Everybody likes a good show, right? Another temptation we face as teachers is to put on a show to entertain our students. No, we might not call it such. But the intention is the same. How does this happen?
Sometimes, the teacher is trying to engage the curiosity of their students. So they launch off into a highly animated one-person skit. The class is entertained, but other than telling their friends what an enjoyable class they had this Sunday, are not prepared to live any differently. At other times, the teacher may be so animated by a certain topic that they put on a show, even unintentionally, expressing their frustration, disgust, etc. with the issue at hand. Again, the students may applaud the teacher for voicing their own irritation. But the end effect is a rant.
Passion in teaching is important; how can you use passion to reinforce the lesson, instead of replacing the lesson?