AGIS Conference 2026 Potsdam: Full Schedule

Working Together To Support Learning

9:00am CEST

Service as Action, CAS, Service Learning and Community Engagement

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

This day will delve deep into a variety of pedagogic and facilitator structures for increasing student agency, investigation strategies and strengthening student voice. We shall explore a number of school Sustainability Award schemes. There will be a chance to discuss strategies, share stories of practice and resources.

9:00-11:00 Morning Session 1

Session 1:
Everything is connected to Everything Else (The Four Laws of Ecology by Barry Commoner )

We shall explore our school systems, strategies, share stories of practice and resources as a starting point to bring connection to the group.

We shall investigate Systems Thinking models that support the investigation aspect of the Solutionary Framework and the 5 stages of CAS within IPARD.

11:00-11:15 - Break

11:15-12:45
Session 2:
Dedicated time to investigating the process of reflection to track guide student development and workshop best practices for delivering Service as Action and CAS systems. We shall look at the developments of Service Learning and Community Engagement and building Service within the curriculum.

12:45-13:45 Lunch

13:45-15:00 Afternoon Session
Session 3:
A focus session on Education for Sustainable Development - how the Eco-Schools, Earth Charter and Schools for Earth can be integrated within curriculum, Service as Action, CAS and Service Learning as structured approach and benchmarking strategies.

15:00-15:45
Session 4:
Reflection Session with the Group

Speakers

Emma Morris

CAS coordinator, Bavarian International School

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

Full-Day Workshop

Audience Secondary/Middle Learners aged 11-16; Diploma Learners 17-18; Administrative staff Elementary/Primary Learners aged 6-11 Language Learning Whole school for educators Well-being

9:45am CEST

Sparking Reading Joy: Practical Ideas for Classrooms, Libraries, and Schools

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

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How do schools move beyond 'teaching reading' to creating a culture where students actually choose to read?

A culture of reading doesn't happen by accident; it’s built through curiosity, conversation, and collaboration. This session goes behind the scenes of one international school’s journey to make reading a visible, everyday joy.

We’ll dive into the "why" and "how" of reading engagement: grounded in research, but fueled by practical experience. From small, adaptable ideas to larger school-wide programs, this session will explore strategies that can work in any classroom, library, or school community. Come prepared to share your story and walk away with fresh ideas to ignite excitement in your own school community.

Speakers

Lindsay Haubenreisser

Grade 5 Teacher, International School Augsburg

I'm an American living and working in Augsburg since 2015. Originally trained in teaching EAL and Spanish as a Foreign Language, I have been a Lower School classroom teacher for most of my career and love it! I particularly love mathematics and reading. As a passionate reader myself... Read More →

Michelle Dierker

Teacher Librarian, Early Years- Grade 12, International School Augsburg ISA

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

One-Hour Workshop

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

11:15am CEST

Let`s move it - Understanding musical concepts through movement (Creative Expression, KS1)

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

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This session will engage you with adaptable activities that support understanding of musical elements like dynamics, form and tempo. Learn strategies from a grade 1 creative expression teacher that you can easily adapt for pre-school or grade 2. Together we will try out ideas - so be prepared to move and have fun!

Speakers

Mirjam Williams

Grade 1 teacher _ Creative Expression and German, Berlin International School

Primary Grade 1 Music teacher

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

One-Hour Workshop

Audience Elementary/Primary Learners aged 6-11
Subject The Arts

1:15pm CEST

Math Projects – Helping students see math as a meaningful, powerful tool

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

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How can we get students more excited about math? Apply our skills to projects rather than just move from one lesson to the next!
Using our existing math programme as a foundation, I planned project-based experiences that either link several math units together or align with social studies and science topics. Instead of teaching skills in isolation, students immediately apply new concepts—such as geometry, measurement, data, calculations, and problem-solving—to authentic, real-life contexts.
Whether designing a sustainable community space or applying fraction and decimal knowledge during a medieval market fair during our history unit, students use math with purpose.
I will share what our grade 4 team has tried out and will hopefully have you leave with some practical ideas you can use in your classroom.
If you are happy to share your grade level, math curriculum and social studies/science topics prior to attending the presentation, I promise to try and provide some ideas to get you started on your new unit.

