Student Sessions and workshops
We offer sessions on issues around race, masculinity, popular culture, writing and identity for school students of all ages.
All engagements start with an insights meeting with Jeffrey, so that he can understand your school’s context, needs and requirements. This ensures all sessions are tailored to your requirements.
“Jeffrey’s talk with our students was electrifying! With refreshing openness, effortless charisma and boundless energy, he challenged our learners to rethink their understanding of their place in the world and responsibilities to their communities. The session provoked many important, ongoing discussions - in classrooms and staffrooms - concerning how meaningful social change might be brought about. Thrilling and powerful stuff.”
— MD, Teacher
Student Sessions
Jeffrey has a range of talks available to students of all ages. All talks can be tailored to your context and requirements, along with age group, so please get in touch with any requests.
Musical Truth
Exploring modern Black British history
This session explores modern black British history through a playlist of songs. This session sits alongside Musical Truth: A musical journey through modern black Britain. This book is aimed at 11- to 15-year-olds, but this session can be tailored to be suitable for KS1 +.
Masculinity
Exploring the impact of masculinity
How do we talk about the problem with masculinity and the rise in toxic role-models? How is masculinity impacting on both boys and girls, men and women? And how can we understand our role in dismantling the patriarchy? This session can be tailored to be suitable for KS2 +.
Black, Listed
Exploring race and identity
This session explores identity through terms associated with black British people and culture. It can challenges students to understand their own identity and that of the people around them along with the impact of the language they are using. This book is aimed at adults and young adults, but this session is suitable for KS3 +.
Musical World
Exploring Pivotal Moments in History
This session explores pivotal moments in world history through popular songs. This session sits alongside Musical World: Modern World History as You’ve Never Heard it Before. This book is aimed at 11- to 15-year-olds, but this session can be tailored to be suitable for KS1 +.
Writing
Being an author
What does it mean to be a writer? How can you tell your story? In this session, Jeffrey shares his journey in writing and inspires children to use writing to tell their story. Suitable for KS1 +.
Kofi and the Rap Battle Summer
Back to the 90s with Kofi
A jam-packed and fun-filled trip back to 1994 to explore the world of Kofi from Kofi and the Rap Battle Summer. This session introduces students to Jeffrey’s first children’s fiction book, with interactive games and readings. This book is aimed at 9- to 13-year-olds (and all adults nostalgic for the 90s!) but this session is fun for all ages.
What People Are Saying
“Thank you so much again Jeffrey for two great events! The students were still buzzing about it this morning and all your books are out on loan, as expected.”
— JB, School librarian
“I just wanted to say thank you on behalf of my (y12) form and myself for bringing such an engaging speaker into school. We thoroughly enjoyed it and had some wonderful discussions afterwards.”
— Teacher
"If you need an inspirational role model to deliver keynotes bespoke to your students and staff around topics and areas of high stakes interest then look no further. Jeffrey is outstanding at working with you to create sessions that activate the mind, generate discussion, bring you to the edge of your seat and remove you from sitting on any aspect of any fence! In education today we constantly look to people to give us perspective, challenge our opinions and leave us vulnerable when questioning our ethics and place in society. Without question Jeffrey was fantastic in engaging a whole variety of young people and an entire staff body in all of the above and more.”
— PD, Headteacher
"The students gained so much from your talk. A 6th former said how well you got them and a Y11 girl said she wasn’t going to ask a question but the way you shaped your talk made her feel able to explore challenging ideas in public."
— LP, Teacher
“Jeffrey was inspirational and we feel incredibly lucky that he was able to work with us.”
— JK, Teacher
“Our students were absolutely bowled over by Jeffrey’s talk! And so was I! I will certainly be recommending him to my teacher pals at other schools”
— MD, Teacher
Huge thanks for all the work Jeffrey did today. There has been a fantastic buzz around school, we all very much enjoyed that talks and really appreciated the time given.
— JH, Teacher
Previous, recorded student events
We do not record student sessions or talks as a matter of course. However, if they have been recorded and are publicly available they are listed here.
BookTrust Represents Virtual Author Event with Jeffrey Boakye, a Musical Truth event for Years 5 and 6, 4 November 2022
Musical Truth with Jeffrey Boakye, Bradford Literature Festival, June 2021