Instructional Coaches Need to Know How Memory Works – And It’s Not a Muscle

I often hear memory described as a muscle—something that gets stronger the more you “work it out.” While the sentiment is well-intentioned, it’s a misleading metaphor. Our memory isn’t a single entity that we can simply beef up through brute force. It’s a complex system, and for instructional coaches, understanding its nuances is a game-changer for helping teachers truly embed new and refined strategies into their practice as well as teach the teachers we are coaching the art and science of how learning happens so they can translate it directly into their teaching.

The real magic happens when we design coaching cycles and experiences that align with how our brains actually learn and remember. First, we will jump into Working vs. Long-Term memory, followed by how we can get the most out of our coaching by implementing spaced retrieval and the power of rehearsal directly into our coaching.

Working Memory vs. Long-Term Memory: The Loading Dock and the Warehouse

Think of our memory as having two main components: working memory and long-term memory.

• Working Memory: This is like the brain’s loading dock. It’s where we actively process new information. The problem is, it has a very limited capacity. Cognitive load theory suggests we can only handle a few new pieces of information at once (Sweller, 1988). When we overload a teacher with too many new strategies, techniques, and tools in a single professional development session or a one-off coaching conversation, we’re creating a bottleneck on the loading dock. Most of that information will never make it into the warehouse.
• Long-Term Memory: This is the vast warehouse where we store everything we’ve learned. Information is organized into schemas, or mental models. When we connect new information to existing schemas, learning becomes more efficient. The goal of effective coaching is to help teachers move new instructional strategies from the crowded loading dock of working memory into the organized warehouse of long-term memory.

Trust me, this is only the beginning. I highly recommend diving even further into the literature. One book I recommend is called How Do We Learn by Hector Ruiz Martin. He clearly outlines how memory works relating to teaching and learning.

Spaced Retrieval: The Power of Distribution

This is where the idea of “distributed practice” or “spaced retrieval” comes in. Instead of a single, intensive coaching session (or a single day of professional development) or a few sessions crammed into one week, we need to space out our interactions over time (several months – 2 to 4 months is what I recommend).

Research has consistently shown that we remember information better when we retrieve it multiple times over increasing intervals (Cepeda et al., 2008). Think about it: cramming for a test might get you through the exam, but how much of that information do you remember a week later? The same principle applies to instructional coaching. Don’t coach or provide professional development where it will be a one-and-done experience. Rarely will this work for sustained change and improvements in practice.

A coaching cycle or a set of coaching interactions that involves brief, focused interactions spread out over several weeks is far more effective than a “one and done” model. Each subsequent coaching conversation serves as an opportunity for the teacher to retrieve and apply what they’ve learned, strengthening the neural pathways and making the new strategy more automatic.

Rehearsal: The Bridge to Mastery

This distributed model of coaching creates the perfect environment for one of the most powerful, yet underutilized, tools in our toolkit: rehearsal.

Rehearsal provides a safe space for teachers to practice a new strategy, receive feedback, and refine their approach before they’re in front of their students. When we incorporate rehearsal into spaced coaching cycles, we’re not just introducing an idea; we’re guiding the teacher through the process of mastering it. With each rehearsal, the teacher is actively retrieving the new strategy, making it more and more a part of their long-term instructional repertoire.

The Secret Ingredient: Storytelling and Emotion

So, how do we make these spaced-out coaching sessions even more impactful? We tap into the power of storytelling and emotion.

Our brains are wired to remember stories. A good story can activate a teacher’s prior knowledge, creating a mental hook on which to hang new information. I tend to discuss how I used the instructional or strategy or EdTech tool in my own teaching practice. I’ve also learned to explain how I used the strategy or EdTech tool in a captivating way that helped my teaching and my students’ learning. Therefore, when you can frame a new or refined instructional strategy within a compelling narrative, you’re making it more relatable and memorable to the teacher you are coaching.

Furthermore, research shows that emotion has a powerful influence on memory (Tyng et al., 2017). When we can elicit positive emotions—excitement, curiosity, a sense of accomplishment—during coaching, we’re creating a stronger memory trace. A coaching session or set of coaching sessions that feels like an inspiring conversation is far more likely to be remembered than a dry, clinical observation.

Bottom line: Weaving storytelling and positive emotional experiences into our coaching, we’re not just transferring information; we’re creating a shared narrative of growth and improvement. And that is something a teacher will remember long after the coaching cycle is over.

Putting It All Together

So, what does this look like in practice?

• Ditch the “one and done” PD. Instead, plan for a series of shorter, focused coaching interactions over time. Or, develop long-term professional learning series that embeds instructional coaching directly into the series that lasts over time.
• Make rehearsal a non-negotiable and do it as often as you can as an instructional coach. Give teachers the time and space to practice new strategies in a low-stakes environment. This can be done directly in coaching sessions and then scaffolded directly into a co-teaching opportunity where the coach first models the strategy and then the teacher implements it with the coach observing
• Start with a story. Frame your coaching conversations within a narrative that connects to the teacher’s experiences and goals. They also create trust and a sense of understanding.
• Celebrate small wins. Acknowledge progress and create a positive, emotionally resonant coaching experience. Provide positive feedback. Acknowledge growth and provide examples of how the teacher you are working with is growing.

References

Cepeda, N. J., Vul, E., Rohrer, D., Wixted, J. T., & Pashler, H. (2008). Spacing effects in learning: A temporal ridgeline of optimal retention. Psychological Science, 19(11), 1095-1102.

Sweller, J. (1988). Cognitive load during problem solving: Effects on learning. Cognitive Science, 12(2), 257-285.

Tyng, C. M., Amin, H. U., Saad, M. N. M., & Malik, A. S. (2017). The influences of emotion on learning and memory. Frontiers in Psychology, 8, 1454.