DATE CORRECTION: Please note that the date for the In-Person Directors Meeting was mistakenly sent as January 31st but the correct date is Friday, January 30.
Dear TAIP Members,
Happy New Year! We hope you had a restful winter break and a smooth return to school. 2026 is already full of opportunities for us to learn and connect as a community.
January Leadership Updates
This month, TAIP is focusing on organizational goals and leadership networking. We have two key events scheduled for our school leadership teams:
TAIP Annual General Meeting (AGM): Thursday, January 22 | 7:00 p.m. (Via Zoom)
Who: For leadership across all membership categories (Institutional, Satellite, Associate, and Individual).
Focus: 2025 highlights, 2026 goals, and organizational updates.
Who: Open to all "Directors," "Principals," "Heads of School," or "School Division Leaders."
Focus: Networking and peer-to-peer exchange for all school leaders.
Note: Registration links and information for these sessions were sent directly to organization Leaders. If you are a school/organization leader, please check your inbox to RSVP. Or reach out to [email protected] if you did not get your invitation.
📢 2026 Tokyo English Language Teaching Convention
Learn and connect at the upcoming Tokyo ELT Convention. This event is a fantastic way for early childhood educators to grow and contribute to the professional community.
Date: Sunday, February 8, 2026
Time: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM (Presentations begin at 10:00 AM)
Location: Otsuma Women's University (12 Sanban-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo)
Cost: ¥1,000 for TAIP members in Tokyo (Payable at the event or via the LTP homepage)
TAIP Presentation Room: We are proud to announce that TAIP has a dedicated presentation room this year! Be sure to stop by to support your fellow members as they showcase their expertise in early childhood education.
With 72 total sessions across the venue, it’s a day tailored for educators of young learners. (Schedule PDF)
While the convention has a strong focus on language teaching, many sessions cover broader topics relevant to our work in early childhood. This includes several sessions in the TAIP Room (Room 512):
Ludovica Molinari: Raising children, shaping society: The educator’s role in peace education
🎨 March Art Workshop: Shared Lines, Shared Thinking
Facilitated by Patrick Magno
Date: Saturday, March 7, 2026
Time: 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Location: Komazawa Park International School (KPIS)
Capacity: Max 20 participants
Shared Lines, Shared Thinking is a hands-on, reflective workshop exploring the intersection of collaboration and process-focused art. Through a shared painting experience, we will examine what happens when materials and space are intentionally designed to support listening and trust.
Specifically tailored for early childhood educators, this session goes beyond theory. Participants will gain practical strategies for fostering teamwork and building classroom relationships, returning to their schools with fresh ways to support reflective, process-based learning.
Participant Notes:
This is a hands-on, potentially messy session. Please wear clothing you don’t mind getting stained or bring an art apron.
Registration details for this workshop will be sent out in our next update. For now, please save the date!
🗓️ 2026 Events Calendar
We have begun outlining our events for the rest of the year! You can now view our updated schedule online to help you and your staff plan for upcoming professional development opportunities.
We always welcome news, milestones, or updates from our member schools. To help us get the newsletter to you on time, we are setting a regular deadline: please submit your items by the 20th of the month before you would like them to appear. This new schedule starts with the March 2026 issue.
Associate Member News: AIECE Workshop
TAIP associate member AIECE is hosting a workshop in January. (This is an independent event and is not organized by TAIP.)
“Me to We” - Supporting Social Emotional Development: Ann Nishigaya will share strategies for helping children move toward group learning, drawing on her experience in the US, UK, and Japan.
Thank you for your continued dedication to early childhood education in Japan. We look forward to seeing many of you at the ELT Convention and our upcoming workshops!
