One of the greatest joys of running Six-Word Memoirs is opening an email from a teacher sharing how they’ve brought the six-word form into their classroom. Every year, I know one such message will arrive from Kansas City: a thoughtful update from Professor John Ferry at the Kansas City Art Institute.

For nearly a decade, Ferry has made Six-Word Memoirs a staple assignment in his “Image and Form” course with an approach that is simple yet profound: students write several Six-Word Memoirs, then select one (or more) to illustrate. The results are often funny, sometimes raw, and always revealing.

“A beaded bracelet for every memory” by Krow Hanneman

“The assignment gives me a lens into each student’s personality,” says Ferry, “but it also shows themes that tell the story of the class as a whole.” In recent years, Ferry has noticed a shift in students’ interests—many now use the assignment as a chance to develop character designs influenced by video and board games. “It’s a way for them to showcase something they care about deeply, but filtered through the structure of storytelling.”

Ferry emphasizes that it’s not the writing that students find difficult—it’s the choosing. “Most of the time, they turn in more than one illustrated memoir. They get excited. After they’ve written a few, I’ll ask which ones they can already see imagery for. That helps them decide where to begin, but many go on to illustrate two or three memoirs, even though I only require one. As a professor, that’s what you want: students pushing themselves beyond the assignment.”

“Dungeons and dragons, dishes and doordashes…” by Kameryn Guy

The power of the Six-Word Memoir goes beyond engagement or even creative growth. Over the years, Ferry has witnessed something more personal and profound: vulnerability. “It’s rewarding when students surprise themselves with what they write and share—which happens often,” he says.

That magic isn’t limited to his college classroom. A few summers ago, Ferry introduced the assignment to a group of high school art teachers during a professional development workshop. What started as a simple exercise turned into a session of brave, personal storytelling. “After a few people shared really raw, life-altering experiences, others went back and rewrote their memoirs—this time going deeper. That vulnerability was contagious. I can think of no other assignment that opens people up in that way.”

“You are beautiful inside and out,” by Christopher Christian

Ferry’s experience offers a compelling case for why Six-Word Memoirs resonate so powerfully in educational settings of all kinds. They meet students (and teachers) where they are—emotionally, creatively, and intellectually—while offering a low-stakes but high-impact way to connect and reflect.

“All you need to do is give the assignment and wait for the magic to happen,” says Ferry. And year after year, the images that fills my inbox proves just that.

“The beginning is always the hardest, by Hayden Brown

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Want to bring Six-Words Memoirs into your classroom or community?
Since we first launched The Six-Word Memoir Project, educators and community builders across the spectrum have found the six word format to be a terrific catalyst for self-expression and connection. At our Six in Schools section, we celebrate students’ work from classrooms around the world. Download one or all of our free teacher’s guides here. Email me at larry AT sixwordmemoirs.com and share your classroom’s six-word journey and your students could be featured in a future Classroom of the Month.

Want to bring me into your classroom, conference, or company offsite? Check out my speaker site for details.