Speaker Series
For nearly fifty years, the International School of Düsseldorf (ISD) has been contributing to nurturing and the development of children’s minds and futures by providing exceptional learning opportunities. Beginning in February 2017, ISD began to extend this commitment to our wider community by inviting parents, students, teachers, and members of the greater community to attend a series of speaker events. The ISD Speaker Series has been captivating audiences with some of the best International thought and education leaders to date.
The ISD Speaker Series has been designed to deliver a range of inspiring speakers – educators and innovators, change-making foundations, authors and thinkers – in an open, inviting forum. Exciting, challenging, and innovative concepts will be presented and explored for the intellectual enrichment of our community. We will examine the future of education, skills and talents necessary for the future the changing economies of the world. We hope you will join us and come away from each speaker event with greater awareness and broader understanding of new – and possibly even controversial – ideas. The ISD Speaker Series is open to the public (presented in English), free of charge, and is dedicated to providing the highest quality lecture experiences for the entire community.
The ISD Speaker Series has been designed to deliver a range of inspiring speakers – educators and innovators, change-making foundations, authors and thinkers – in an open, inviting forum. Exciting, challenging, and innovative concepts will be presented and explored for the intellectual enrichment of our community. We will examine the future of education, skills and talents necessary for the future the changing economies of the world. We hope you will join us and come away from each speaker event with greater awareness and broader understanding of new – and possibly even controversial – ideas. The ISD Speaker Series is open to the public (presented in English), free of charge, and is dedicated to providing the highest quality lecture experiences for the entire community.
Past Events

An artist talk on making the invisible visible by drawing in space
Elma Riza is a French-Tunisian visual artist who has been living and working in Berlin since 2007. Her work addresses the notion of space and aims to make the invisible visible by redrawing the spaces of galleries or public spaces by evoking abstract and imaginary landscapes. Some of these installations are developed "in situ", using architectural elements of the site, which are then transformed or made visible by simple materials such as yarn, chalk, scotch or organic materials. Riza's site-specific and ephemeral installations question our habitual perception of space. She is the founder of Imprévu Berlin, an interdisciplinary platform for real-time composition, which has opened her research to collaboration with other visual artists, dancers, performers and sound designers.
Presenter: Elma Riza
Date: 14 November 2019, 19:00-21:00
Venue: Dahms Theatre, International School of Düsseldorf
Elma Riza is a French-Tunisian visual artist who has been living and working in Berlin since 2007. Her work addresses the notion of space and aims to make the invisible visible by redrawing the spaces of galleries or public spaces by evoking abstract and imaginary landscapes. Some of these installations are developed "in situ", using architectural elements of the site, which are then transformed or made visible by simple materials such as yarn, chalk, scotch or organic materials. Riza's site-specific and ephemeral installations question our habitual perception of space. She is the founder of Imprévu Berlin, an interdisciplinary platform for real-time composition, which has opened her research to collaboration with other visual artists, dancers, performers and sound designers.
Presenter: Elma Riza
Date: 14 November 2019, 19:00-21:00
Venue: Dahms Theatre, International School of Düsseldorf
Creating Cultures of Dignity Based on over twenty years of teaching and constant feedback from today’s generation of young people, Rosalind Wiseman’s presentation is a call for action to transform the way we understand youth culture and create communities where children can thrive. From young people’s friendships, social media use, gossip, drama, bullying, and the constant pressure to “keep up,” she’ll share how children and teens develop their sense of self and guide their decision making in everything from their academic choices, friends, and how they manage conflict. In addition, she’ll give concrete advice to parents and educators so they, in turn, can guide their children through the normal yet challenging problems young people face– while avoiding the common communication breakdowns and power struggles between children and adults. Presenter: Rosalind Wiseman Date: 4 April 2019 |

Marc Prensky — coiner of the term “Digital Native” — is an internationally acclaimed speaker, author, consultant and “practical visionary,” promoting civilization-level change in global education. Marc has spoken in over 40 countries, authored seven books, and published over 100 essays; his writing has been translated into 11 languages. He is currently the founder and Executive Director of the Global Future Education Foundation and Institute. Marc’s latest book, Education to Better Their World: Unleashing the Power of 21st Century Kids (Columbia TC Press, 2016) won the 2016 Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Awards in Education.
http://marcprensky.com/
Date: 8 March 2018
http://marcprensky.com/
Date: 8 March 2018

Schools on the Brink: How Classrooms are Being Reimagined for a World of Networked Learning.
"There has never been a more powerful time to be a learner. Nor has there been a more powerful challenge to traditional schooling. The skills, literacies, and dispositions that children now need to flourish in the world are not captured in current curriculums, teaching methods, or systems and structures that have defined schools for centuries. In response, many educators, are beginning to fundamentally reimagine their purposes and missions. Learn about the schools, districts, provinces, and countries that are leading this profound redefinition of what it means to be fully educated today."
Presenter: Will Richardson - http://willrichardson.com/
Date: 25 September 2017 19:00 - 21:00
"There has never been a more powerful time to be a learner. Nor has there been a more powerful challenge to traditional schooling. The skills, literacies, and dispositions that children now need to flourish in the world are not captured in current curriculums, teaching methods, or systems and structures that have defined schools for centuries. In response, many educators, are beginning to fundamentally reimagine their purposes and missions. Learn about the schools, districts, provinces, and countries that are leading this profound redefinition of what it means to be fully educated today."
Presenter: Will Richardson - http://willrichardson.com/
Date: 25 September 2017 19:00 - 21:00