Co-teaching (or shared teaching) — these terms are used interchangeably in this proposal — is very simply defined as the presence of two or more professionals performing teaching tasks in a regular classroom with a heterogeneous group of students (Cook & Friend, 1995; Strogilos et al., 2023). The growing diversity in classrooms means that co-teaching has become an appropriate methodology for addressing individual needs inclusively (Weinberg et al., 2020). It is an increasingly prevalent practice in schools (Gayol et al., 2023), though it remains underdeveloped in our country (Spain).

Various studies have highlighted the benefits of co-teaching at different levels and in various educational contexts. Most of these studies emphasize the positive influence of this methodology on the teaching-learning process for all students, including those with greater support needs (Iacono et al., 2023; Strogilos et al., 2023), both in terms of curricular competencies and the development of personal skills. Beyond the benefits for students, teachers who engage in this methodology have also reported professional and personal gains, such as reflecting on their own practices, reigniting their passion for teaching, and sharing knowledge with colleagues (Sharma et al., 2023).

As with other teaching practices, co-teaching is not confined to what happens in the classroom; it extends beyond delivering a lesson. It involves joint planning, coordination, programming, teaching, and evaluation. This can add extra effort to teachers’ workloads, potentially creating reluctance among professionals who are new to co-teaching (Chitiyo, 2017; Ratcliff, 2016), or among those who do not perceive its potential positive outcomes.

Previous research highlights more benefits than drawbacks, showing that co-teaching increases teachers’ sense of self-efficacy (Johnson et al., 2021; Ricci et al., 2021) and strengthens professional relationships (Kolleck et al., 2021). However, certain conditions contribute to the success of these professional relationships. For instance, Chatzigeorgiadou and Barouta (2022) point to the necessity for co-teachers to share the same educational values and to have access to prior training as well as time and spaces for collaborative work.

Nevertheless, despite the extensive research underscoring the benefits of this methodology, there are few studies that delve deeply into the impact of co-teaching on teachers’ well-being and job satisfaction. Thus, the aim of this study was to examine the benefits of co-teaching on the personal and professional well-being of in-service teachers involved in the methodology. The study analyzed teachers’ discourse on the bonds of complicity and comfort established in their relationships with co-teaching partners.

It is anticipated that the evaluation of the methodology will be positive and that teachers will emphasize greater complicity — both personal and profesional — with their co-teachers. Similarly, expectations regarding comfort suggest that teachers will report increased ease working within this methodology compared to traditional methods.

To achieve the study's objective, a qualitative design was proposed using semi-structured interview techniques. A total of 81 interviews (64 women and 17 men) were planned with active teachers from across Spain who systematically participate in co-teaching situations. The teachers work in public (76%) and semi-private (24%) schools at various educational stages in Spain: Early Childhood Education (3) (ages 0–6, non-compulsory), Primary Education (20) (ages 6–12, compulsory), Compulsory Secondary Education (47) (ages 12–16, compulsory), Professional Training (8), and Baccalaureate (3) (ages 16–18, post-compulsory). The participants represented a diverse professional profile, including classroom tutors (generalist teachers in early childhood and primary education), special education teachers (therapeutic pedagogy and speech and language specialists), and subject-matter experts (teachers in secondary education and professional training). These interviews aimed to explore the experiences and perceptions of these teachers concerning their professional interpersonal relationships. Topics addressed in the interviews included job satisfaction, stress management, and dynamics among co-teachers, such as sharing frustrations, fostering complicity, and achieving comfort. The information was analyzed using the software ATLAS.ti, which helped identify patterns and categories. For the dimensions analyzed in this study, a main dimensión —emotional well-being — was established, comprising five subdimensions: complicity, sharing frustrations, stress management, job satisfaction, and comfort. To draw conclusions, quotations from each subdimension were examined in-depth, analyzing a total of 2,684 quotations (complicity = 850 quotations, sharing frustrations = 256 quotations, stress management = 173 quotations, job satisfaction = 590 quotations, and comfort = 173 quotations).

The results of the study supported the positive impact of co-teaching on the psycho-emotional and professional well-being of teachers. The participants described co-teaching as a highly enriching experience that fosters continuous learning, both in terms of personal skills (e.g., teamwork) and professional competencies (e.g., new ways of managing the classroom). Additionally, it involves a revaluation of the teaching profession, particularly for specialist teachers who are often limited to addressing the needs of a specific profile of students requiring additional support. This aligns with findings from studies on the implications of co-teaching for professional practice (Johnson et al., 2021; Ricci et al., 2021). For instance, participants positively noted that this methodology allows teachers to share responsibilities in the classroom equally, without hierarchies or distinctions. They also highlighted the benefits of co-teaching for interprofessional relationships, particularly in terms of trust, emotional support, and improved communication, consistent with similar studies (Kolleck et al., 2021). The participants emphasized the importance of co-teachers sharing the same educational values and having a similar mindset, echoing findings from previous research (Chatzigeorgiadou & Barouta, 2022). In summary, the teachers participating in this study expressed their satisfaction with co-teaching, highlighting the benefits of this methodology for students — who receive greater and more personalized attention — but also for the teaching staff. They noted the positive aspects of sharing teaching practices, classroom insights, and the everyday questions that arise: they feel more supported, better equipped to handle challenging situations and experience less stress. Overall, they believe that participating in co-teaching has contributed to their professionally and personally growth, reporting improvements in skills such as teamwork, effective communication, dialogue, respect for differing opinions, the ability to reach agreements, and self-evaluation of their teaching performance. These improvements translate into positive impacts on teaching practices, job satisfaction, and, above all, interprofessional relationships.

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