Sherifatu Kadri Inspires

Cinema Day with My Students! 🎬✨

Lights, camera, action! Took my students to the cinema for a movie not just for fun, but to spark real conversations and boost those communication skills. Language teachers, even if you can’t make it to the cinema, don’t worry! You can always pick a great movie to watch together in class and then chat about it. Trust me, it’s a fantastic way to learn
because language lessons shouldn’t always be about conjugation drills, right? Let’s make learning lively and memorable! 🍿😄



Traduction :

Sortie cinéma avec mes élèves ! 🎬✨

Action ! J’ai emmené mes élèves au cinéma, pas juste pour le plaisir, mais pour lancer de vraies discussions et booster leurs compétences à l’oral. Prof de langue, même si tu ne peux pas aller au cinéma, pas de souci ! Tu peux toujours choisir un bon film à regarder en classe, puis en discuter ensemble. Franchement, c’est une super idée parce qu’un cours de langue, ce n’est pas toujours des conjugaisons, hein ! 🤣 Rendons l’apprentissage vivant et inoubliable ! 🍿😄

THE BONNE ARRIVEE MAGIC:CROSSING BORDERS,GAINING CONFIDENCE
As I mentioned in my last episode, our amazing TA@Justin Adinkra organized weekend classes for us, and through those sessions, she suggested we go on an educational trip,an immersion program to Côte d’Ivoire 🇨🇮. At first, we were all a bit hesitant (money matters, you know how it goes 😅), but when the cost was finally announced, we started hustling to gather the resources to make it happen.

Finally, the big day arrived! We boarded the STC bus at 8am, excitement and nerves all mixed together, heading straight for Ivory Coast. After countless stopovers and border delays (African road trips, am I right? 😂), we finally arrived around 7pm.

Our first week was spent at an orphanage school in Bingerville, and then came the real test: each of us was placed with a host family, no English, no Twi, just French! I’ll forever be grateful to my host family, especially Kolia Ebenezer Kakou, tonton et sa femme 🙏. They quickly realized I was struggling with the food (rice and attiéké on repeat!), so tonton actually gave me money to make my own stew?🤪imagine the relief!

The family had teenagers who patiently gave me daily French lessons. Most times, I’d use gestures to ask for things, and they’d tell me the words in French,hehehe I’d memorize them on the spot. We went on excursions, to the market, and did everything possible to immerse me in the language. I’m so grateful for that experience.
Fast forward, after two months, the vacation ended and we returned to Ghana. Let me tell you, that’s when my “guy guy” really started! My confidence shot up,even if my French wasn’t perfect, people could understand what I was saying.

This was level 200, and Ivory Coast helped me overcome my fear of speaking. That’s how I eventually became the organizing secretary for French students at UEW. No be juju be that? 😂 Someone who couldn’t speak French, went for vetting, read her manifesto in French, and was voted in! Abi you know dada, I get plenty fans oo 😂book dozer things! 😎📚

In my next episode, I’ll share about level 300 and my year abroad in Togo, more inspiring stories on the way! Just follow me Sherifatu Kadiri Sherifatu Kadri Inspires, this is only a tip of the iceberg! 🚀

Conseil aux professeurs de français :

Chers enseignants, faites de la langue française une aventure attractive pour vos élèves ! Il n’est pas nécessaire d’être toujours strict ou de renforcer l’image du prof de français sévère. Biko🙏 aidons à changer cette mentalité ! L’apprentissage du français doit être synonyme de plaisir, de créativité et de découverte.
Utilisez des jeux, des chansons, des activités interactives et laissez vos apprenants s’exprimer sans crainte. Quand le plaisir est au rendez-vous, la motivation et les progrès suivent naturellement.
Faisons du français une langue vivante et joyeuse pour tous ! 🌟



Traduction :
Advice to French teachers:

