TAIP Fall Conference 2025

In this insightful workshop, we will explore the unique emotional and sensory profiles of highly sensitive, strong willed children, and explore how they navigate early childhood environments. Many adults unknowingly use traditional behaviour management techniques that can inadvertently escalate the very behaviour they aim to correct.

You’ll walk away with a deeper understanding of these children’s needs and together, we’ll consider connection-based strategies for co-regulation, setting respectful boundaries, and creating emotionally safe spaces that help these children thrive.

As a parenting educator and Montessori-trained teacher, I’ll share insights from working closely with families of highly sensitive children. This session will leave you feeling seen, supported and equipped to make a meaningful difference in the lives of these often misunderstood children.  Whether you’re an educator, administrator, or support staff member, this workshop will enhance your approach and strengthen your relationship with sensitive, strong-willed children.

Ready to move beyond static learning centers and create dynamic classroom environments that truly engage young learners? This hands-on workshop delivers practical, ready-to-implement strategies that turn ordinary areas into powerful learning hubs. Through collaborative activities and peer discussions, you'll explore innovative enhancements that spark curiosity while reducing your setup time. Walk away with a toolkit of fresh ideas and actionable plans you can implement immediately. This isn't just theory—you'll actively create, problem-solve, and share with fellow educators who get it.

This workshop is an interactive, hands-on session for educators who want to support every learner. We’ll begin by exploring what child mental health means—using key data and developmental milestones—then move into Special Educational Needs and neurodiversity (ASD, ADHD, SLD). You’ll learn how stress shows up in children (fight, flight, freeze, fawn, window of tolerance) and when to seek additional support, guided by UNICEF indicators and local services.Next, we’ll dive into practical strategies grounded in Social Ecological, Social Learning, and Sociocultural (ZPD) frameworks, with insights from play therapy, private practice, and school collaboration. The session wraps up with a focus on teacher wellbeing, sharing self-care practices and creating space for reflection—because every child, and every educator, counts.

This hands-on workshop shows how simple, recycled, and repurposed materials can be transformed into rich opportunities for process art and open-ended creative play. Educators will experiment with a variety of materials, explore easy ways to set up an art station, and gain practical strategies for sparking creativity in the classroom.

Discover simple, engaging art ideas that spark creativity and joy in the classroom! This hands-on session will highlight easy-to-prepare activities, mess-free tips, and playful ways to encourage self-expression!

Joanne Yiu Hagiwara is an experienced early childhood educator with over 20 years of teaching experience. Before entering the field of education, she worked in the textile industry, bringing with her a wealth of hands-on skills. In this workshop, Joanne will guide participants in learning three different types of hand-stitching. You’ll then put your new skills into practice by creating puppets that can be used in your classroom. Best of all, you’ll take home your handmade creations to use and enjoy!