The 2022 KOTESOL International Conference features a special pre-conference plenary session intended to frame the conference and offer thought-provoking perspectives on the conference theme. On Friday, April 29, conference attendees can participate in a session by Anu Gupta, an educator (and former teacher in Korea), activist, scientist, lawyer, and founder of Be More with Anu, on the topic of breaking bias.
Special Pre-conference Plenary: Building A Better World by Breaking Bias: Thoughts for Educators
In this interactive talk, Anu will help participants discern the difference between conscious and unconscious bias, what we would save financially and socially by breaking bias, and the five PRISM tools we can use to break bias. Participants will understand the social and financial costs of unconscious bias in education, practice PRISM tools (BE MORE with Anu’s unique, mindfulness-based toolkit for breaking bias), and develop curiosity and a solutions orientation toward breaking bias.
Time: Friday (April 29) 7:30 p.m. KST (90 min., Synchronous)
Pre-conference Warm-up: The DEI Challenge
In the months leading up to the conference, Anu and Be More have invited everyone to participate in their DEI Challenge free of charge! This course comprises four brief "self-study" sessions lasting about fifteen minutes per day encouraging participants to think about diversity, equity, and inclusion in productive and meaningful ways. It's a great way to participate in the conversation and explore new perspectives in advance of the conference.
About the Presenter
Anu Gupta is a scientist, educator, lawyer, and the Founder of BE MORE with Anu, an ed-tech company that trains organizations in breaking bias to advance diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. He has logged over 10,000 hours of meditation and developed BE MORE’s science-backed, compassion-based approach after 15 years of research on the causes of and solutions to inequality. He has brought BE MORE's science-backed, compassion-based approach to over 300 organizations like the American Medical Organization, PBS, and FDNY reaching over 50,000 professionals - from corporate executives, doctors, and engineers to rabbis, Buddhist monks, and frontline activists - impacting over 25 million lives.
Anu is a sought-after expert in breaking bias, adult learning, and psychosocial well-being and he has spoken about this work on the TED stage, SXSW, The Oprah Conversation, among other venues. Prior to founding BE MORE, he worked as an attorney, a research scientist, and a middle school teacher in the United States, Europe, and Asia. Anu is a trained mindfulness and yoga teacher (500-hours) and his meditations can be found on the Insight Timer, Open, and the Ten Percent Happier meditation apps. He obtained his JD from NYU Law, an MPhil in Development from Cambridge, and a BA in International Relations & Islamic Studies from NYU. He’s also a graduate of the Mindful Yoga & Meditation Teacher Training program at Spirit Rock and sits on the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies and The Middle Project boards. Learn more: bemorewithanu.com and @bemorewithanu.
About BE MORE with Anu
BE MORE with Anu is an ed-tech company that trains organizations in breaking bias to build more diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplaces, save significant human capital costs, and enhance well-being and performance across teams. We define bias as a learned habit that distorts our decision-making, whether we are in the exam room, the classroom, or the boardroom.
Based on our fifteen years of research and development, we believe breaking bias is a requirement to sustainably advance equity and belonging in our workplaces and communities. We designed all of our breaking bias solutions based on iterative studies with focus groups of scientists, advocates, and senior leaders. We continuously enhance our solutions through ongoing research. Learn more about Our Research and Our Approach, or visit us at bemorewithanu.com and @bemorewithanu.
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