This year we have trained and accredited 12 new impact coaches and four new impact coach accreditors. What was this experience like and how does it feel to be an impact coach in our Kāhui?

With four new impact coach accreditors in our Kāhui we now have five schools able to train and accredit their own impact coaches, moving them so much closer to being able to sustain RBL practices themselves.

Some of our new impact coaches have opted in to this process and some have experienced the training as part of a new responsibility or leadership role.  We asked some new and current impact coaches about their experience and here is a summary of what they had to say.

Why did you decide to train as an impact coach?

- I was interested in the pedagogy and PLD opportunity

- I had enjoyed the process myself 

- It is a requirement of my new role

What are the most interesting parts of being an impact coach?

- Doing the observations

- Strengthening relationships with teachers/colleagues

- Coaching conversations

What affect do you think impact coaching is having for teachers?

- Helping them to see how their teaching is being experienced by learners

- They are able to form goals based on evidence and use this process in their PGC 

What affect do you think being an impact coach is having for coaches?

- Exposure to and awareness of pedagogical approaches

- Strengthening our own teaching and relationships

- Learning from other teachers

What advice would you give to someone who was considering becoming an impact coach?

- It is time consuming at the beginning but will become easier

- It's a great opportunity to learn more about your own teaching and to learn from other teachers.

- It is rewarding to engage in in professional conversations around improving teaching practice.