Illustrated books
Illustrated books are an important medium through which Rock YeNai tells stories. “Thus far we have come up with one to three courses on different themes each month.” Sam Lin, who studied theater in university and switched over to educational psychology and guidance counseling for his MA and PhD programs, is himself an author of illustrated books, and brings his expertise to bear in interpreting the illustrated books he encounters.
“I studied positive psychology, and I hope to use positive thinking to interpret these books.” At present the teaching materials cover a variety of aspects of human life, including empathy, desire, dementia, self-healing, death, and self-confidence. “A Deer of Nine Colors is an illustrated book about the pursuit of good and dreams.” As Lin picks up the book, a light shines in his eyes. The four main characters in the book represent different personality traits. The king deeply loves the queen, but is blinded by that love and makes irrational choices. The queen is greedy, and makes incessant demands. The medicinal herb gatherer, for personal advantage, betrays the nine-colored deer who saved his life. The deer, meanwhile, is the embodiment of goodness and beauty, and although it suffers harm, it holds fast to its initial purity and innocence. “The main themes of this book are forgiveness, love, and hope.”
“The books are just a tool. The main roles are played by the students themselves.” Lin has great confidence in each of the students who have undergone training. “These people all used to be movers and shakers in their former careers!” Lin never applies dogmatic teaching methods or limits his students thinking, but rather draws on a wide range of sources to provide them with inspiration, after which they blend in their own life experiences and come up with their own reinterpretations.
“I drive from Xinzhuang to Taoyuan and tell stories in Hutoushan Park.” We are told this by a diminutive old lady who calls herself “Granny 101” (meaning that her spirit is as tall as the Taipei 101 building). Sam Lin jokingly describes her as a “hyperactive child.” For Granny 101, age is just a number on her ID card. She looks enthusiastic and upbeat, and shines with self-confidence. It is only when you do things for others without expecting anything in return that you understand true happiness.
“My approach is to get the students to step out of their comfort zone and create their own opportunities to tell stories.” Lin encourages his elderly students to push the envelope and to learn to explore new things. “Only by putting in the work can you get something back in return.” Rock YeNai’s system is that students must pay their tuition fees to get their illustrated books and must come to class. But each month students who go out and tell stories and report back will receive “red envelopes” of money from Lin. Although the envelopes don’t contain much cash, they are still a highly effective form of encouragement and motivation. “To earn money by telling stories gives them a great sense of accomplishment.” By putting a price on the value the seniors create, this circular mechanism that Lin has designed returns to students the tuition they originally paid to join the class.
After training, seniors are able to choose appropriate books to tell stories to different audiences.