Dear teachers, make the French language an exciting adventure for your learners! There’s no need to always be strict or reinforce the stereotype of the “strict French teacher.” Biko 🙏 let’s help change this mentality! Learning French should be about fun, creativity, and discovery.
Use games, songs, interactive activities, and let your students express themselves without fear. When learning becomes fun, motivation and progress come naturally.
Let’s make French a lively and interesting language for everyone! 🌟

✍️ Sherifatu Kadiri

Bonjour à tous les professeurs de français !🇫🇷🇫🇷🇫🇷
Je veux juste vous rappeler que votre travail change des vies, même quand les résultats ne sont pas immédiats. Enseigner le français dans un contexte où la langue n’est pas parlée tous les jours n’est pas facile, mais chaque effort compte. Continuez à inspirer, à innover et à croire en vos élèves. Votre passion ouvre des portes et construit des ponts vers de nouveaux mondes. Merci pour tout ce que vous faites—ne lâchez rien !



Traduction 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

Hello to all French teachers!
I just want to remind you that your work changes lives, even when results aren’t immediate. Teaching French in a context where the language isn’t spoken every day isn’t easy, but every effort matters. Keep inspiring, innovating, and believing in your students. Your passion opens doors and builds bridges to new worlds. Thank you for everything you do, never give up!

To all my fellow French teachers out there:

Remember, learning a foreign language doesn’t need a strict, rigid classroom environment, especially in a country where the language isn’t spoken every day. In fact, being too strict can make students more anxious and less willing to try. Instead, create a relaxed, interactive space where students feel free to make mistakes, play games, sing songs, and use real-life situations. When students are having fun and feel safe, they’ll be more motivated to speak and learn. The goal is communication, not perfection. 🌟

And stay tuned,very soon, I’ll be sharing with you all some creative strategies I’m currently cooking up to make your French lessons even more engaging and effective! 🥳📚

Wherever you find yourself,be it in school, at work, or even in a meeting,make sure you stand out. Be creative, make a difference, and let your impact be felt. Greatness is not about being everywhere, but about being outstanding wherever you are. 🌟

THE BONNE ARRIVEE MAGIC : Google Yawa, Group Drama & The TA Who Changed Everything 😂📖

So, there I was, standing in front of the class, ready to “present” my news summary, when Mrs. Mbanefo shouted, “We are not here to read but to present!” And as she listened, she realized I was just repeating English words in French. The whole class turned to look at me,honestly, I could see it in their faces: most of them had probably used Google too and were thinking, agye ta (trouble don land)! Hahaha!

She didn’t even sugarcoat it: “Google won’t help you, get yourself a dictionary!” Charlie, yawa oo! 😂 But you know what? She was actually a turning point for many of us. As time went on, she brought a fresh idea, she divided us into four groups: Lyon, Brest, Le Havre, and (please, someone remind me the last one! 😅). Each group got a topic every week : marriage, naming ceremony, sports, etc. We had to plan and act out scenes in French! Honestly, it was fun! We’d memorize our lines for the play, and it really helped even though sometimes, we’d freestyle our own French because we’d forget the lines mid-performance. One time, a colleague, instead of saying “Maman, je l’aime” (Mummy, I love her) during a role play, confidently shouted, “Maman, je lome!” Only God knows the meaning of that one! Hahaha! Essuman, wherever you are, come and collect your stone you killed us with laughter herrrrrrrr I can't stop laughing sef😂😂😂😂

But as we were making progress, little by little, another hero entered the scene,our super intelligent TA, Justin Adinkra. This guy was organizing extra classes for us, university mu extra classes hehehehehe ,kasɛ eiiiiiiiii,and let me just say, our success story would never be complete without him. If you want to know how he helped us (and how his mind-blowing strategy led to my very first trip in a francophone country), you better follow and stay tuned! Because what happened next? Pure magic! ✨

P.S. If you missed the beginning, check out my pages Sherifatu Kadiri and Sherifatu Kadri Inspires for all the chapters!

