In a recent webinar, our pedagogical consultant Philip Wharton spoke with two principals who together have over two decades of experience using itslearning in international schools. Annegret Ochsenreither-Asmus, Schulleiterin at ecolea International School in Schwerin, has used the platform since 2013. Laurent Cassell, Gymnasium Principal at Metropolitan International School, has also been using it for many years.
We asked them both the same question: what do you know now that you wish you had known at the start? Here is what they said.
When we asked Annegret what school leaders most commonly underestimate when introducing an LMS, her answer was immediate.
The most difficult thing is to get your teachers on board. Everybody asks, "do you want change?" and everybody raises their hands. And then if you ask, "do you want to change?" everybody says no. I don't want to change. I want to do the same as I always did.
The challenge is not the technology itself, but getting people on board.
At ecolea, transparency and peer support made the difference. Time was built into the timetable for teachers to help each other, share challenges, and learn in small groups.
Resistance was expected and discussed openly.
Annegret also emphasised that school leaders need to be part of the process themselves. By using the platform in her own teaching, she built trust and credibility with staff.
The lesson: plan for resistance, address it openly, and build support structures early.
Both principals shared the same advice: do not try to do everything at once.
At ecolea, they began with a single task teachers already had to complete: the class book. Instead of paper, it moved into the digital Planner.
You can't say this is more work, because open a class book, open a laptop, it doesn't really make a difference.
Over time, teachers began to see the benefits. Students and parents gained visibility, and expectations became clearer.
The lesson: start with something small that does not add extra work, and build from there.
Looking back, Annegret said they introduced digital standards too late.
In the beginning, teachers used the platform in different ways. This worked in the short term, but led to inconsistency. Later, the school had to introduce clearer rules and shared expectations.
The lesson: define how the platform should be used from the start, and make expectations clear.
Students do not automatically know how to organise themselves in a digital environment.
At ecolea, this is addressed through a dedicated skills curriculum. Students learn how to use itslearning, manage tasks, evaluate sources, and organise their work.
The lesson: treat digital organisation as a skill that needs to be taught.
Laurent returned repeatedly to one idea: consistency across the school.
At Metropolitan, teachers are expected to maintain their courses in a shared structure. This ensures that students and parents have a predictable experience across subjects.
A key principle is that everything lives in one place. Homework, communication, and planning are not spread across different tools.
The platform also opens up the classroom. Students can see what is happening each week, catch up if they are absent, and review past lessons. Parents gain insight into classroom activity and can follow learning more closely.
Reflecting on what both principals shared, Philip Wharton put it this way: "It is not an add-on. It becomes just the way the school works."
The lesson: agree on a shared structure and apply it consistently.
At Metropolitan, parents are supported to use the platform.
The school runs training sessions at the start of the year and follow-ups later on. This helps parents understand where to find information.
The lesson: make sure parents know how to use the platform.
Laurent recommended testing approaches with smaller groups, gathering feedback from students, teachers, and parents, and then scaling what works.
The lesson: start small, gather feedback, and expand step by step.
When asked for one final piece of advice:
Laurent: "Don't do everything at once."
Annegret: "Keep it small and simple."
Both emphasised starting small and building gradually.
Annegret Ochsenreither-Asmus and Laurent Cassell shared these insights in the itslearning webinar "From Vision to Everyday Practice: How to Implement an LMS Successfully."
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