Women Educating, Learning and Leading (WELL) has a long and interesting herstory.
It started as WOMEN IN EDUCATION AND LANGUAGE LEARNING (WELL) NETWORK at Nagoya JALT, November 4, 1995, where 14 Japanese and foreign women language teachers gathered to discuss their concerns as women educators and brainstorm plans of action.
Original WELL members included:
Jackie Beebe, Dierdre Blackmore, Mary Ann Decker, Linda Donan, Cynthia Huff, Katharine Isbell, Yumiko Kiguchi, Keiko Kikuchi, Alice Klahl Lachman, Cheiron McMahill, Naoko Mori, Ethel Ogane, Kathy Riley, Jill Ann Robbins, Julie Nelson Uga, Eiko Ujitani, Miyuki Usuki, Roberta Welch, and Amy Yamashiro.
The FIRST WELL RETREAT was held on February 26-28, 1996.
The eight workshops at the first WELL Retreat covered AIDS, sexual harassment, lesson planning for feminist classes, teaching women’s studies and literature. Women came from as far as Kyushu with all stops in-between.
The name was later changed to Women Educators and Language Learners, and then in 2018 to Women Educating, Learning, and Leading.
WELL Retreats 1997 to 2007 (For 2008 and later, use the pull down menu).
SECOND WELL RETREAT
January 10-12, 1997
Workshops included sessions on “Gender-Neutrality in Buddhist Language”, “Fighting Sex Discrimination at the Institutional Level”, “Fighting Homophobia in Texts: A Successful Case”, “Warrior Marks”, “Korean Women and Their Families”, “Women and Aging: Lessons from translating Betty Friedan’s The Fountain of Age and Barbara McDonald’sLook me in the Eye”, “Women and Health Care: Some Ideas on Teaching the Issues”, “slide show of Michigan Womyn’s Music Festival” “Women Word Explorer―discovering linguistic sexism in English and Japanese”, “Creating the Classroom we want”, “Studying Feminism and the Environment”
Dance party
THIRD WELL RETREAT
January 23-25 1998
Workshops included “Basic financial planning strategies”, “Women learning about themselves: teaching gender studies to university women”, “Dealing with Gender Sensitive issues when they arise in the classroom”, “Don’t hold my hand, Mommy: empowering female learners”, “Book browsing in a multicultural bookstore”, “Games and activities to heighten gender awareness”, “Self Defense: Body and Mind”, “MOVIE: The Company of Strangers” , “Movement and Relaxation to end your day” “Stretch and Bend…exercises to start your day”, “English Imperialism and Us”
FOURTH WELL RETREAT
Self Expression, Learning & Fun (Self)
Feb 6-8, 1999
Workshops included “Move with Maluvi”, “Fighting Racial Discrimination”, “Recent Women’s Movements in Japan”, “Teaching Controversial Issues”, “Third World Feminism and Our Position of Enunciation: Fostering Understanding of Cross-cultural Feminism”, “Alternative Assessment”, “Postmodern Feminism and Japan”, “Bringing the Beijing Women’s Conference Issues Home”, “Engaged Pedagogy in the EFL Classroom”, “Issues of Empowerment in the ESL Classroom”, “Writing for Publication”
FIFTH WELL RETREAT
The Millennium: Voice for the Future
Feb 11-13, 2000
Workshops included “Teachers Effecting Change from the Margins”, “Use: Shaga-Camera”, “Museum Tour”, “Demystifying Your Motherboard” “Discussion Group”, “Assertive Training Workshop in Japanese for non-native Japanese Speakers”, “Lesson Plan Exchange”, “Introduction to Neurolinguistic Programming (NLP), “Ways that feminism limits our perspectives”, “Launching a Journal on Language Education and Feminist Studies”
SIXTH WELL RETREAT
Uniting Methodology and Spirit
January 26-28, 2001
Workshops included “Spirituality and Ecology for the New Millennium”, A Look at the Educational History of Women in Japan”, “Teaching Global Issues”, “Peer Collaborative Use of Literature, Poetry, and Song Lyrics in EFL”, “Yoga with Debbie”, “Special Event with Graciela Ovejero”, “Learning Through Metaphor”, “Post structuralism/postmodern Thoughts on Gender”, “Student Resistance or Teacher Ego”,
