Memoir

“Write every day, line by line, page by page, hour by hour. Do this despite fear. For above all else, beyond imagination and skill, what the world asks of you is courage, courage to risk rejection, ridicule, and failure. As you follow the quest for stories told with meaning and beauty, study thoughtfully but write boldly. Then, like the hero of your fable, your dance will dazzle the world.” - Robert McKee

Despite fear, risk of rejection, ridicule, and failure, 6th grade students have done it. They have shared a small piece of themselves with one another and with our community. Students made themselves vulnerable in a way that was new. They told their stories with bravery and courage. They wrote memoirs. They have dazzled the world.

They learned that they can do hard things. It is difficult to write about yourself. It is perhaps even more difficult to write about yourself when you're not quite sure who you are yet.

When the Memoir unit was first introduced, here were some of the responses (along with a few audible groans, in true middle school fashion):

"I don't want to do it. I hate writing."

"I'm scared. It's scary."

"I don't have anything to say."

"I have nothing to write about. My life is boring."

As we moved through different writing prompts, made timelines, thought about "firsts and lasts," talked about people that are important to us, revisited experiences, and "played movies in our heads," it became clear that 6th grade students do have a lot to write about, their lives are not boring, and that their story is important.

Though the writing process, at times, seemed grueling and endless, students crafted memoirs that were thoughtful, reflective, and true to themselves. They gave structure and meaning to experiences, people, and events that were previously unstructured and possibly unsettled. They shared their thoughts, emotions, and reflections in an incredibly strong way.

Here are some post-memoir reflections:

"I feel different because I didn't know I could write six pages. Now, I feel like I can write anything."

"I think that as we move on, we remember that we've all had hard times and we've all had happy times. We should remember that we trusted each other when we wrote our memoirs."

"Learn from each other, settle your differences, and expand your similarities. Then, you can embrace it."

"I thought Memoir would be just another school project, but I realized that in the process, I thought a lot about my life. I have a story."

I wonder -- what is your story?