#71 Three Ways For Students & Teachers To Take Control Of Instructional Time

I walked into every school I taught carrying the wounds of my childhood, determined to make sure no student ever felt the way I did. Every kid in that building? They were my student. Whether they sat in my classroom or not, I wanted them to know they were smart, they were loved, they were seen, and they were heard—because when I was a student, I didn’t always feel that way.

I became a teacher because of the handful of great ones I had—the ones who made a difference in my life when I needed it most. But if I’m being honest? There were more tough moments in school for me than proud ones. I wasn’t always making the best choices, socially or academically. I needed guidance. I needed patience. I needed a teacher who didn’t just see the struggling student but saw me.

I knew what it felt like to sit in a classroom where only the “smart” kids got attention—the ones who always had the right answers and who never needed extra time. But what about the kids who did? The ones who needed a second to process? The ones who weren’t always the first to raise their hands? I wanted to be that teacher—for them.

The teacher who saw everyone.
The teacher who made sure every student felt valued.
The teacher who made showing up to school worth it.

And that mission? That wasn’t just an idea. It was the foundation of everything I did.

That’s why today, I’m teaching you three ways for both students AND teachers to take control of their instructional time, so you can eliminate anxiousness, stress, and overwhelm while learning and teaching.

So if you’re a student, a teacher, or if you have or love a school-aged kid, listen up… today’s lesson is for you.

Students, Let's Start With You

Let’s talk about… How YOU can take control of your instructional time in the classroom and eliminate any stress & overwhelm while you’re learning.

Something you may not know is that your teachers are responsible for getting through a certain amount of material throughout the year, so they’re under time constraints. 

That being said, there are two types of teachers: those who understand how the brain learns and those who don’t. 

Those teachers who are mindful of how the brain learns will teach with the proper methods to make sure you're learning the material to the point of understanding and have the ability to apply it, which gets that information into your long-term memory so you can recall it whenever you need it. 

Those teachers who don’t have a good understanding for how the brain learns often allow the time constraints to run the show rather than your learning styles. They tend to blow through the content at lightning speed without giving you a chance to ask any questions and they seldom check for understanding.  

So, if you’re being taught by teacher #2...

#1 Stop and clear your head

As soon as you recognize emotions are escalating during class, you need to execute a plan, so stop what you’re doing and clear your head. You’re gonna either take several slow, intentional, deep breaths in and out of your nose, you can inhale to the count of 4 and exhale to the count of 8, which is a basic relaxation breath or you can do some 4-square breathing and inhale to the count of 4, hold the breath for 4 count, exhale to the count of 4, and hold the breath once exhaled to the count of 4. 4-Square Breath calms the mind, centers the body, and eliminates anxiety.

Another option for you is go to the bathroom and create your own space inside a stall. There you can sit and do a basic round of tapping to reduce your stress levels. With your fingertips, you can tap the inside of your eyebrow, the outside corner of your eye, under the center of your eye, under your nose, under your bottom lip, on your collarbone area, and under your arm. This is going to remarkably change your emotional state.

A third option is for you to sit in stillness inside that stall. Just close your eyes and tune into your breath. Try to focus only on your breath and use your breath to discipline your mind to focus on only that and nothing else. If your mind strays, as it most certainly will, that’s okay. Just simply bring your attention back to inhaling and exhaling through your nose for a few minutes and return to class once you feel more centered. 

Finally, just getting up and taking a walk to the bathroom or somewhere else in the school with permission from your teacher is enough to clear your head and give you a break from whatever it is you need a break from.

#2 - Let your teacher know you need support 

Though you’re teaching has many jobs to do, their main role is to make sure you understand and are comfortable applying the content they’re teaching. If you are not, speak up. Take control of your learning.

I'm sure what YOU think your teacher's opinion of you is, isn't at ALL what it actually is. Students tend to have a very negative perspective about the views their teachers have on them and often times nothing could be further from the truth. 

Many of these beliefs are a part of your DNA believe it or not. If your parents had negative views about school you inherited those beliefs when you were born, but that’s a pretty deep topic that’s a whole other podcast, so let’s get back to how to best advocate for yourself in class.

Here are 7 things students can do to advocate for themselves when they need help:

• Recognize your learning style
• Recognize whether you're a visual, auditory, kinesthetic, or a mix learner. This will help you communicate how you learn best.
• Identify your challenges
• Are you struggling with time management, understanding certain concepts, or dealing with a personal issue? Being clear about what you need can help you make your case more effective.
• Speak up early 
• If you're struggling with something, don’t wait until the last minute to ask for help. Whether it’s a grade, misunderstanding, or a personal barrier to learning, it’s better to address it early. Don’t expect your teacher to have all the time in the world for you after getting a bad grade if you’ve never gone to them for help prior to the assessment.
• Reach out via email or office hours
• If you're too shy to speak up in class, I get it. Emailing your teacher or meeting them during office hours can be a less intimidating way to advocate for yourself. But initiate it yourself. This is not something your parents need to do for you. Even in the rare event the teacher is not responding to you, there are protocols in place for you to get the assistance you need, and having your parent call the superintendent isn’t one of them. Set up an appointment with the guidance counselor if you’re not getting anywhere with your teacher and move from there. But in most cases, you’re teacher will be happy to help you out. A good one will notice you’re in need and will seek you out.
• Use “I” statements 
• Instead of saying “You’re not explaining it well,” try saying “I’m having difficulty understanding this concept. Could you explain it differently?” This communicates your needs without placing blame.
• Ask for clarification
• Don’t be afraid to ask questions. If something isn't clear during a lesson or a lecture, ask for examples or different explanations until you understand. Maybe a classmate can explain it to you in a way that you can understand. 
• Practice speaking up 
• It might be difficult at first, but the more you practice advocating for yourself, the easier it will become. Start by speaking up about things you know for sure. This will gradually build your confidence.

