Founders
Tanja McCandie has been involved in education for over 20 years, either as an English teacher, working as a publishing rep, and/or teacher training. She’s taught in Canada, England and Japan. She’s working with Cambridge University Press and MEXT as a teacher trainer while also teaching classes at the university level. Her research interests include leadership, gender, and teacher development. When not working she can be found with her family, supporting animal shelters, traveling and/or enjoying a drink or two.
Paul Arenson is a a sometimes singer, songwriter, teacher and political activist, born in NY & living in Japan since 1979. He has a personal website and a political one. He also designs websites. Critical pedagogy is one of his interests. He and his partner offer medical support to rough sleepers. After the nuclear disaster in 2011, they both gave up their regular jobs and moved to Kyushu.
Team Members
Gretchen Clark is currently an assistant professor of English at Kyoto Notre Dame University. Her research interests include ELT pedagogy, NeuroELT, and how social justice and critical thinking operate within language teaching.
Jennie Roloff Rothman has been teaching in Japan for 16 years. She is Principal Lecturer of Professional Development: Teacher Development in the English Language Institute at Kanda University of International Studies. Her research interests include Teacher Professional Development, Faculty Development (ファカルティデベロップメント), global issues in language education, critical thinking in language education, reflective practice, and writing centers. She is also extremely passionate about removing barriers to entry into the academic community for those lacking research funding or access to professional support as well as those who may feel underrepresented in the Japanese ELT community. When she’s not at work, she is most often found in either Hamasta (Yokohama Stadium) or ZOZO Marine Stadium supporting her Yokohama DeNA Baystars or Chiba Lotte Marines.
Eleanor Smith is an assistant professor at Aichi University, with research interests in effective classroom practices for developing awareness in social justice issues and critical thinking, intercultural communication, and gender issues. In her free time, you can find her on her yoga mat, somewhere out in nature with her partner, or under the kotatsu making vain attempts to complete Netflix.
We’d also like to say a special thank you to Ryan Lege who designed the new logo for us. As an organization without funds we really appreciate his time and skills.
See also: Addressing the Imbalance