AGIS Conference 2026 Potsdam

Working Together To Support Learning

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9:00am CEST

From Voice to Action: Building Student Agency Through Student Action Teams

Friday September 18, 2026 9:00am - 3:45pm CEST

Student Action Teams are a structured initiative designed to move student voice beyond expression and into meaningful, informed action. The work begins by exploring the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals as a shared framework for understanding global challenges and imagining how we can contribute to making the world a better place. From there, students connect these global goals to our ISH beliefs and values, grounding big ideas in their own school context. Using systems thinking, students identify real issues within the school community, explore who is affected, what factors influence the issue, and how different parts of the system interact before designing any action. The initiative is not only about taking action. It intentionally develops essential soft skills such as collaboration, communication, empathy, leadership, problem solving, and self regulation. Students learn to listen to multiple perspectives, manage disagreement, reflect on impact, and adapt their thinking as they learn. Adult mentors support the process without taking ownership, allowing students to experience authentic agency within clear structures. This session provides a practical, transferable framework that schools can adapt to develop their own Student Action Teams, supporting student agency, wellbeing, and values driven action in diverse contexts.

Structure of the day:

Morning Session. Foundations and Shared Understanding

Session 1. Setting the Why and the Big Picture
• Welcome and purpose of the day
• Why student agency matters now
• Overview of 21st century skills with a focus on agency, collaboration, and ethical action
• Introduction to the UN Sustainable Development Goals as a global framework for action
• Connecting global goals to school values and beliefs
• Reflection activity. Where do we already see student voice and where does it stop
Session 2. Systems Thinking in Practice
• What systems thinking looks like in a school context
• Moving from quick fixes to understanding root causes
• Mapping school based systems. Who is involved, who is impacted, where decisions sit
• Examples from Student Action Teams in practice
• Guided discussion. What systems exist in your own school that students could meaningfully engage with

Afternoon Session. From Thinking to Action

Session 3. Designing Student Action Teams
• Structure and purpose of Student Action Teams
• Adult role as mentor not owner
• Teaching soft skills alongside action
• Using systems thinking to design responsible action
• Case study walkthrough
Session 4. Action Planning Using the Iceberg Model
• Introduction to the Iceberg Model as a systems thinking tool
• Starting below the surface. Identifying school beliefs and assumptions about student agency as the mental model
• Exploring how these beliefs show up in patterns, structures, and daily practices in participants’ schools
• Connecting mental models to the UN Sustainable Development Goals and school values
• Using the Iceberg Model to design a Student Action Team structure that is intentional, ethical, and sustainable
• Clarifying adult roles, student roles, and decision making boundaries
• Drafting a Student Action Team action plan grounded in beliefs, not just activities
• Sharing plans, peer feedback, and reflection
• Identifying clear next steps to take back to school

Speakers

Tracey Rabbitts

EY/JS Assistant Principal- Grade 2 Homeroom Teacher, International School of Hamburg

Tracey Rabbitts is an experienced primary educator and school leader whose career reflects a deep commitment to early childhood development, instructional excellence, and data-informed teaching. She completed her Bachelor of Arts with Honours and Qualified Teacher Status at Bath Spa... Read More →

Maha Frangieh

EY/JS Principal, International School of Hamburg

Maha Frangieh is an experienced international school leader and currently serves as Early Years and Junior School Principal in Hamburg. She holds a Doctorate in Education, with her research focusing on international mindedness and how schools intentionally nurture global citizenship... Read More →

Friday September 18, 2026 9:00am - 3:45pm CEST
0.24 Am Luftschiffhafen 1, 14471 Potsdam

Full-Day Workshop