AGIS Conference 2026 Potsdam: Full Schedule

Working Together To Support Learning

9:00am CEST

Drama in the Classroom: A Creative Teaching Workshop

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

As Fred Rogers said, “Play gives children a chance to practice what they are learning.”
This highly interactive workshop equips educators with practical, classroom-ready strategies for integrating drama into everyday learning. Through hands-on activities—including storytelling, puppetry, improvisation, and theatre games—participants will explore how the performing arts strengthen comprehension, emergent literacy, and social-emotional development. Educators will actively engage in creative play to develop techniques that foster focus, collaboration, communication, and critical thinking. The session connects drama-based learning directly to curriculum outcomes, offering adaptable lesson applications that make learning dynamic and inclusive. Participants will leave with concrete tools to help students express ideas confidently, expand language skills, and deepen understanding across subject areas. No prior theatre experience is required—only a willingness to play, explore, and rediscover the power of imagination in education.

Speakers

Clayton Doherty

MYP/IB DRAMA and Media Communications TEACHER, International School of Hamburg

Clayton’s career ranges from Early Childhood Education as an artist for the Wolf Trap Institute for Early Learning through the Arts, Washington D.C. to conducting seminars, workshops and corporate training throughout the United States, Ireland, Canada, Italy, Australia, New Zealand... Read More →

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

Full-Day Workshop

9:45am CEST

From Assessment to Action: Using Skill Progressions to Drive Feedback, Goals, and Small Group Instruction

Saturday September 19, 2026 9:45am - 10:45am CEST

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In many classrooms, feedback remains general and disconnected from next instructional steps. This interactive workshop will explore how skill progressions can transform student work into actionable teaching decisions.
Participants will examine real student writing samples and practice identifying precise skill gaps using clear progressions. From there, we will develop:

- Targeted, growth-oriented feedback
- Student-friendly SMART goals
- Small group instructional plans aligned to specific needs

The session will address how feedback differs developmentally between lower and upper elementary, and how to maintain clarity while increasing rigor. This workshop will also provide recommendations for supplementary technology that can make this process easier.
Participants will leave with practical templates, sample progressions, and a replicable framework for turning assessment into intentional instruction.

Speakers

Christina Konnaris

4th Grade Classroom Teacher, Leipzig International School

to be added later

Saturday September 19, 2026 9:45am - 10:45am CEST
0.221 Am Luftschiffhafen 1, 14471 Potsdam

One-Hour Workshop

Audience Elementary/Primary Learners aged 6-11
Subject Language Learning

11:15am CEST

The Magic of Reading: How to Run a School Reading Night that Builds Literacy, Community, and Student Motivation

Saturday September 19, 2026 11:15am - 12:15pm CEST

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Reading motivation remains one of the most significant predictors of long-term academic success, yet many students experience reading primarily as a school task rather than a meaningful, shared activity. At Dresden International School (PYP), we developed an annual Reading Night — a whole-grade literacy event embedded in Literacy Week — designed to create positive emotional connections to reading.
During the Reading Night, students gather after school for read-alouds, shared storytelling, literacy games, library visits, and independent flashlight reading before sleeping overnight at school with their classmates. The event intentionally combines literacy with belonging, excitement, and memory-making. Students who are typically reluctant readers often become highly engaged, and the days and weeks following the event show increased book borrowing, reading conversations, and voluntary reading.
This workshop shares our experiences from several years of running the Reading Night. Rather than presenting a perfect model, it will honestly explore how the event evolved, what worked well, and what did not. Practical aspects such as organisation, communication with parents, staffing, student wellbeing, and managing concerns about safety will be addressed. Participants will gain insight into how a literacy event can strengthen class community, support social-emotional development, and positively influence reading attitudes.T
he session is designed as a collaborative exchange. Participants will have opportunities to ask questions, share their own literacy traditions and challenges, and discuss how similar ideas could be adapted to their own school contexts — whether through a full Reading Night or smaller alternatives.
Participants will receive example materials (parent communication, schedules, activity ideas, and planning considerations) to support adaptation in their own settings.

Speakers

Kim Dawson

Teacher Librarian and Learning Support Teacher, Dresden International School

PYP Teacher Librarian and Learning Support Teacher

Andrea Bodinus

Grade 2 Classroom Teacher, Dresden International School

Grade 2 Classroom Teacher

Saturday September 19, 2026 11:15am - 12:15pm CEST
0.221 Am Luftschiffhafen 1, 14471 Potsdam

One-Hour Workshop

Audience Elementary/Primary Learners aged 6-11
Subject Language Learning

1:15pm CEST

The Power of Play – How an educator’s playfulness shapes the learning environment

Saturday September 19, 2026 1:15pm - 2:15pm CEST

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In early childhood settings, emotional safety is the foundation for curiosity, confidence, and meaningful play. This interactive session explores how educators’ own mindfulness and gratitude practices directly shape classroom climate and children’s ability to feel secure, take risks, and engage deeply in learning.
Grounded in the belief that educator well being drives student well being, this session highlights the powerful ripple effect of adult regulation. When educators intentionally cultivate calm, presence, and gratitude, they model emotional resilience and create environments where young children feel safe to explore, question, and grow.

