Association of International Early Childhood Education

The Association for International Early Childhood Education (AIECE) is a professional development organization dedicated to elevating the quality of early years instruction. AIECE equips educators with the tools to bridge the gap between global educational philosophies and daily classroom practice. By incorporating child-led discovery and approaches like Reggio Emilia, the Association helps teachers foster the social-emotional foundations children need to thrive. Through specialized workshops and tailor-made training, AIECE empowers the teaching community to create responsive, inclusive environments where every child can flourish.

Our Approach to Teacher Workshops

We help teachers bridge the gap between global educational philosophy and daily classroom life. Our training focuses on proven methods like the Reggio Emilia approach to prioritize social-emotional learning and child-led discovery. From open workshops to tailor-made school training, we provide the tools you need to create a curriculum that truly fits your students.

Recent and featured workshop topics include:

• Emergent Curriculum in Mixed-Age Groups: Real-world examples from a Reggio Emilia-inspired school.
• Terrific Twos: What an emergent curriculum looks like in a toddler classroom.
• Reggio Emilia-Inspired Documentation: A journey of reflection and change in teaching.
• Me to We: Supporting Social Emotional Learning (SEL) in the early years.
• Let’s Work It Out: The fundamentals of Social Emotional Learning for preschoolers.
• Tailor-made Training: Custom workshops arranged for specific in-school requirements.

Upcoming Workshop

“Me to We” - Supporting Social Emotional Development and Group Learning in the Early Years: An Introduction

Presented by Ann Nishigaya

This workshop will explore:

• Traditional ideas of development and offer new perspectives on how much children can do when given the right support
• How to support young children to move from the idea of ‘Me to We’ and the joys of group learning
• The healing power of tears and why crying is important

About the Presenter

Ann Nishigaya was born and raised in the United States and has more than 30 years of experience working with children. She holds a BA from the University of Washington and a MA in Early Childhood Education from the University of Sheffield in the UK. Ann worked in early childhood centers in Seattle and Tokyo before moving to London in 1997, where she worked in early childhood education for 10 years.

Ann moved to Japan for the second time in 2007 and was the Education Director at Willowbrook International School in Tokyo for almost 10 years before opening Tokyo Children’s Garden. Having experience in early childhood emergent learning in three different countries, including experience in the International Baccalaureate program, has given Ann a unique perspective on how children learn best.

Ann believes that changes in the world start in the classroom and is very passionate about professional development for teachers. She presents at workshops and seminars for educators in Tokyo and travels to schools around Japan to train teachers. Ann was a long standing board member for the Tokyo Association of International Preschools (TAIP), an organization dedicated to the professional development and promotion of international schools in Japan. She continues her passion for training teachers through the Association of International Early Childhood Education (AIECE).

Event Details

Date: Tuesday, January 27th, 2026
Time: 5:30pm–7:00pm
Place: Tokyo Children’s Garden (3F) 5-2-9 Minami Azabu
Fee: 3000 yen (special introductory fee as this is the first AIECE workshop since the pandemic—fees usually start from 5000 yen)