TaleTree

Mission: Create MAD (Make a difference) kids 

Vision: A world where children emerge as stewards of the planet armed with knowledge and creativity 

Core value: Knowledge is power and creativity is a superpower. 

Strategy: 

1. Cultivate creativity by posting challenges with no correct answers. Our Camp Captains facilitate weekly discussions where kids share their creations with friends, building self-confidence.
2. Host professionals like rocket scientists, musicians, movie makers, toy designers, etc., monthly to share their stories directly with the kids, igniting their curiosity and preparing them for the next challenges.
3. Build a community of like-minded individuals who share our vision and host their own challenges. Brands championing causes bolster their ESG efforts, while charities leverage young children to raise awareness for their missions. This collaboration drives positive impact for all involved.
4. Empower kids to drive a cause. MAD kids have a platform to support the causes they care about, providing early exposure to philanthropy.

Managing partner, Business Development & Partnerships 

Research new business opportunities and expansion. Identify and strategize the creation of partnerships with corporations and non-profit organizations. 

In our US team, the most active members are myself and the founder, Sumi. With over 20 years of software development experience each in the Silicon Valley, we bring a wealth of expertise to the table.

Sumi, our founder, holds an MBA from MIT Sloan School of Business and boasts two decades of experience in Silicon Valley. With a background in product management, partnerships, and business development at tech giants like Oracle, Adobe, and Samsung, as well as executive roles at growth-stage startups including Papaya Mobile, Fuse, and Kudos, Sumi brings invaluable leadership and strategic insight to our team.

As for myself, Yael, I am heading Business Development and Partnerships. I have served as the Product Manager, Technical Project Manager, QA Manager, and Software Engineer. With a diverse skill set and a passion for driving projects forward, I am fully dedicated to the success of our venture.

Despite being unpaid, both Sumi and I are fully committed to this project. We spend our days handling all the day-to-day activities and conducting extensive research to ensure our project's success. However, we recognize the need to delve even deeper into research to unlock further opportunities for growth and innovation.

A global online platform empowering children to effect change and enabling organizations to promote positive impact.

Despite the inherent creative potential of children, the current educational system fails to nurture and sustain their innovative capabilities. Research by George Land, commissioned by NASA, reveals a sharp decline in creative genius labels from childhood to adulthood, with only 2% retaining this level of creativity. Today's school curriculum, primarily focused on traditional subjects and standard assessment tests are influenced by political agendas, neglecting comprehensive learning opportunities. Moreover, the pervasive pressure of grades, competition, and comparison exacerbates mental health issues among children, with global reports indicating alarming rates of anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem, leading to suicide becoming the 4th leading cause of death for 15-29 year olds.

TaleTree fosters the creativity of kids aged 5-12 by bringing together parents, teachers, businesses and charities on our platform's Emerald Forest.  It is this collaborative effort that nurtures young imaginations to help them reach their full potential. 

TaleTree keeps children engaged with open ended Challenges and moderated Camps in TaleTree Village. Once a month, professionals with established backgrounds visit and tell their stories to ignite children’s curiosities and prepare them for the exciting challenges ahead. This list of experts include rocket scientists, movie makers, a child prodigy, dog trainers, authors, musicians, toy designers, and much much more. 

Our solution, TaleTree's Emerald Forest, is a metaverse dedicated to fostering social responsibility and inspiring children to lead purposeful lives.  

For companies and organizations TaleTree offers a platform to harness the potential of young children in raising awareness for their causes.  Brands championing causes can boster their ESG efforts.  It's a chance to instill in children the values of good citizenship. 

We have partnered with Dignified Children International, a non-profit organization in Kenya and are eager to expand and execute a global challenge in a global classroom. 

• According to a study published in the Creativity Research Journal, 85% of educators believe that standardized testing stifles creativity in schools.
• The National Endowment for the Arts reports that participation in arts education has declined significantly over the past two decades, with low-income and minority students disproportionately affected.
• A survey conducted by Adobe found that 78% of respondents believe creativity is crucial for economic growth, yet only 25% feel they are living up to their creative potential.
• Research from the World Economic Forum indicates that creativity will be one of the top three most important skills for workers by 2025, yet many educational systems prioritize standardized testing over creative development.