Participants will engage in a hands-on creative activity, decorating a small wooden heart or stone to serve as a personal gratitude touchstone. Through guided reflection, they will connect this tangible object to a simple 30-second reset practice that can be used during busy classroom moments.
Educators will leave with:

A personal gratitude touchstone and reset strategy
3–5 classroom-ready mindfulness and gratitude practices
A practical “Ripple Model” framework linking educator well being to child safety and engagement

Speakers

Hilary Borini

Early Years Educator, Leipzig International School

Saturday September 19, 2026 1:15pm - 2:15pm CEST
0.221 Am Luftschiffhafen 1, 14471 Potsdam

One-Hour Workshop

Audience Elementary/Primary Learners aged 6-11; Whole school for educators
Subject Well-Being

2:30pm CEST

You Matter Too: Balanced Teacher, Balanced Classroom

Saturday September 19, 2026 2:30pm - 3:30pm CEST

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Teaching is an act of constant giving, and educator well-being matters. This one-hour interactive workshop helps you identify daily stressors and introduces simple, practical mindfulness strategies you can use anytime. Participants will explore how supporting their own mental and emotional health builds balance, resilience, and more grounded, effective classrooms. School leaders will also examine how teacher well-being is shaped by school-wide systems, and how those systems can better support educators.

Speakers

Elizabeth Tucker

Primary Teacher, Leipzig International School

I’ve been an international school teacher since 2012 and I am currently teaching at Leipzig International School. I’ve worked across diverse school communities and bring a strong background in IB PYP. I’m especially passionate about inquiry-based learning, thoughtful classroom... Read More →

Saturday September 19, 2026 2:30pm - 3:30pm CEST
0.221 Am Luftschiffhafen 1, 14471 Potsdam

One-Hour Workshop

Audience Elementary/Primary Learners aged 6-11
Subject Well-Being

4:00pm CEST

Plot Twists & Teamwork: Creating a Class Choose-Your-Own-Adventure Story

Saturday September 19, 2026 4:00pm - 5:00pm CEST

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Looking for a writing project that builds creativity and collaboration? In this session, we will explore how to guide your class in writing a collaborative choose-your-own-adventure book. Participants will learn practical strategies for organizing branching storylines, structuring student roles, and keeping the project clear and manageable. This engaging approach strengthens narrative writing skills while fostering cooperation and shared ownership.

Speakers

Amy Moeller

Grade 3 Teacher, Leipzig International School

to be added later

Saturday September 19, 2026 4:00pm - 5:00pm CEST
0.221 Am Luftschiffhafen 1, 14471 Potsdam

One-Hour Workshop

Audience Elementary/Primary Learners aged 6-11
Subject Language Learning

5:15pm CEST

A Year-Long Journey: Implementing the PYP Exhibition Through Staged Inquiry

Saturday September 19, 2026 5:15pm - 6:15pm CEST

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Discover how to transform the PYP exhibition from a daunting end-of-year project into an empowering year-long journey of inquiry and action. This session shares a proven, staged approach that builds student agency and produces meaningful community impact.

Starting with exploration of what the exhibition is and connecting to student interests, we progress through identifying local challenges and opportunities. Through reading articles and observing their own neighborhoods, students develop authentic inquiry questions. They then narrow their focus, conduct research through interviews, surveys, and experiments, and design actions that matter to them. The entire school community becomes involved, creating a powerful sense of collective purpose—especially meaningful in small school settings.

This staged process ensures students take genuine ownership while maintaining manageable pacing, resulting in presentations that reflect deep inquiry and authentic action.

Speakers

Jessee Müller

Grade 5 Teacher, International School Ruhr

A big part of my work, both in the classroom and as a former PYP Coordinator and Head of Primary, has been the Exhibition. I have lived with it from almost every angle: as a mentor, as the teacher who took over a cohort midway through, as the coordinator supporting from the outside... Read More →

Saturday September 19, 2026 5:15pm - 6:15pm CEST
0.221 Am Luftschiffhafen 1, 14471 Potsdam

One-Hour Workshop

Audience Elementary/Primary Learners aged 6-11
Subject Transdisciplinary (teaching pedagogy & Methodology)

5:15pm CEST

Finding a new job for 2027? How to find the school that fits, and prepare your application.

Saturday September 19, 2026 5:15pm - 6:15pm CEST

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Whether you expect to be looking for a new job in Germany, or further afield, this session will be part workshop, part discussion, to help your application speak with clarity and purpose to those reading it. Based on the joy, challenge and frustration of reading hundreds of applications a year from people who do not always make it easy to see what they might bring, where and how they have gained their experience or whether they would be happy in Leipzig, Dehradun or Weimar, we will look at the good, the bad and the ugly.