SEVENTH WELL RETREAT
Asian Connections and Engaged Pedagogies
January 25-27, 2002
Workshops included “Diverse Identities by various activists”, “Poetry Readings”, “Report of the 6th International Congress of AIDS and Asia and the Pacific”, “Writing and Publishing ESL Textbooks for the Japanese Market”, “Terror Stronger than WTC Attacks―a report from a Japanese who stayed in NY on 9/11”,
EIGHTH WELL RETREAT
A Moment of Peace
January 24-26, 2003
Workshops included Confessions of a Recovering Retiree Wannabee”, “New York after 9/11”, “The ‘Being A Broad’ Story”, “Art-Workshop in Palestinian Refugee Camp in Lebanon”,
NINTH WELL RETREAT
Our Origins and Influences
January 26-28, 2004
Workshops included “People not being silent―a year after 9.11 in NY”, “Managing your States”, “More than ‘Enough to get by’: Empowering your stay in Japan through Japanese Language Study”, “Making the most of your life in Japan”, “The Future of Homosexuals in Japan”, “So you’re Looking for a University Job? What is a university’s hiring process like? How can you spiff up your resume?” “ “The Use of Ethical Guidelines in Educational Research in Japan: a Collaborative Discussion” “Improvisational Drama Games”, “The Entertainment Industry and Female Trafficking into Japan”, “’Hibakusha’ Victims of Atomic Radiation”
TENTH WELL RETREAT
Empowering Communities
Feb 25-27, 2005
Workshops included “Off Our Chests: Pedagogical Frustrations, Support and Advice”, “Teaching Global Issues in College English Classrooms: Relevant videos and group activities”, “Report from Brazil―World Social Forum, 2005”, “I’ve got to do something! Expat Democrats in Tokyo Returning to the (US?)”, “Experiential Education: Turning Students into Global Citizens”, “English Listening Activities Using Tasks”, “Learning Nihongo: Give and Get Tips and Tricks to Help You Learn”, “The Women’s International War Crimes Tribunal on Japan’s Military Sexual Slavery, and it’s NHK Coverage” , “One Okinawan Woman’s Herstory”, “Introduction and Demonstration the Love Peace Club”, “Women Empowerment”, “Testimony of Domestic Violence Survival”, “Sensuality of the Soul”, “Women in Japan: Memories of the Past, Dreams for the Future”, “Life in Immigration Detention in Japan”, “Internal Refugees in Mindanao Under the Anti-Terrorist Campaign of the Philippine Government”, “Balancing the Paradoxes”
WELL Played Talent Show
TWELTH WELL RETREAT
Invest in Your Future: Treat Yourself WELL
Feb 17-19 2006
Workshops included “Womyn in Space: NASA astronauts”, “Save the earth while teaching conservation”, “Kids published classroom newspapers and magazines”, “Drama/Drama games in the classroom”, “Share and Share Alike-What works 4U will inspire me”, “Teachers get a life and unwind with Shiatsu”, “Traditional Native Healing Hair wraps”,
THIRTEENTH WELL RETREAT
Empowering Ourselves, Invigorating the Community
Feb 16-18, 2007
Workshops included “Sparking Rain: Lesbian Literature from Japan”, “Foreign Women’s Reactions to Japanese Language Interactions”, “Talk Circles”, “I can write my name: Women’s literacy education in Nepal”, “Learning to love What exists: An Introduction to the work of Byron Katie”, “Balancing Act: Mind, Spirit, Body in a Changing World”, “Journalistic Feature Writing: Bridge between Culture and Rhetoric”, “Talk Circles”, “Refresh and Revitalizes with Rhythm”, “Yoga and Pranayama”, “poetry/gender/war”, “The Role of Social Workers in Japan Today"
It started as WOMEN IN EDUCATION AND LANGUAGE LEARNING (WELL) NETWORK at Nagoya JALT, November 4, 1995, where 14 Japanese and foreign women language teachers gathered to discuss their concerns as women educators and brainstorm plans of action.
