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.
Social Media: Instagram, Facebook,
Arts Disciplines: Theatre/Drama, Creative Writing, Storytelling, Poetry/Spoken Word
Core Content Curriculum Areas: Theatre/Drama, English/Language Arts, Media Arts
Specialized Content Areas: Arts Integration, STEAM, Literacy, Anti-bullying, Character Education, Social Justice Education, Mindfulness Strategies
Grade Levels: K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12, Collegiate
Special Populations: At-Risk Students, BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) students, LGBTQI+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Intersex) students, Exceptional Learners (students with disabilities as well as those who are gifted and talented
Pre-Service Learning and Professional Development: Post-Secondary/Pre-Service Learning, Professional Development for K-12 Teachers, Professional Development for Teaching Artists
Geographic Availability: Metro Atlanta, North Georgia, Middle Georgia, South Georgia
Program Types:
School-based Classroom Workshop(s), School-based Afterschool Program, School-based Assembly Program, School-based Residency Program, School-based Summer Program
Community-based Workshop(s), Community-based Assembly Program, Community-based Afterschool Program, Community-based Residency Program, Community-based Summer Program
Online Content for School Use, Online Content for Community Use, Online Content for Summer Program Use
Hybrid Online and In-Person Content for Schools, Hybrid Online and In-Person Content for Communities, Hybrid Online and In-Person Content for Summer Programs
Program Fees:
Performance Fee:
- $250 per 15 to 30 min performance
- $400 per 60 minute performance plus travel
Residency fees:
- $375 per day (4 class maximum per day), plus travel
Workshop fees:
- $200 per 60-90 minute workshop, plus travel
Artistic Profile:
Jonathan Samuel Eddie (Perkins) is a fourth generation educator with a passion for youth empowerment, creative expression, and community building. He credits his late mother and long-time educator, Carmen V.W. Perkins, for encouraging him to use his gift of writing and performance to inspire young people. This teaching artist, spoken word comedian, actor, activist, and playwright is a graduate of Georgia Southern University. Jonathan has competed with his unique brand of comedic poetry nationally and regionally, ranking among the top poets in the world. Jonathan travels the nation, offering K – 12 students insight and tools on using creativity as a means for emotional health, personal growth, and professional prosperity. His poems, drawing inspiration from black pop culture and lived experience, have been featured on Write About Now, The Root, and All Def Poetry. Jonathan was also a 2018 runner-up in The Missouri Review’s Miller Audio Prize for Humor. He was a 2018 recipient of The Columbus & The Valley Magazine’s “5 under 40” award. Jonathan was also included on Georgia Trend Magazine’s 2020 “40 under 40” listing, recognizing his community efforts. He is a 2022 Apollo Stories Fellow with the Legendary Apollo Theatre, where he is building curricula and lesson plans to help facilitate national, youth-led conversations about some of the most critical social issues of our time. Jonathan was recognized with the 2022 Leadership Award by the Georgia After School & Youth Development Conference for exemplifying excellence in the field of expanded learning. He is the founder/director of the Fountain City Teen Poetry Slam, Inc. Through the art of spoken word, he’s been blessed to witness hundreds of young people harness the power of their voices for over fifteen years. 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