We cannot always find the mentors we need to turn to when making job applications, particularly if we want to keep an application quiet until it becomes real. This session will take place within a circle of trust in which anyone can ask anything about what school hiring committees and Heads might be thinking when it comes to hiring.

Bring along your CVs, your aspirations and your questions and we can spend an hour now saving hours later in the year.

Speakers

Matthew Raggett

School Director, Thuringia International School

ThIS Weimar has been my professional home since 2023. On my way here I was Director of Education at an Erasmus vocational training centre in Leipzig, Headmaster of a boarding school in Dehradun, India, Secondary Principal at Leipzig International School, and Head of Boarding at King's... Read More →

Saturday September 19, 2026 5:15pm - 6:15pm CEST
0.221 Am Luftschiffhafen 1, 14471 Potsdam

One-Hour Workshop

9:00am CEST

State-Funded Teilhabeassistenz in Staatlich Anerkannte Ersatzschulen: Navigating SGB VIII and SGB IX

Sunday September 20, 2026 9:00am - 10:00am CEST

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This session offers a clear, practical overview of the Teilhabeassistenz (Inclusion Assistant) process in Germany, designed specifically for school leaders, inclusion teams, and learning support staff. It aims to support schools in confidently navigating application procedures and strengthening collaboration with families, school authorities, and service providers. Participants will gain an understanding of the two legal pathways for acquiring Teilhabeassistenz under SGB VIII and SGB IX, including how and when applications are made through the Jugendamt or Sozialamt. The session will outline required documentation, typical timelines, and the role of the Sozialrathaus as the coordinating authority. Particular attention will be given to the practical realities schools face once support is approved. The session will also explore the role of external service providers (Träger), including recruitment, training, and ongoing supervision of inclusion assistants, and highlight effective strategies for working in partnership with them. The school’s role in introducing, supporting, and integrating a Teilhabeassistent into daily classroom practice will be discussed, with reference to aligning support with Individual Education Plans (IEPs). Drawing on real-world school experience, this session encourages dialogue between schools and offers practical insights, shared challenges, and best-practice approaches to ensure inclusive, consistent, and sustainable support for students.

Speakers

Holly Vives

Primary Learning Support Coordinator, Metropolitan School Frankfurt

Primary Learning Support Coordinator

Audun Birketvedt-Haukaa

EY and PRI Inclusion Coordinator, Metropolitan School Frankfurt

EY and PRI Inclusion Coordinator

Sunday September 20, 2026 9:00am - 10:00am CEST
0.221 Am Luftschiffhafen 1, 14471 Potsdam

One-Hour Workshop

Audience Elementary/Primary Learners aged 6-11
Subject Well-Being

10:30am CEST

Round-table Exchange Designed for PE Educators Looking to Modernize Their Practice.

Sunday September 20, 2026 10:30am - 11:30am CEST

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In this one-hour session, we will share the journey of how our school overhauled our physical education program to meet the complex needs of today’s students.
What We’ll Cover:

The Holistic Shift: Insights into our new curriculum that seamlessly integrates Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) into daily physical activity.
Post-Pandemic Realities: A deep dive into how fundamental movement skills have shifted since COVID-19 and the specific strategies we use to bridge these developmental gaps.
The Power of Two: Evidence-based benefits of co-teaching and how it transforms classroom management and student engagement.

This isn’t just a presentation; it’s a space to share your own successes and hurdles. We will spend the latter half of the session in an open forum, exchanging actionable ideas that you can take back to your gym next week. Let’s move beyond traditional drills and build a curriculum that supports the whole child.

Speakers

Victoria Bock

LS Homeroom Teacher, International School Augsburg ISA

Sarah Brand

Teacher, International School Augsburg

Sunday September 20, 2026 10:30am - 11:30am CEST
0.221 Am Luftschiffhafen 1, 14471 Potsdam

One-Hour Workshop

Audience Elementary/Primary Learners aged 6-11; Administrative staff
Subject Physical and Health Education; Well-Being

10:30am CEST

Strategies and Resources for Teaching EAL Students in an International Context

Sunday September 20, 2026 10:30am - 11:30am CEST

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Beyond the support of dedicated EAL teams found in most international schools in Germany, language acquisition is a shared responsibility across every classroom and year level. This hands-on workshop provides all teachers (regardless of their subject) with practical tools to help students of all proficiency levels succeed throughout the day.

Our focus will be on lowering linguistic barriers without sacrificing academic rigor. We will explore easy-to-implement strategies that make complex content accessible, ensuring high standards remain intact. You will walk away with a toolkit of scaffolding techniques and inclusive routines to support diverse learner needs in real-time

What to expect:

Practical Toolkits: Proven methods to differentiate instruction without increasing your planning load.
High Standards, High Support: Strategies that protect the rigor of your curriculum as you bridge the language gap.
Collaborative Resource Document: During the session, we will build a live Google Document together, allowing every participant to share and take home a curated collection of resources specifically suited for the international school context in Germany.

Key Takeaway: Leave this session with a "digital toolkit" and the confidence to ensure every learner in your classroom regardless of their English proficiency can thrive.

Speakers