Maximizing Instructional Time Starts Before Instruction Begins

Educational leaders nationwide are asking: How do we create more instructional time?

It is a valid concern. Learning recovery, rising student needs, and competing demands on teachers have put instructional minutes under a microscope. But after years of supporting schools and districts, I believe we are asking the wrong question.

The challenge isn't just the amount of time available; it is how effectively that time is used.

I have previously explored how explicit instruction helps teachers maximize learning within the minutes they have. When instruction is clear, intentional, and aligned with how students learn, teachers accomplish more without extending the school day.

But there is a layer to this conversation that leaders often overlook: if we want teachers to maximize instructional time, we must consider how we are maximizing coaching time.

If we want teachers to maximize instructional time, we must consider how we are maximizing coaching time.

The Connection Between Instruction and Coaching

A powerful insight from the science of learning is that cognitive load matters.

Students learn more effectively when new information is presented clearly, broken into manageable chunks, and supported through guided practice. This principle is at the heart of explicit instruction.

The same reality applies to adult learning.

Teachers are constantly asked to master new practices, implement curricula, analyze data, and respond to evolving expectations. When coaching adds complexity rather than clarity, even dedicated educators struggle to translate learning into classroom practice.

This is where leadership and coaching systems matter. Just as teachers design instruction to support student learning, coaches should design experiences that support teacher learning.

When instructional time feels scarce, our instinct is to do more: add a strategy, introduce an initiative, or address another area for improvement.

Maximizing Time Through Clarity

Yet, the opposite is often more effective.

Strong coaches help teachers identify the most important instructional moves that drive student learning. Rather than overwhelming them with multiple priorities, they create clarity around what matters most.

Just as explicit instruction prioritizes essential content before adding complexity, coaching should begin with bite-sized actions that teachers can master before layering on refinements. The goal isn't to simplify the work; it is to make improvement manageable.

Rehearsal Isn't Just for Students

Many educators are comfortable asking students to practice, yet we are often less comfortable asking adults to do the same. Rehearsal is one of the most powerful ways to improve instructional effectiveness.

Before a lesson, coaches can create opportunities for teachers to think through critical moments:

• What will this explanation sound like?

• How will students respond?

• What misconceptions might emerge?

• What questions will prompt deeper thinking?

These conversations aren't about scripting every word; they are about increasing confidence, precision, and intentionality before instruction begins.

Elite athletes visualize performances; musicians rehearse before stepping onto a stage. Even world-class performers spend countless hours preparing for moments that appear effortless. Teaching deserves the same level of intentional preparation.

When teachers have already thought through key instructional decisions, they use classroom minutes more effectively and respond more confidently in the moment.

Routines Reduce Cognitive Load

One of the simplest ways to maximize coaching impact is through consistency. Teachers benefit when coaching structures are predictable: a consistent pre-observation conversation, a familiar reflection protocol, repeatable agendas, and shared language around goals.

These routines reduce cognitive load by eliminating uncertainty about the process. Instead of navigating logistics, teachers can focus on growth.

This is why I advocate for coaching systems rather than isolated events. Systems create predictability; predictability creates capacity; and capacity creates the conditions for meaningful change.

What Does This Mean for Leaders?

Instructional time is too valuable to waste. Maximizing it requires more than protecting minutes on a schedule; it requires building systems that help teachers use those minutes effectively.

As you reflect on your coaching structures, consider:

• Are coaches helping teachers focus on a small number of high-leverage practices?

• Do teachers have opportunities to rehearse instructional moves before implementation?

• Are coaching routines predictable enough to reduce cognitive load and support growth?

The answers to these questions may reveal that the greatest opportunity isn't finding more time, it's creating conditions that help teachers make better use of the time they already have.

The Coaching System Assessment Guide

$9.99

Buy Now

Every Minute Is an Investment

Archer and Hughes remind us that how we teach matters. I would argue that how we coach matters, too.

If we want classrooms characterized by explicit, intentional instruction, our coaching should mirror those principles: clear expectations, thoughtful scaffolds, purposeful practice, and consistent routines.

Every coaching conversation is an investment in instructional improvement. The question isn't whether we have enough time; the question is whether our coaching systems help teachers maximize the time they already have.

And that may be one of the most important leadership questions we can ask.