What's Your Six-Word Prediction for 2022?
Plus: Classroom six-word time capsules of the pandemic; our free, virtual learning tool for unpredictable times; a review of George Saunders' new Substack
SixContest: Predict the Future in Six Words
From flying cars to moving sidewalks, humanity has always dreamed about the future's unknown and limitless possibilities. For SixContest #142, we're asking Sixers to predict how 2022 will change both the world and their personal experiences.
Sixers are writing about their hopeful expectations ("I'll love my job and Mondays." — Neesha101) and reminding themselves to stay optimistic ("Big things'll happen. Take little strides." — VJWild). Others are looking towards improving the state of the world ("When did Zoomers become humanity's saviors?" — AlexanderBlaide) and demystifying the universe ("Origami of amino acids becomes understood." — ksan). Finally, some Sixers are predicting exceptional but not impossible futures ("Banjos will replace bullets and bombs." — BanjoDan).
The contest ends February 6. Make sure to submit your memoir on the contest page on Six-Word Memoirs for a chance to win a Six-Word Memoir book of your choice.
Six Words: A Virtual Learning Tool for Students
One lesson that’s undeniable from these past two years is that we are resilient, flexible people who continue to use technology to break down many of COVID’s barriers. Nowhere has this resiliency been more miraculous than in schools.
Now, as some American classrooms are returning to virtual learning, we’re reminded of the thousands of teachers who’ve found the six word format to be a simple and immediately implementable way to keep students engaged and connected — in the physical and virtual classroom alike.
For educators new to Six-Word Memoirs, writing in six words is a creative way to catalyze conversation, spark imagination, and boil big ideas down to their essence. A few examples from students:
"Finally learned 'weird' is a compliment."
"Mom just revoked my creative license.”
"Living my dream; please send money."
For a simple plan for teaching Six-Word Memoirs virtually, head to the Six in Schools site.
Hey, Teacher—Make Your Own Classroom Book!
We are all writers, and at Six-Word Memoirs, we believe we should be published writers. That’s why we’ve created a way for any classroom to make their own Six-Word Memoir book. Making a book to celebrate students’ individual identities and a classroom’s collective spirit is, for starters, a blast. Teachers across the world have found the six word format to be a terrific tool for social/emotional learning and also a way for students to feel successful. Below is a sneak peek at one of the first classroom books to roll off the presses. Want to get started on your students’ book? Head on over the Six In Schools to get your presses rolling.
Classroom of the Month: the Relentless Optimism of Sixth Graders in Arizona
April Goodman, a 6th grade English Language Arts and Social Studies teacher at Mohave Middle School in Arizona, has approached her previous students’ Six-Word Memoirs like a time capsule of her classroom. Comparing the memoirs her students submitted in 2020 with the ones she received this year, Goodman noticed that there was less of a focus on the pandemic this year as it became the “new normal” and a return to reflections about student hobbies, goals, and interests. Goodman was also surprised by the maturity she saw in the memoirs: “Some of the wisdom that can come out in just six words from some of these kids is just awesome.” After a year of having their worlds turned upside down, persevering through the digital ordeal of online school, and reading about “these unprecedented times,” it’s not surprising that students have had to grow up quickly.
Read more about Goodman and her creative classroom on our Six in Schools blog, and see how other teachers across the world are using the form to instruct and engage their students.
Short Cuts: Six-Word Reviews
From Substack: What if you could turn the most negligible detail about your day into a meaningful story? Syracuse University professor George Saunders, author of eleven books of fiction including A Swim in a Pond in the Rain and Tenth of December, explores the skill of observation and storytelling in his newly launched newsletter, Story Club with George Saunders. The newsletter takes the form of an asynchronous “classroom,” with Saunders leading readings of fiction (first up: An Incident, by Lu Hsun), with class discussion taking place in the comments. He’ll be offering regular writing exercises and prompts and subscribers can pose questions about writing and the writing life to Professor Saunders, one of the true legends of his craft.
Six-Word Memoirs’ Ayusha Mahajan’s Six-Word Review: “Saunders accessibly interactive workshops redefine storytelling.”
From the World: Sometimes the most poignant and emotional narratives come from unexpected places. Recently, indie studio ThunderLotus released a free update for their unequivocally beloved game, Spiritfarer. In the game, your job is to navigate a diverse and bountiful world with a single purpose: to help familiar spirits pass onto the afterlife. Characters’ personalities and stories are unique and yet timeless, sort of like your own family members. And yet the game also imagines the dead’s unresolved issues and the impossibility of fixing the past. Spiritfarer doesn’t hesitate to tackle topics such as grief, illness, and the memories our loved ones leave behind.
Six-Word Memoirs’ Danielle Shum’s Six-Word Review: “Learn how to say bittersweet goodbyes.”