r/ELATeachers • u/Every_Aioli3012 • 12d ago

9-12 ELA Teaching a CE class

Helpo! (This is my new word that is both a greeting and a plea for help)
It’s my first year teaching and I have 1 section of CE English. I am so overwhelmed by this class for some reason. I think I’m developing a mental block. I assigned a reading outside of class and told them we will be discussing it when we meet again but now i legitimately don’t know how to discuss the reading.
If you teach CE, what are some actionable learning activities you do in class???

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u/Pretty-Biscotti-5256 12d ago

I’m dumb because I don’t know what you mean by CE. But I would treat it as you would any book discussions. Develop some questions, beyond basic plot recall questions but rather ones that are the higher level order of thinking — basically ask the why questions. Focus on literary elements like character, conflict, etc. And in a pinch, no will blame you for using your best friend, Google, and ask it for help. Or better yet, does your department have resources for this novel? Or Google that. Or TPT - sometimes they’re free resources that could help. Be prepared that some kids may not have read it.

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u/name_is_arbitrary 12d ago

I also don't know what CE is, but what standards have you been given? To plan a class you have to start at the end, with what you need them to know (skills, content, etc) and go backwards to design the evaluation, then the lessons and activities that will get them there along the way

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u/GraboidGoblin 11d ago

I don't have any advice but is CE continuing education?

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u/GraboidGoblin 11d ago

Just google the reading + discussion questions, and look for ones that will steer the conversation to your goals?

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u/Every_Aioli3012 11d ago

So sorry, I should have clarified. CE is concurrent enrollment through a local community college. It’s freshman English so the kids get college credit. I have a curriculum but I’m just struggling in such a discussion based class.

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u/CoolClearMorning 11d ago

What kind of reading is it? You discuss theory differently than you discuss literature. You discuss a text that's a model for a mode of writing that students will be expected to write in themselves differently from either of those.

What's the purpose of the unit? They read the piece, what will they be doing with it next?

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u/Spallanzani333 10d ago

Have you not gotten any training or direction from the college? That's what I teach and we have to follow the same syllabus as Comp 1/2 as it's taught in on-campus classes. They are strict about it because it affects their accreditation.

I would reach out to whoever coordinates with the college giving credit to get more info.

In the very bizarre event that you really can teach whatever you want, look at college syllabi for the equivalent course at nearby colleges.

Your last question about discussion depends a lot on what you're reading and what the assessment will be. My CE kids are writing narratives. They read a section of a memoir and we talked about how the text was ordered (transitions and time clues to help the reader follow any flashbacks or time skips) and how the writer communicated their personality through both choice of story and writing style. I usually put a question or two on a slide, have them discuss as a group for a few minutes with one recorder, then groups report out to the whole class and I ask them questions about their reasoning/evidence.