THE BONNE ARRIVEE MAGIC: Bookdozer, Ton Père & Google’s Betrayal 😂📚

So, we went for our next lecture,Linguistics with the one and only@ Samuel Alhassan Issah Prof Issah. He started by giving us feedback on our performance for the semester and said we’d done well. I was just there, minding my business, when suddenly he paused and asked, “Who is Sherifatu here?”
Everyone turned to look at me. I just raised my hand, “I’m here, sir!” Hahahaha, not knowing what was coming next. Then he said, “Eiii, wow, what a bookdozer! The lady tear my paper as if she’s the one lecturing the course!” 😂

Before I could even blink, the whole class started shouting “Bookdozer!” So now, while some people still called me “Ton Père,” others started calling me “Bookdozer.” Chale, the Sherifa sef vanished! Everywhere I passed “Bookdozer!” “Ton Père!” I just dey respond. 😂

But let me tell you, second semester was a whole new level! Eugenia Mbanefo Dr. at the time, the real game changer (but strict whaaaaat!). She was teaching French Orals, very important especially for us , SHS leavers,the original “antibui” people. Hahaha, funny right?

She told us, “Every week, you must listen to ‘actualités’ (news) on RFI and come and summarize it. When it’s your turn, you present like a real journaliste!”
Mese, it wasn’t easy ooo! This is where Google started showing me his true colors. 😭

My strategy? I’d listen to the news, try to understand it my own way, write my summary in English, then use Google Translate to turn it into French. Little did I know, Google was just repeating my English words in French,word for word, no proper translation! Herrr, Google ibi me wey you do like that? Hmmmm. 🤦🏽‍♀️

So, the day came for my presentation. I stood up, ready to “wow” the class. I started reading my “French” summary. Dr. Mbanefo shouted, “We are not here to read but to present!” That’s when she realized I was just repeating English words in French. The whole class started looking at me,
Bookdozer in trouble! 😂

What do you think happened next to your Bookdozer? Hahaha! Guess in the comments section as you wait for the next chapter. Trust me, you don’t want to miss it!

P.S. If you missed the beginning, check out my pages Sherifatu Kadri Inspires and Sherifatu Kadiri for all the chapters!

Sometimes, don’t let money be your only motivation. Work with passion, give your best, and don’t always focus on the immediate reward. You never know,what you’re doing today, even without a big paycheck, could open doors to amazing opportunities tomorrow. Keep going and let your dedication speak for you! 🌟

Je viens d’atteindre 100 followers ! Merci pour votre soutien en continu. Je n’aurais jamais pu y arriver sans votre aide. 🙏🤗🎉

THE BONNE ARRIVEE MAGIC: The Exam Results Wahala & My New Nickname 😂📚

So, at the end of first semester, as I said, I wrote almost all my French answers in English 99% English, 1% “bonjour!” 😂 To my surprise, when we resumed for second semester, those answers were actually marked! As for the English courses, I knew I was going to murder them-no Google needed at all. I understood everything, no stress, no wahala! 😎

When I got home after the first semester, I wanted my dad to know he should keep believing in me. So, I called my friend Kwabena Adjei Bimpong and tried to flex my “French” on the phone:
“Allo mon ami, ça va?” (which was normal, because I’d managed to gather a few vocabularies during first sem-moi, papa, maison-just to say ‘my dad and I are in the house’). Eiii, kooo, which kind French is that? 🤣
But my dad was so happy to hear his daughter “communicating” in French. Little did he know those sentences were not making sense like that, but he was proud and that made me want to learn and speak fluently so he’d be even prouder. 🥹

Fast forward, school reopened and I was tense because our results were not out yet. My heart was racing! Then, during our first lecture, the lecturer came and asked, “So those who answered in English, what were you thinking? You’re here to learn French, not English!” He advised us seriously and said that would be the last time we’d get away with it. He also mentioned that the exam officer would soon release the results and, eiii, a lot of people failed. My heart did gbimmmm! 😳

Next week came, and guys, say it with me: God is good! 🙌 I bagged 5 As and 2 Bs! Four of the As were in the English courses (as expected, haha) and one was in French! The Bs-well, you already know, French tried to humble me small. Apparently, we did 5 separate French courses, but some were actually 2-in-1, just different lecturers, so in all, 7 courses for the semester.

