Empowering parents at a time when, technologically, we can do more than ever before.
EMPOWERING EVERYONE TO BECOME: "A LITTLE LIKE EINSTEIN"
OUR STORY
Recently, a friend and fellow parent saw our 2.5 year old son in action discussing the rudiments of particle physics and chemistry, and she was "Floored". She implored us to make a video showing our method and a few weeks later our video was featured, on the Huffington Post's Black Voices Page, atop their Chemistry Page and their Physics page, followed by over a dozen news websites across the country.
For about a week, our son's story was posted alongside Theoretical Physicist, Dr. Steven Hawking. This is when we knew we were on to something special. But, we couldn't have anticipated what was next.
In 3 weeks, we now have more than a quarter Million views, and requests from all around the world asking us to "please share our method". These requests came from parents, teachers, researchers and the genuinely curious. We feel there is a ready made audience for this book, which combines the tried and true, with the "very new." But, we need your help, the Kickstarter Community in finalizing and publishing "A little Like Einstein: Rebirth of the Polymath.
EARLY SUPPORT
We received a wonderful letter from Dr. Derrick Pitts, The Chief Astronomer and Planetarium Director at the Franklin Institute of Science Museum.
"Hello Romanieo;
I was deeply impressed by what you've accomplished with your son. It brilliantly illustrates what we can do for children if we try. I would love to see the effect your method has on a larger group of children. What Tyson meant about children being born as scientists is that all children are born wildly curious about everything in the world. Some of us manage to hold on to our curiosity despite the issues we face in the current mainstream educational system. Some train and focus their deep curiosity into a disciplined tool than can be used to see and define order in the seeming chaos of the universe. These are the people we call scientists today. Benjamin Franklin never lost his curiosity. Neither did Newton, the Curies, G.W.Carver, Feynman, Einstein, Rees, or Hawking. If we can educate more children without extinguishing the flames of curiosity AND ability (as you've demonstrated so elegantly), we can raise children with much greater scientific literacy."
-- Derrick H. Pitts, Sc.D. Chief Astronomer
Among the other many accolades we received was a Thumbs up from NASA on their Facebook Page, and emails from Astrophysicist Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson and an Associate Professor of Music Perception and Cognition.
Office of Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson, Hayden Planetarium, New York
THE BOOK AND THE METHOD: TEAMMS
As avid readers and lovers of literature, our goal is to produce a beautiful high quality book that has the look and feel of something to treasure, while addressing the need to convey complex ideas in easy to understand language, complete with diagrams and models. We have been asked by several parents and grandparents how can they start immediately working with their toddlers using our method that we call TEAMMS. This acronym stands for:
and incorporates the best of STEM and expands upon it by adding the critical components of the Arts and Music. This is why we need your help to get this book written and published by August. This time frame will give parents some companion teaching tools as they prepare their children for preschool/school.
WHAT WE NEED
We have already developed outlines for the chapters of the book and the workshops that we are also planning (Polymath Mobile University - see ROBESON Reward) will help make our method even more accessible to those that will buy the book. We need to raise $50,000 to finish writing the book, (editing, graphics, duplication, packaging and marketing) and ensure we can deliver promised rewards to all our backers. Kickstarter is an all or nothing fundraiser. If we do not reach our $50,000 goal, you keep your money.
WHO WE ARE
Our small company, the Robeson Group, is named after Paul Robeson one of the more unsung polymaths (scholar and athlete - valedictorian and football star who graduated early from Rutgers University, lawyer, singer - performed in hundreds of operas around the world, actor - appeared in over 20 films, linguist - 15+ languages, and political activist) whose life was devoted to bettering society in many profound ways. We hope to make this project a true tribute to Robeson and his commitment to excellence by sharing his many gifts with the world.
Robeson and Einstein were great friends and colleagues and it seemed only fitting that the universe would align in such a way that our professional lives would intersect with our personal lives in such a meaningful way.
We could not have designed a better story line to our life up until this point.
Romanieo N. Golphin, Sr. is a composer, linguist, multimedia artist and consultant with global experience (Mexico, South Africa, Russia, and China) who has worked in many capacities in the television and film industry, as well as in the arts and sciences. A native of Brooklyn, NY he has taken his teaching method TEAMMS to another level, by demonstrating its effectiveness with his 2.5 year old son.
