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AGIS Conference 2026 Potsdam
Working Together To Support Learning
Company: Whole school for educators; Administrative staff clear filter
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Saturday, September 19
 

9:45am CEST

The neuroscience of leadership in schools: Self-leadership, servant leadership, and system stability
Saturday September 19, 2026 9:45am - 10:45am CEST
The neuroscience of leadership in schools: Self-leadership, servant leadership, and system stability

Frank Tschan, ISD Director
Michelle Goddard, Ph.D., ISD Head of Mental Health and Well-being

Description
Educational leadership is often framed and shaped around strategy and organizational structure. However, the psychology and neurobiology of leadership subtly and sometimes covertly guide leadership decision-making. Under stress, the human brain becomes more susceptible to cognitive biases, which can influence decisions, relationships, and school culture. 

This workshop will explore how self-leadership, informed by neuroscience and psychology, enables leaders to regulate their physiological stress responses. Participants will also learn how to facilitate co-regulation with others and model emotional intelligence. We will explore the connections between servant leadership and emotional intelligence, demonstrating how empathy and relational awareness foster psychological safety for the school community. 

Participants will examine how leadership behaviors, especially under pressure, directly influence team dynamics, classroom climate, and whole-school culture. They will leave with practical strategies for leading with empathy, guiding with servant leadership, and fostering a psychologically safe school culture. 

Learning Objectives:

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

  • Explain how basic neuroscience (e.g., stress responses and cognitive biases) influences leadership decision-making, behavior, and team dynamics in educational settings.

  • Apply self-leadership and emotional intelligence principles to manage stress, enhance cognitive flexibility, and support effective, relationship-centered leadership.

  • Analyze how leadership approaches—particularly servant leadership—shape psychological safety, classroom climate, and overall school culture.

  • Implement practical strategies to model adaptive, relational, and stable leadership that fosters trust, collaboration, and positive outcomes in schools.

Speakers
FT

Frank Tschan

Director, International School of Düsseldorf
Director
avatar for Dr. Michelle Goddard

Dr. Michelle Goddard

Counselling Department Head of Mental Health and Wellbeing, International School of Düsseldorf
Counselling Department Head of Mental Health and Wellbeing
Saturday September 19, 2026 9:45am - 10:45am CEST
0.239 Am Luftschiffhafen 1, 14471 Potsdam

11:15am CEST

Hidden Architecture: Whats driving culture in our organisations?
Saturday September 19, 2026 11:15am - 12:15pm CEST
This workshop introduces content from Frederic Laloux’s "Reinventing Organizations," comparing traditional organisational hierarchies to modern, "living" ecosystems. 


We will explore: 
- A timeline of different organisational structures and how they function.
- How our current organisational model impacts culture, from leadership to the classroom.
- What the future may hold for our workplaces and examples of 'change in action'


You’ll leave with a new perspective of your school environment, knowledge on how organisational structure impacts workplaces and ideally, a renewed hope in what is possible for the schools and communities we are a part of. 
Speakers
avatar for Samuel Vink

Samuel Vink

Activities Director, International School of Hamburg
I'm an experienced leader working at the International School of Hamburg, where I’ve spent the last four years building and developing our extra-curricular program. 
My career so far has included roles in leadership and communication, early childhood education, and change manag... Read More →
Saturday September 19, 2026 11:15am - 12:15pm CEST
0.235 Am Luftschiffhafen 1, 14471 Potsdam

11:15am CEST

Save the iPad Babies! Stories and Strategies for Age-Appropriate Technology Use
Saturday September 19, 2026 11:15am - 12:15pm CEST
FYI-presentation draft is here-feel free to comment.

Description:
Maybe you’ve given your child your phone at a restaurant so you can enjoy your meal in peace. Maybe you have worried about a student’s use of social media or the intensity of their online gaming. Maybe you yourself have struggled to limit your own screen time. I know I have.

The blessing and curse of technology presents us all with daily challenges. Let’s take a look together at our school’s technology policies, our own use of technology, and the challenges we and our students face.

We will look at historical perspectives on technology, consider nature as a counter balance to screens, and consider research and suggestions from leaders in the field like Allison Ochs of Edit Change Management, Richard Louv, and the American Academy of Pediatrics.

For the second half of the session, participants can choose to join one of the following groups: round table discussion of their school’s tech policies and challenges, stories and role play scenarios to create engagement and shift perspectives, or deep dive into the 5 C’s (Child, Content, Calm, Crowding out, and Communication) for your age group(s). 

This session and the group work should lead to actionable takeaways for any setting.

Outcomes:
Open dialogue with colleagues from other schools about tech policies and challenges
Setting technology related goals for yourself, your classroom and your school
Considering perspectives on screen use through role play and social stories
Practical suggestions for modelling appropriate technology usage
Speakers
avatar for Scott Neas

Scott Neas

German Teacher, International School of Düsseldorf
Thank you for visiting my profile! I hope you enjoy the conference and that you will consider coming to my session or finding me for a chat.My favorite parts of the conference are connecting with old friends and new, learning from each other, helping people find their way around... Read More →
Saturday September 19, 2026 11:15am - 12:15pm CEST
0.239 Am Luftschiffhafen 1, 14471 Potsdam

5:15pm CEST

The Coaching Habit
Saturday September 19, 2026 5:15pm - 6:15pm CEST
In an era of rapid change, increasing complexity, and competing demands, educators are often pushed to look for better answers. This session argues that what schools most need are better questions. Drawing on Michael Bungay Stanier’s The Coaching Habit, the presentation focuses on a small set of powerful coaching questions and why coaching is fundamental to effective teaching and leadership.


Coaching is not about fixing problems or giving advice. It is about creating the conditions for thinking. Participants will explore questions such as: What’s the real challenge here? What do you really want? And what’s the smallest useful step forward? These deceptively simple questions help shift conversations from telling to listening, from compliance to ownership, and from short-term solutions to long-term growth.


The session will connect these questions to everyday educational contexts, including classroom practice, professional conversations, and leadership decision-making. Teachers will see how coaching questions support student agency, metacognition, and wellbeing. Leaders will examine how a coaching approach builds trust, clarity, and collective responsibility across teams.


Rather than adding another initiative, coaching offers a practical mindset that strengthens learning, improves relationships, and supports sustainable improvement. Participants will leave with sense of why coaching matters and how to apply it.
Speakers
avatar for Raphaëlle Dumais

Raphaëlle Dumais

Academic Year Head, Coach for United Nations Volunteers, International School of Düsseldorf
I’m passionate about building coaching cultures in schools that empower both students and staff. I lead student coaching groups and support peer-led mentoring among colleagues, with a focus on developing confidence, reflection, and meaningful dialogue.I’ll be presenting on coaching... Read More →
Saturday September 19, 2026 5:15pm - 6:15pm CEST
0.239 Am Luftschiffhafen 1, 14471 Potsdam
 
From €156.89


AGIS Conference 2026 Potsdam
From €156.89
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