#3 -  Let your parents or guardians know what you’re going through

Your folks can’t help you if they have no idea what’s going on. Trust that they’ll listen and support you along the way. 

Don’t be hard on yourself. You’re learning something new. It’s expected that you’ll need time to process the information and work with it for a while before you can fully understand it. This is all part of the learning process. 

Your working memory has to really sweat to get new information into long-term memory, so stop fighting against your physiology. If your immediate memory isn’t interested in what you’re learning, it’s going to drop the information and not work with it. You’ll never be able to recall what you’ve learned because your brain hasn’t stored it anywhere.  

It’s up to you to work with this information and store it away. If your teacher understands how the brain learns, then more than half your battle is won because they’re going to be teaching your class in ways which will greatly benefit you and your classmates.

Here’s a PRO TIP: You’re not expected to get it right right away. No one, including your teacher, should be expecting you to. 

You’re not expected to know the material already.  If you did, you’d already be at the next grade level!

So give yourself some grace. 

Taking control of your instructional time and being an advocate for your learning will help you not only in school but also in life. It’s about taking responsibility for your learning, respecting your needs, and honoring your well-being.

So to recap: 

3 approaches to can take control of your instructional time in the classroom and eliminate any anxiety stress, or overwhelm while you’re learning:

#1 - Stop what you’re doing

#2 - Let your teacher know you need support 

#3 - Let your parents or guardians know what you’re going through

These approaches work well when they’re put into action. They translate smoothly to extracurricular activities like sports, acting, dance, social clubs, & scouts. Start integrating these 3 simple and sustainable strategies and take control.

Just like there are two types of teachers-those who teach with an understanding of how the brain learns, and those who let time constraints dictate their instruction. There are two types of students,—those who take control of their learning and those who don’t. Which one are you going to be? 

Which Approach Do You Have Nailed Down?

Now that you have these three strategies to take control of your learning, I want to hear from you!

👉🏻 Which one do you already have down? Are you great at stepping away when you feel overwhelmed, speaking up when you need support, or letting your parents in on what’s going on?

👉🏻 Which one will be the biggest challenge for you? Is it advocating for yourself? Managing stress in the moment? Asking for help before it’s too late?

👉🏻 What’s one small step you can take this week to take more control of your instructional time?

Let me know in the comments, or send me a DM on Instagram @jenncaputo—I’d love to hear your thoughts and support you on this journey!

Over to You Teachers

Now that we’ve talked about what students can do to take control of their learning, let’s talk about the other half of this equation—you, the teachers.

Because while students need to advocate for themselves, teachers also have the power to create an environment where students feel safe, supported, and encouraged to take ownership of their learning.

The good news? No matter where you fall on that spectrum, there are three simple strategies you can use to be more compassionate and sensitive to your learners while helping them take control of their instructional time."

Strategy #1: Be Mindful of Cognitive Load

"Students don’t just struggle because they ‘aren’t trying hard enough.’ Oftentimes, they’re overwhelmed. Their working memory can only hold so much information before it shuts down. If they aren’t given time to process, connect, and apply new material, it won’t make it to their long-term memory.

What you can do:
👉🏻 Build in small pauses throughout your lesson—30 seconds to 1 minute for students to reflect, jot down notes, or check in with themselves.
👉🏻 Use retrieval practices like quick verbal summaries or Turn and Talks to reinforce learning.
👉🏻 Recognize when students are shutting down and adjust your pace accordingly.

Strategy #2: Shift from a Time-Driven Approach to a Learning-Driven Approach

Yes, there are pacing guides and curriculum requirements. But if students aren’t understanding the material, rushing through it serves no one. The goal should always be deep learning, not just ‘getting through’ content.

What you can do:
👉🏻 Check for understanding frequently—not just at the end of a unit, but throughout the lesson.
👉🏻 Provide multiple ways for students to engage—visuals, discussions, hands-on activities—so they can access the content in a way that works for them.
👉🏻 Create a culture where it’s okay to ask for clarification, re-explain concepts in different ways, and allow students to process information before moving on.

Strategy #3: Foster Psychological Safety in the Classroom

Students are more likely to take control of their learning when they feel safe doing so. If they’re afraid of looking ‘stupid,’ they’ll shut down. If they believe you see them as ‘lazy’ or ‘difficult,’ they won’t ask for help. Your approach to their struggles determines whether they feel supported or discouraged.

What you can do:
👉🏻 Validate their experience—if they’re overwhelmed, acknowledge it before jumping to solutions.
👉🏻 Reframe mistakes as part of the learning process rather than failures.
👉🏻 Encourage students to self-advocate by providing structured opportunities for them to communicate their needs (e.g., anonymous feedback forms, office hour check-ins, or simple thumbs up or "traffic light" check-ins where they indicate how confident they feel about a topic).

Students & Teachers Together

When teachers and students work together, the classroom becomes a space where learning isn’t just about meeting standards—it’s about growth, confidence, and long-term retention.

By being mindful of cognitive load, prioritizing deep learning over rushing through content, and fostering a psychologically safe environment, you empower students to take control of their instructional time and, ultimately, their future.

So, as a teacher, what’s one small shift you can make today to create a more supportive learning environment?

DM me on my Instagram page @jenncaputo to let me know, and follow for more!

Remember, it’s not about being perfect; it’s about being easy with the practice.