website    www.rogerjenkins.com.sg     mobile 9176 1499     email    rogerstoryteller@gmail.com.sg

I am a Merdeka-generation Singaporean (born here to British parents) who grew up in UK before returning to teach drama (1978).  I discovered storytelling (1998) after careers as a teacher and theatre practitioner (ST*ARS, Hi! Theatre), so I incorporate dramatic elements (physical/vocal characterisation, mime and comic improvisation) into my telling.  What I love about storytelling (unlike theatre) is that I look directly into the eyes of my audience, performing in the same shared space/light.

Highlights of my storytelling life? Winning Best Storyteller Award (2013, Kanoon Int’l Story Festival, Iran) founding Singapore’s 398.2 Storytelling Festival (2015); co-founding FEAST (Federation of Asian Storytellers); and performing in festivals (Bahrain, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Malaysia and Thailand.) Being described as the 'affable patriarch' of Singapore storytelling by the National Storytelling Network (USA)!

I am particularly fond of value or wisdom tales – hence my two resource books, Stories for Values Education (Juniors and Teens), created to help schools tackle character education.

I enjoy working with puppets and telling in tandem (ie with a partner). With Gophi Nathan, who is hearing-impaired, I share stories told with sign language as I believe in promoting access (I am a trained audio-describer for the blind). Scripting a bi-lingual telling (in sign or with a mother-tongue partner) allows me to re-visit my theatrical roots!

“Facts, opinions, and value statements push people apart, stories bring people together.” – Chuck Matthei

MY OTHER ARTS EDUCATION PROGRAMMES

Performance (exposure)

1. Stories For Ourselves - a 30 minute assembly for secondary schools exclusively available on the Story Stream

2. Timeless Tales – live (live via zoom) storytelling. Content tailored to your needs (pre-primary – JC)

3. Talking Body Language  - (secondary- JC only) An exploration of the importance of non-verbal communication in how we present ourselves, using over a dozen Asian masks - digital delivery

 Workshops that combine both live (zoom) and degitial delivery 

1. Make me a Storyteller: (online facilitation) a practical introduction to the art of sharing a story in such a way as to keep your audience listening. Tailored to be age appropriate and dealing the challenge of telling online and the confines/immediacy of a web cam!  Upper primary – JC)

2. Make me a Poet  (upper-primary - secondary) (online facilitation)  A practical workshop using a variety of visual and aural stimuli to spark the imagination, culminating in a programme of verse presented and performed by the participants solo, in pairs (dialogue poems) and small groups) Tailored to be age appropriate, the writing challenges focus on word choice, creativity and personal experience rather than rhyme! (I won the 1995 Singapore Literature Prize for a collection of dramatic monologues in verse form)

3. Writing Riveting Stories: making up stories from random ingredients is at the heart of comic improvisation and this workshop share a variety of stimuli (both visual and physical) to encourage participants to fuse character, setting, problems and events into one exciting whole! (primary - secondary)

RESOURCES

Not Just at Bedtime: a professionally filmed video introduction to storytelling at home or in the classroom. 11 video lasting over two hours in all demonstrate techniques for building engagement and interaction with your child or class.  The Story Stream enables you to pick and choose, or to view the entire series. (Note that these videos are not part of the regular story-view packs as, while they do contain 16 stories, they are primarily instructional videos - which happen to contain lots of value-add demonstration!)

Stories For Values Education – Juniors (ebook)
Stories For Valued Education  - Teens   (ebook)
Each book covers 20 values, with over 50 key stories in each accompanied by tips and suggested follow-up activities or discussion points, plus another 30+ short stories (some in joke form!) to complement the value under discussion.