Jonathan S.E. Perkins
For nearly fifteen years, I have led creative workshops across the nation. A graduate of Georgia Southern University, I pull from several years of training and experience as a performance artist and community activist when developing my workshops. I work closely with my clients in tailoring workshops that meet the needs of their students. I offer one of a kind insight on using creativity as a means for emotional health and personal growth. My philosophy of teaching is anchored in being a lifelong learner, consistently adapting and evolving, all while being an attentive listener. I use poetry as a vehicle for accessing acceptance and understanding of differences among peoples, cultures, and backgrounds. This holistic approach works students positively from the inside out, as they chart the poems being realized from their thoughts to their bodies. Language is an enthralling and malleable asset that fosters a sense of confidence and capacity.
Arts Disciplines: Creative Writing, Poetry/Spoken Word
Core Content Curriculum Areas: Theatre/Drama, English/Language Arts, Media Arts
Specialized Content Areas: Arts Integration, Literacy, STEAM, Character Education
Grade Levels: K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12, Collegiate
Special Populations: At-Risk Students, Special Needs Students, Gifted Students
Pre-Service Learning and Professional Development: Professional Development for Teaching Artists, Professional Development for K-12 Teachers
Geographic Availability: Metro Atlanta, North Georgia, Middle Georgia, South Georgia
Program Fees:
Residency fees:
- $350 per day (up to 7 hours per day)
- Up to 30 students
- + $0.20/mile round trip for over 25 miles traveled
Workshop fees:
- $150 per 90-minute workshop or going rate
- + $0.20/mile round trip for over 25 miles traveled
Artistic Profile:
I am a graduate of Georgia Southern University and have competed in national and regional poetry slam competitions across the nation, ranking among the top poets in the world. I travel the country leading poetry workshops and performing my original work. I am the author of a poetry chapbook, A Whole Notha Kinda Missing. I have opened up for the likes of comedians such as Bruce Bruce and Earthquake and was a featured stand-up comic at the 2014 Black Box Comedy Festival in Atlanta, GA. My performance poetry has been featured on the digital platforms of Write About Now, The Root, and All Def Poetry. In 2014 and 2015, I was ranked among the top 20 spoken word artists in the country. I was a 2018 runner-up in The Missouri Review’s Miller Audio Prize for Humor. I was also a 2018 recipient of The Columbus & The Valley Magazine’s “5 under 40” award, recognizing Five local leaders who have excelled in their fields. I currently serve as the founding director of the Fountain City Teen Poetry Slam, an organization that inspires youth to use their creativity as a positive outlet in their daily lives. My philosophy of teaching is anchored by a personal goal to be a lifelong learner, consistently improving and evolving, while also being a listener, and leading as a role model in and out of the classroom. Language is an enthralling and malleable asset that fosters a sense of confidence and capacity.
Teaching Experience:
For nearly ten years, I have been leading creative writing and performance workshops across the nation. I am a graduate of Georgia Southern University. I pull from several years of training and experience as a performer, director, teaching artist, and community activist when developing my workshops. I work closely with my clients in tailoring workshops that meet the needs of their students, appealing to varying demographics. I have led hundreds of students of all ages (K – 12) in unique and compelling writing and performance classes. I tour the nation, performing and offering one of a kind insight on using creativity as a means for emotional health, personal growth, and professional prosperity. I have also worked with incarcerated youth and adults to develop their writing, all while providing them with an effective and fun-filled curriculum that teaches students life skills through creative writing and performance. My philosophy of teaching is anchored by a personal goal to be a lifelong learner, consistently improving and evolving, while also being a listener, and leading as a role model in and out of the classroom. I use poetry as a vehicle for accessing acceptance and understanding of differences among peoples, cultures, and backgrounds. I work my students from the inside out, as they chart the poems from inception as it is being realized from their thoughts to their bodies.
Sample Programs:
Words Take Flight
Lesson Plans River Center Artist Residency
Primary art form: Poetry/Spoken Word
Core content/curriculum area: English/Language Art
Grade level(s) served: 6th – 8th
Number of students served: Max of 30 per class
Program length: 60 minutes, five days.
Program content description:
Students will be introduced to spoken word poetry and its purposes. They will also utilize this platform as a means to explore themselves and their communities. They will write and read aloud from their own poems, and they will experiment with tempo and the ways in which performers use it to enhance meaning and audience engagement.
Objectives:
- Promote art, writing, and critical analysis.
- Offer students an opportunity for self-reflection and expression of emotions, sensibilities, and beliefs through composing poetry that reflects effective writing practices, the economy of language, deliberate word choice, understanding of poetic elements, and improved vocabulary.
- Education through poetry, hip hop, theatre exercises, and games.
- Reflect and rediscover our own selves.
- Understand more deeply the needs of our community and create art with the intention of transformation.
Facility and technical requirements: A/V equipment
Sample Lesson Plans/Study Guides:
Program Photos and Videos:
- Photo Slideshow – Words Take Flight
- Listing ID: 6058