’t on social media. 
• When you present yourself on social media you can sometimes get a wrong impression or a false impression. You manage your own content on twitter. 
• You should take what you get off of social media as a grain of salt but networking is important. You should represent yourself truly. 
• Be critical of everything you read on twitter, find the sources. 
• Twitter is the new wire service
• Content is king
• Twitter allows you to listen

My  favorite quotes:

•   "Be a storyteller."
•   "Twitter is the new wire service"
•   "I'm going to clarkclass it."
•  "I've learned more about journalism in the last two years and in my previous career."

My class has become a verb!

Six days till Christmas

On the way to Christmas...4 by 6 watercolor