Original WELL members included:
Jackie Beebe, Dierdre Blackmore, Mary Ann Decker, Linda Donan, Cynthia Huff, Katharine Isbell, Yumiko Kiguchi, Keiko Kikuchi, Alice Klahl Lachman, Cheiron McMahill, Naoko Mori, Ethel Ogane, Kathy Riley, Jill Ann Robbins, Julie Nelson Uga, Eiko Ujitani, Miyuki Usuki, Roberta Welch, and Amy Yamashiro.
The FIRST WELL RETREAT was held on February 26-28, 1996.
The eight workshops at the first WELL Retreat covered AIDS, sexual harassment, lesson planning for feminist classes, teaching women’s studies and literature. Women came from as far as Kyushu with all stops in-between.
The name was later changed to Women Educators and Language Learners, and then in 2018 to Women Educating, Learning, and Leading.
WELL Retreats 1997 to 2007 (For 2008 and later, use the pull down menu).
SECOND WELL RETREAT
January 10-12, 1997
Workshops included sessions on “Gender-Neutrality in Buddhist Language”, “Fighting Sex Discrimination at the Institutional Level”, “Fighting Homophobia in Texts: A Successful Case”, “Warrior Marks”, “Korean Women and Their Families”, “Women and Aging: Lessons from translating Betty Friedan’s The Fountain of Age and Barbara McDonald’sLook me in the Eye”, “Women and Health Care: Some Ideas on Teaching the Issues”, “slide show of Michigan Womyn’s Music Festival” “Women Word Explorer―discovering linguistic sexism in English and Japanese”, “Creating the Classroom we want”, “Studying Feminism and the Environment”
Dance party
THIRD WELL RETREAT
January 23-25 1998
Workshops included “Basic financial planning strategies”, “Women learning about themselves: teaching gender studies to university women”, “Dealing with Gender Sensitive issues when they arise in the classroom”, “Don’t hold my hand, Mommy: empowering female learners”, “Book browsing in a multicultural bookstore”, “Games and activities to heighten gender awareness”, “Self Defense: Body and Mind”, “MOVIE: The Company of Strangers” , “Movement and Relaxation to end your day” “Stretch and Bend…exercises to start your day”, “English Imperialism and Us”
FOURTH WELL RETREAT
Self Expression, Learning & Fun (Self)
Feb 6-8, 1999
Workshops included “Move with Maluvi”, “Fighting Racial Discrimination”, “Recent Women’s Movements in Japan”, “Teaching Controversial Issues”, “Third World Feminism and Our Position of Enunciation: Fostering Understanding of Cross-cultural Feminism”, “Alternative Assessment”, “Postmodern Feminism and Japan”, “Bringing the Beijing Women’s Conference Issues Home”, “Engaged Pedagogy in the EFL Classroom”, “Issues of Empowerment in the ESL Classroom”, “Writing for Publication”
FIFTH WELL RETREAT
The Millennium: Voice for the Future
Feb 11-13, 2000
Workshops included “Teachers Effecting Change from the Margins”, “Use: Shaga-Camera”, “Museum Tour”, “Demystifying Your Motherboard” “Discussion Group”, “Assertive Training Workshop in Japanese for non-native Japanese Speakers”, “Lesson Plan Exchange”, “Introduction to Neurolinguistic Programming (NLP), “Ways that feminism limits our perspectives”, “Launching a Journal on Language Education and Feminist Studies”
SIXTH WELL RETREAT
Uniting Methodology and Spirit
January 26-28, 2001
Workshops included “Spirituality and Ecology for the New Millennium”, A Look at the Educational History of Women in Japan”, “Teaching Global Issues”, “Peer Collaborative Use of Literature, Poetry, and Song Lyrics in EFL”, “Yoga with Debbie”, “Special Event with Graciela Ovejero”, “Learning Through Metaphor”, “Post structuralism/postmodern Thoughts on Gender”, “Student Resistance or Teacher Ego”,
