Hi George,
Upbeat and energetic is great. I don't see why you can't project that attitude and do collaborating activities at the same time. Getting students to talk, discuss, engage, interact, work on projects - these seem like they take time away from the teacher wants to share, but in fact, students learn just as much if not more in these settings. Anytime students are partcipating actively, they'll learn more and retain more.
Barry Westling