I remember it was our TA who shared the results because there was a problem with the portal. Guys, heaaaat! The way I ran out to call my number one-my dada-to break the news! And stop the excitement: apparently, I was the second highest in the class! Just imagine! It boosted my morale sky-high. My dad was like, “Send the results to me fast!” He was so happy-at least his daughter won’t come home with even a single E. I bet he was ready to show his friends, “See my daughter ,Sherifa," hehe bonne arrivée won’t kill me! 😂 I miss you, Dad. 🥲😭RIP okaaày(Je t'aime toujours mon papa ❤️❤️)

A friend of mine later confessed that until he saw my results, he thought getting C and D was enough. But, chale, we dey try!

We went for another lecture in English-this time, Linguistics. Shout out to Samuel Alhassan Issah Prof Issah! 🙌 That lecturer gave me a brand new nickname, hehehe. Google really did the magic for me first semester, but as second semester began, things got hotter! 🔥

You want to know what Google Translate did to me next and what my new nickname was? Follow, like, and share for more, because charlie, things happened! But it was all worth it.

Stay tuned-this journey is just getting sweeter! 🚀✨

P.S. If you missed the beginning, check out my pages Sherifatu Kadri Inspires and Sherifatu Kadiri for all the chapters!

THE BONNE ARRIVEE MAGIC: MY GOOGLE -FRENCH SURVIVAL PLAN😅📱
Let me tell you, after that first orientation panic, things only got hotter in the lecture hall! The next lecturer came in, dropped 100% pure French from start to finish, and then-just to spice things up-warned us, “If you don’t understand, you can walk out!” Eiiiiii bueiiii! 🙊 That’s when I said to myself, “I’m not here to walk out ooo, I’m here to make it-and I will make it, in shaa Allah! By hook or crook!”

So, I devised my own secret survival strategy: I started recording every lecture on my phone. 🎤 When I got back to the hall, would play it back and use Google Translate to turn everything into English. Mind you, at this point, my goal wasn’t even to speak French oo, it was to PASS and avoid those E’s! 😂 We had other courses in English (those ones deɛ, I knew I couldn’t fail), but the French courses? Charlie, there were about five more than maths kraa! 😅As time went on, I realized something funny smh when the lecturers asked questions, I could answer in English! Not in French, because Google had already explained everything to me in English. Huraaaaay! 🎉

Then, one of my colleagues (who was a real entrepreneur, I must say, ɔpɛ sika 💵 tu) offered to help us SHS leavers after lectures… but at a fee! Eiii, onukpa! 1gh for an hour of French explanations. I tried it, but honestly, I wasn’t seeing top, so I just stuck to my Google method. Boi, Google became my best friend! 🤣After about two months, something legendary happened. I spoke my first French sentence! Here’s how:

An old colleague, thinking I didn’t understand French, told me (in French) that he loved me. I understood, ran to Google for my reply, and came back with: “Mon père a dit que je suis un enfant” (my dad said I am a child). The whole place erupted-“Heeey, so she understands!” 🤭 From that day, they nicknamed me Ton Père. Anytime someone called “Ton Père!” I’d reply, “a dit que je suis un enfant!” That thing boosted my morale paa, I was so happy I could speak small French! 😂

Fast forward, end of term exams came. When I saw the French questions, I could understand what the lecturer wanted… but my French words failed me. So, I answered in English! And guess what? I wasn’t alone-most of my colleagues did the same. We no go gree! 😆 Luckily, the lecturers marked our papers anyway. But the big question is:
Will we be lucky again next semester? Will they keep marking our English answers in a French class? Or will the real wahala start?And will my Google plan be efficient enough? Okaaaaay we shall see🤔

Stay tuned to find out-because the journey is just getting juicier! 🚀✨

P.S. If you missed the beginning, check out my pages Sherifatu Kadri Inspires and Sherifatu Kadiri for all the chapters!

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