SEVENTH WELL RETREAT
Asian Connections and Engaged Pedagogies
January 25-27, 2002
Workshops included “Diverse Identities by various activists”, “Poetry Readings”, “Report of the 6th International Congress of AIDS and Asia and the Pacific”, “Writing and Publishing ESL Textbooks for the Japanese Market”, “Terror Stronger than WTC Attacks―a report from a Japanese who stayed in NY on 9/11”,
EIGHTH WELL RETREAT
A Moment of Peace
January 24-26, 2003
Workshops included Confessions of a Recovering Retiree Wannabee”, “New York after 9/11”, “The ‘Being A Broad’ Story”, “Art-Workshop in Palestinian Refugee Camp in Lebanon”,
NINTH WELL RETREAT
Our Origins and Influences
January 26-28, 2004
Workshops included “People not being silent―a year after 9.11 in NY”, “Managing your States”, “More than ‘Enough to get by’: Empowering your stay in Japan through Japanese Language Study”, “Making the most of your life in Japan”, “The Future of Homosexuals in Japan”, “So you’re Looking for a University Job? What is a university’s hiring process like? How can you spiff up your resume?” “ “The Use of Ethical Guidelines in Educational Research in Japan: a Collaborative Discussion” “Improvisational Drama Games”, “The Entertainment Industry and Female Trafficking into Japan”, “’Hibakusha’ Victims of Atomic Radiation”
TENTH WELL RETREAT
Empowering Communities
Feb 25-27, 2005
Workshops included “Off Our Chests: Pedagogical Frustrations, Support and Advice”, “Teaching Global Issues in College English Classrooms: Relevant videos and group activities”, “Report from Brazil―World Social Forum, 2005”, “I’ve got to do something! Expat Democrats in Tokyo Returning to the (US?)”, “Experiential Education: Turning Students into Global Citizens”, “English Listening Activities Using Tasks”, “Learning Nihongo: Give and Get Tips and Tricks to Help You Learn”, “The Women’s International War Crimes Tribunal on Japan’s Military Sexual Slavery, and it’s NHK Coverage” , “One Okinawan Woman’s Herstory”, “Introduction and Demonstration the Love Peace Club”, “Women Empowerment”, “Testimony of Domestic Violence Survival”, “Sensuality of the Soul”, “Women in Japan: Memories of the Past, Dreams for the Future”, “Life in Immigration Detention in Japan”, “Internal Refugees in Mindanao Under the Anti-Terrorist Campaign of the Philippine Government”, “Balancing the Paradoxes”
WELL Played Talent Show
TWELTH WELL RETREAT
Invest in Your Future: Treat Yourself WELL
Feb 17-19 2006
Workshops included “Womyn in Space: NASA astronauts”, “Save the earth while teaching conservation”, “Kids published classroom newspapers and magazines”, “Drama/Drama games in the classroom”, “Share and Share Alike-What works 4U will inspire me”, “Teachers get a life and unwind with Shiatsu”, “Traditional Native Healing Hair wraps”,
THIRTEENTH WELL RETREAT
Empowering Ourselves, Invigorating the Community
Feb 16-18, 2007
Workshops included “Sparking Rain: Lesbian Literature from Japan”, “Foreign Women’s Reactions to Japanese Language Interactions”, “Talk Circles”, “I can write my name: Women’s literacy education in Nepal”, “Learning to love What exists: An Introduction to the work of Byron Katie”, “Balancing Act: Mind, Spirit, Body in a Changing World”, “Journalistic Feature Writing: Bridge between Culture and Rhetoric”, “Talk Circles”, “Refresh and Revitalizes with Rhythm”, “Yoga and Pranayama”, “poetry/gender/war”, “The Role of Social Workers in Japan Today"