Cheri L. Philip, PhD is a personality psychologist and author turned full-time mother. Her research has broadly focused on identity and its role in forming attitudes towards others, and she has worked both nationally and internationally (South Africa and India). Having studied at Howard University in Washington, DC, and the University of Michigan, she is happy to return to her hometown to be able to engage in and embrace this new social entrepreneurial role with Kickstarter as the vehicle.
We would love to hear from you
If you or someone you know is interested in working with us in some capacity please contact us at rng@robesongroup.org
We look forward to connecting with you!
Rebirthing the Polymath is not only about the children who are indeed the future, but it is also about ourselves - the parents, grandparents, extended family and friends - we are all part of the rebirth: are you ready to be reborn? We hope so. Join us in this movement so that we can all become: A Little Like Einstein.
Special thanks to Dr. Derrick Pitts for his wonderful and thoughtful endorsement, and to Andy Shallal, Owner of Busboys and Poets in Washington, DC for being forever forward-thinking.
For more information about us and the work that we do, please visit robesongroup.org
FAQ
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Our work will take place between late March through late August, 2012 and will allow us the ability to spend the necessary time carefully documenting and detailing some of our best practices using technology to teach a toddler. We also will spend considerable time describing our parenting philosophy and stressing the factors that we believe were most effective in allowing our son to grasp so many high level concepts at such a young age. While there are genetic factors that do play a role in general intelligence, we strongly believe that all children are capable of learning at this level if the right combination of love, support, nurture as well as a firm grasp of technology can make learning incredibly fun. Our son wakes us up every morning excited, asking to play with his "subatomic particles" and describes his bites of food as "Helium" (2 beans on a spoon of soup) or "Beryllium" (4 beans on a spoon of soup). Thus, he already demonstrates (with great joy we might add) that he can apply his knowledge across domains, something that most parents would highly doubt is possible at 2 and a half years of age. This is the kind of enthusiasm for learning that is present in every child, and it is our job as parents and caregivers to provide as many opportunities to encourage and cultivate our children into the incredibly curious scientists that they are.
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Due to the early response to our video, along with the book, we plan to conduct workshops for parents/primary caregivers in the Washington DC area. We would like to have 10 "caregiver" pairs who are interested in learning more about our methods to participate in an series of workshops where we will spell out our methods using experiential exercises and technology demos with the assistance of Apple iPads (gifts to our participants from our Robeson level backers - see our Rewards section).
We are also planning on holding some social events in the DC area to build support for the movement and start to connect with interested others in the area. Stay tuned for a listing of locations/venues we will be in the next few weeks!
Since we have already outlined the chapters for the book, we will devote a good amount of our time writing and doing the necessary research (when we're not busy sending out rewards and thank-yous to our backers and especially when our son is napping and/or spending afternoons with grandma and grandpa). Your support will also allow us the appropriate time to develop a quality product that can hopefully be used in parenting classes, training for early childcare providers, etc. The possibilities are endless.
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Make a pledge on Kickstarter today! Any amount is much appreciated. Check out our backer rewards to decide whether you would like to pledge as an individual or get your company/organization or social/civic group to make a combined pledge. Be our Social Campaign ALLE Ambassadors! Help us spread the word by sending the link of our Kickstarter campaign to parents-to-be, family, friends, colleagues, and your social networks. Use your Social Media Savvy! We would greatly appreciate tweets, wall posts and "likes" on personal Facebook pages, websites and blogs. Please consider telling others about the ALLE project adding your personal endorsement - especially those who work and/or are concerned about education issues and the future for our children.
84
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Funding Unsuccessful This project reached the deadline without achieving its funding goal on March 7, 2012.
Funding period
Feb 10, 2012 -
Mar 7, 2012
- 2 created · 1 backed
- Has not connected Facebook
- Website: RobesonGroup.org
Pledge $5 or more
11 backers
File with designer A Little Like Einstein (ALLE) wallpaper for iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch, Android, 15, 17 and 27 inch monitors
Estimated delivery: Apr 2012Pledge $10 or more
6 backers
A shout out on our website on our funders wall. + ALLE Wallpaper.
