Darrell Gartrell
A memoir-writing workshop for young writers
Every student has a story. Sometimes they just need help finding where it begins.
This engaging workshop helps students turn personal memories into meaningful short memoir pieces. Through storytelling, guided discussion, and simple writing exercises, students learn how to move beyond what happened and begin discovering why it mattered.
“A memory is not just something that happened. A memoir is what you discovered because it happened.”
Students will learn to:
60–90 minutes for classrooms, assemblies, libraries, and youth programs
2–4 hours for enrichment days, private schools, charter schools, and homeschool groups
3–5 sessions, with optional final reading, classroom anthology, or parent showcase
BEST FOR: Grades 5–8 · English Language Arts · creative writing · summer enrichment · libraries · homeschool groups · youth organizations
WHY IT WORKS: Students are naturally curious about real life. Memoir helps them write about family, friendship, change, culture, humor, mistakes, courage, and discovery while strengthening confidence, empathy, structure, and personal voice.
Darrell Gartrell is an author, educator, and international entrepreneur whose life and work have taken him across the United States, Japan, and China. He is the author of 21 Years of Wisdom: One Man’s Extraordinary Odyssey in Japan and holds a Master’s in Educational Leadership. As founder and director of Wisdom21 Language Schools in Japan, he trained teachers, developed curriculum, and built an educational business serving international learners.
Available for schools, libraries, youth programs, homeschool groups, and enrichment organizations. Bring a working author and international educator into your classroom to help students discover the stories only they can tell.
Workshops for high school, college, and adult groups are also available — reach out to discuss your audience.