Speakers

Uli Metzler

Grade 4 classroom teacher, Leipzig International School

to be added later

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

One-Hour Workshop

Audience Elementary/Primary Learners aged 6-11
Subject Mathematics

2:30pm CEST

A Powerful Partnership: Inquiry with Student Agency

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

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What happens when we stop planning for students and start planning with them? In this interactive session, we share how to transform the inquiry cycle into a dynamic framework for student voice, choice, and ownership. Using authentic examples of student-led discovery, we will demonstrate how to move away from teacher-directed lessons toward a classroom where students help decide the "what, how, and why" of their learning.

Speakers

Amina La Cour

PYP Curriculum Coordinator/Instructional Coach, International School of Hamburg

I recently joined the International School of Hamburg as the PYP Curriculum Coordinator and Instructional Coach. Over the past twenty years, I have had the privilege of serving as both a teacher and leader in international schools across Guatemala, Panama, Vietnam, South Korea, The... Read More →

Preethi Isaac

Grade 3 Homeroom Teacher, International School of Hamburg

An engineer-turned-educator, I bring a problem-solver’s mindset to the classroom. I’m passionate about inquiry-driven, project-based learning that helps students explore big questions and build real understanding.
I taught for 7 years at the American International School of Chennai before moving to the International School of Hamburg, where I continue to focus on engaging, student-centered learning. Coming from a third-generation teaching family, education is both a profession and a legacy... Read More →

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

One-Hour Workshop

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

4:00pm CEST

Skill, Well-being & Structure: A New Approach to Foundational Literacy

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

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In international school settings, many lower and middle school students continue to struggle with foundational literacy skills long after the developmental-appropriate intervention window has passed. These challenges are often intertwined with second-language acquisition needs, unidentified learning difficulties, fine-motor struggles, interrupted schooling and social-emotional stress.
This interactive workshop will explore complex realities teachers face when supporting older students with gaps in phonemic awareness, decoding, fluency and self-confidence. Participants of this workshop will examine how literacy deficits impact emotional well-being and classroom engagement and how to rebuild both skill and self-belief simultaneously.
This workshop will include practical examples of combining structured literacy approaches such as UFLI and Heggerty, adapted for older learners and multilingual contexts. Attendees will engage in guided discussions, share experiences from their own teaching settings and collaboratively generate strategies that are responsive and structured.

Speakers

Jessica Vavougios

Whole School Resource Teacher, International School Augsburg

I am a passionate and versatile teacher from Montreal, Canada, now based in Augsburg, Germany, where I bring energy, empathy and creativity into every learning experience. With a strong background in resource education, English as a second language and learning support, I specialise... Read More →

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

One-Hour Workshop

Audience Elementary/Primary Learners aged 6-11; Secondary / Middle learners aged 11-16
Subject Language Learning; Well-Being

9:00am CEST

First Steps in German: Teaching an Additional Language to Young Beginners in International Schools

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

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How can we support young learners in taking their very first steps in German—especially when they have no previous exposure to the language—while keeping lessons engaging and meaningful? This workshop offers practical insights into teaching German as an Additional Language within an international school context.
Participants will explore how to build early literacy skills (sound and letter recognition, early reading and writing), support vocabulary development connected to the PYP curriculum, and gradually develop speaking skills from single words to simple sentences, dialogues, and short monologues. Listening activities, simple grammar input, songs, games, and classroom resources will be shared, with a strong focus on playful, child-friendly learning.

Speakers

Oksana Suprunenko

Primary School GAL Teacher/Coordinator, Metropolitan School Frankfurt

Primary School GAL Teacher/Coordinator

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

One-Hour Workshop

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

10:30am CEST

Inquiry in Literacy: Roundtable

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

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As educators, we all face similar challenges in our literacy classrooms: supporting diverse learners, deepening comprehension, balancing scheduling demands, and fostering genuine engagement with reading and writing. Rather than navigating these complexities alone, this roundtable invites us to come together as a professional community to share strategies, questions, and resources, and to learn from one another’s experiences!
This session will explore the interaction between traditional and inquiry-based literacy practices to promote student agency, critical questioning, and collaborative meaning-making.
This will be an interactive experience! We will frame the questions, and invite participants to discuss practical approaches, reflect on challenges, and co-generate actionable ideas. Together, we will examine how inquiry positions students as active interpreters of text and context, fostering engagement and deeper learning in our classrooms.

Speakers