A Terrible, Horrible, No-Good Year: Hundreds of (Very Short) School Stories

Stoney M. Beavers, Ph.D.
Assistant Director
Alabama Best Practices Center

As the story goes, Hemingway – a writer whose muscular style made each word count – was once challenged to write a whole novel in just six words. He came back with —

FOR SALE: Baby shoes. Never worn.

While not everyone agrees on the veracity of this story, many do agree that the six-word memoir that has evolved from this tale is a powerful way for students (and the rest of us) to express themselves. And we can all agree that Hemingway’s six words pack a powerful punch.

In true Hemingway-esque style, author and six-word memoir promoter Larry Smith has edited a large collection of stories from the pandemic submitted by students, parents, and teachers from across the country, titled A Terrible, Horrible, No Good Year: Hundreds of Stories on the Pandemic.

There are funny gems like:

and illustrated memoirs like:

Wistful thoughts:

Ironic contributions from teachers:

And parent insights:There are more sobering stories that remind us that no one is really OK right now:

Throughout the book, there are also glimmers of hope for a happier future and a stronger profession:

If you are looking to memorialize and celebrate the creativity of our students, parents, and teachers, then dive into these quick six-word stories and brief author essays. They offer great insight into how the pandemic has affected education – and us. You’ll also gather ideas about ways to use the six-word memoir as a teaching and SEL tool. (I did, in my English classes years ago. They’ve been around awhile!) One teacher quoted in the book wrote:

To learn more about six-word memoirs and to order the book, visit the book site. You can also learn about a free classroom teaching kit that can help you produce a free hardback book of your own students’ work. Of course, the hope is that parents will want to buy one, too.