Estimated delivery: Apr 2012Pledge $25 or more
18 backers
E-Book - A Little Like Einstein: Rebirth of the Polymath. + A shout out on our website on our funders wall. + ALLE Wallpaper.
Estimated delivery: Aug 2012Pledge $35 or more
4 backers
Graphic, designer T-Shirt with campaign logo with title: A Little Like Einstein: Rebirth of the Polymath. + A shout out on our website on our funders wall. + ALLE Wallpaper.
Estimated delivery: Jun 2012Pledge $35 or more
0 backers
Graphic, designer T-Shirt with campaign logo: E=MC2 our energy, we the masses, our light. + A shout out on our website on our funders wall. + ALLE Wallpaper.
Estimated delivery: Jun 2012Pledge $55 or more
12 backers
E-Book - A Little Like Einstein: Rebirth of the Polymath. + Graphic, designer T-Shirt with campaign logo with title: A Little Like Einstein: Rebirth of the Polymath. + A shout out on our website on our funders wall. + ALLE Wallpaper.
Estimated delivery: Aug 2012Pledge $75 or more
3 backers
Mailed paperback copy and ALLE E-Book - A Little Like Einstein: Rebirth of the Polymath. + Graphic, designer T-Shirt with campaign logo: A Little Like Einstein: Rebirth of the Polymath. + A shout out on our website on our funders wall. + ALLE Wallpaper.
Estimated delivery: Aug 2012Pledge $95 or more
9 backers
EINSTEIN: Mailed hard cover copy of A Little Like Einstein: Rebirth of the Polymath. Your name will appear in the list of funders in the acknowledgments section of the book! + ALLE E-Book + Graphic, designer T-Shirt with campaign logo: A Little Like Einstein: Rebirth of the Polymath. + A shout out on our website on our funders wall. + ALLE Wallpaper.
Estimated delivery: Aug 2012Pledge $100 or more
3 backers
CURIE - Graphic, designer Maternity tee with with caption: "alle" (acronym for A Little Like Einstein) second line: rebirth of the polymath. +White Organic Onesie (size 6 mos) with "alle" caption: "alle" + An ALLE E-Book + A shout out on our website on our funders wall. + ALLE Wallpaper.
Estimated delivery: Aug 2012Pledge $500 or more
0 backers Limited (100 of 100 left)
"Paul Robeson Series" Museum Styled Box Mount of Polymath Series Featuring Silhouette of Paul Robeson. A work of art for the home, academic setting or office. A 30 x 36 museum quality box mount of the original art-work "A Little Like Einstein: Rebirth of the Polymath" featuring one of the venerable polymaths, Paul Robeson. A forever reminder of the potential in all of us. Constructed from custom wood museum boxes with black formica edges, complete with series number.
Estimated delivery: Apr 2012Pledge $500 or more
0 backers Limited (20 of 20 left)
Museum Styled Box Mount of Polymath Series Featuring Silhouette of Albert Einstein. A work of art for the home, academic setting or office. A 30 x 36 museum quality box mount of the original art-work "A Little Like Einstein: Rebirth of the Polymath." A forever reminder of the potential in all of us. Constructed from custom wood museum boxes with black formica edges, complete with series number.
Estimated delivery: Apr 2012Pledge $1,500 or more
0 backers Limited (30 of 30 left)
We feel the success of our book / campaign is in our ability to ReBirth other great minds regardless of their socioeconomic background. At this price point you will help fund our A Little Like Einstein Mobile University Pilot Program. Get your name engraved on a 32 GB iPad as a person / organization that backed our pilot program (similar to having a university wing named after you). The screened participants will agree to make a two minute video thanking you or your company when the program launches and a 3 month follow up video of the same length.
Estimated delivery: Sep 2012Pledge $5,000 or more
0 backers Limited (20 of 20 left)
Formal VIP reception at Observatory with astronomers for private night viewing of the most interesting astronomical events in our Solar System. Pledge amount admits 5 guests. Additionally, receive all rewards below: iPad with your name or company's name engraved in dedication to the project. Robeson or Einstein Polymath Museum Box Mount. Preview of Book T-Shirt Artwork Acknowledgment on website
Estimated delivery: Sep 2012
