In the past here, we have talked only about winning the CI battle, and taking the CI straight to the class, and to everyone else in the building, ramming it at them like a strong ground game in football. However, I am not sure if we have ever sufficiently discussed in these pages how doing that can hurt us. By pushing comprehensible input and Krashen on others who don’t want it, we don’t heed the warning signs signaling us to cool our jets.
I know I know – doesn’t sound much like Ben here. Yes, I have spent the last twelve years actively looking for fights about foreign language pedagogy with anybody who will put up their dukes and go a few rounds with me, but I see that that is the wrong way to go now. I have the bruises to prove it.
I am strongly suggesting in this series of articles as we head into the toughest part of the year that we pay more attention to our mental health, because our mental health affects our physical health and therefore the health of those around us, including the mental health of our students, so it goes full circle.
Trust me, I know what bad mental health that results from trying to push CI on a class that is not in balance with it and with me feels like. I personally plan on doing some serious bailing out this winter when I don’t feel in the CI mood.