University High School has started a new collaborative teaching model for its sophomore students that changes how students learn in their classrooms. Through a grant award, the co-teaching program for sophomore English classes has been introduced this year.

This new method of structuring classes consists of having two teachers in every classroom co-teaching class material. This approach meant implementing a new teacher schedule that consists of each teacher having four teaching periods, two periods where they co-teach, and then their normal planning period. This model replaces the six teaching periods and one planning period model that other teachers on campus follow.

Ms. Claire Goltermann, one of the sophomore English teachers participating in the program, believes the model is very helpful for students and teachers alike. “The co-teaching model helps a lot because it allows the students to get more one-on-one time with each teacher and then there’s the ways we can support each other in the classroom, so that’s really beneficial to it. We’ve also seen increasing grades because we’re able to give them more support in the classroom,” said Goltermann.

The co-teaching program was originally put in place because of the dropping grades and end of year test scores as a result of the interruption to instruction from the pandemic. This grant is being used to help accommodate students and get them the help they need to succeed in their classes. “All students are able to rise from where they are, so we like to meet them where they’re at and push from there. Two adults in the classroom allows that to happen,” said Ms. Lataniah Smith, Assistant Principal for the English Department.

Many of the students who are learning in this new environment also believe that they are receiving greater attention than before. “I feel like I get more one-on-one attention in class, and the teachers communicate more and that helps me,” said sophomore Yazlen Gomez Caban.