It’s time again for the reminder that we don’t have to be entertainers. A lot of us believe that still. We think that our success is tied to how much our kids laugh and have a good time in class. This is hogwash. Our success is tied to how much our kids can/want to understand what we are saying.
What if an administrator walks in and senses a “flat” class going on? So what? What do they know? They know nothing. You could bail to a dictée or other bail out move (searchable here) or you could stay with the flat CI. If it going into their head, even if it isn’t a hilarious story, it’s good teaching. We sabotage ourselves when we think that the administrator wants a rocking fun classroom. Don’t do that to yourself.
Stop setting yourself up for failure with all of this. It’s not rocket science and it’s not Las Vegas level entertainment, if that’s what you call entertainment. It’s constant CI in which the kids are focused more on the message than on the words. That’s all you have to do this year and every year. Take it easy on yourself.