HAMILTON, Ohio — Because of the pandemic, students are struggling to get back on track while schools struggle to find substitute teachers. 

One school is trying to change that by putting two teachers in the same class.

What You Need To Know

  • Fairwood Elementary started using the co-teaching model this year after the pandemic pushed students behind 

  • Teachers said it allows them to break into groups and help students advance at their specific skill levels 

  • The principal said it's also cutting back on the need for substitutes that they were running short on this year 

Kindergarteners like Dominick Watkins don't have just one favorite. 

"They’re both my favorite teachers,” said Watkins.

He's in a classroom where co-teachers are leading the class. 

Lisa Schleyer, a 19-year veteran teacher, is on one side.  

“You’re able to really focus in on less kids at one time, the co-teaching makes that so much more effective,” said Schleyer. 

She’s paired up with first-year teacher Meagan Brumagen.

“If I was by myself it would be really hard to reach our highest group which reads at a level E, and my lowest group that reads at a level A, at the same time, but right now we’re able to knock out two groups at the same time,” said Brumagen.

They’re not alone. There are two teachers in each kindergarten through third grade class at Fairwood Elementary in Hamilton. 

The principal, Jennifer Wolf, said there’s a reason for that. 

“The idea came from district leadership, actually, we were really looking for something outside of the box to combat learning loss after the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Wolf.

She said they had to get a grant and double their teaching staff to do it. She said so far it’s helping, not just with learning loss, but with the substitute shortage. 

“That was an unintended benefit because right now, we are short with substitutes, so a lot of times our co-teachers obviously don’t need a substitute when their partner teacher is there,” said Wolf. 

She said this is the first year they’ve tried this kind of teaching model and plan to use it in the future based on the improvement they're already seeing.