ROI Examples on Societal Benefits of Creativity: 

• The Wall Street Journal reported that a two-year in-house creativity course at General Electric resulted in a 60% increase in patentable concepts.
• Participants in Pittsburgh Plate Glass creativity training showed a 300% increase in viable ideas compared with those who elected not to take the course.
• At Sylvania, several thousand employees took a 40-hour course in creative problem-solving. ROI: $20 for every $1 spent.
• Hewlett-Packard invested over $2 billion in R&D in 1999 and generated more than 1,300 patent applications. Net revenue: $42.37 billion. (Source: HP 2000 Annual report)

Robbing children of creativity through linear education and standardized tests can have profound and far-reaching consequences on their developmental outcomes and society as a whole. Here's an extrapolation based on scientific and psychological data:

Stifled Innovation and Problem-Solving Skills: Creativity is the cornerstone of innovation and problem-solving. By prioritizing rote memorization and standardized testing over creative exploration, children are deprived of opportunities to develop critical thinking skills and innovative problem-solving abilities. This can lead to a workforce that lacks the creativity necessary to address complex challenges in fields such as technology, healthcare, and environmental sustainability.

Decreased Psychological Well-being: Creativity is closely linked to psychological well-being. Research suggests that engaging in creative activities can reduce stress, anxiety, and depression while promoting self-expression and a sense of purpose. When creativity is undervalued in education, children may experience decreased motivation, self-esteem issues, and a diminished sense of fulfillment.

Narrowed Career Opportunities: Industries increasingly value employees who can think outside the box, adapt to change, and generate original ideas. By emphasizing standardized testing and conformity, educational systems limit children's exposure to diverse creative outlets and discourage them from pursuing non-traditional career paths in the arts, entrepreneurship, or innovation-driven fields.

Cultural and Artistic Decline: Creativity is not only essential for technological advancement but also for cultural enrichment and artistic expression. When creativity is stifled in childhood, there's a risk of cultural stagnation and a decline in artistic innovation. This can have detrimental effects on cultural heritage, artistic diversity, and the overall quality of life within communities.

Our hypotheses: 

1. The current educational landscape is plagued by a misalignment of values, with success primarily measured by numerical rankings rather than fostering essential philosophies and virtues. Instead of focusing on the "why" of education, the emphasis remains disproportionately on the "what".
   

2. Education is heavily geared towards upskilling and achievement metrics, predominantly centered on standardized tests and rankings across various disciplines, including academics, sports, and the arts. This prevailing culture perpetuates a competitive environment, overshadowing the importance of collaboration and embracing diversity. (Note: Diversity extends beyond ethnic and cultural backgrounds, encompassing a wide array of personal traits and talents.)

3. Furthermore, there's a troubling surge in passive, consumption-driven digital services that detrimentally affect children's holistic well-being. This trend promotes instant gratification, diminishes physical activity, exacerbates social anxiety, nurtures materialistic tendencies, and exposes young minds to content tailored for adults, often surpassing their mental and emotional maturity levels. It's no surprise that such outcomes arise, considering the pervasive nature of Web 2.0 services. These platforms offer free-of-charge services while striving to keep users perpetually engaged, all the while harvesting personal data for targeted advertising. In this model, users themselves become the commodities

TaleTree has pioneered a transformative model aimed at addressing these pressing issues, facilitating global connectivity among children and fostering a sense of community and belonging. At the heart of our approach lies our unique blend of creativity and positivity. TaleTree harnesses each child's creative potential as a catalyst for learning, self-discovery, and purposeful living.

The traditional education system, along with standardized assessments and curriculum, has failed to enhance creativity. With the rapid advancement of AI, there's a looming risk of exacerbating this issue, underscoring the urgency for proactive measures to safeguard the creativity of future generations.

How has George Land's study on creativity 1968 held up? He has maintained that only 2% of adults carry their creative genius. How do you measure creativity improvements to creativity? 

Is there a creativity crisis? 

What constitutes an effective incentive for encouraging positive citizenship behavior in children? 

1. A strategy for the rewards that need to be maintained 

2. An update on how creativity. How has the internet (ie creator economy) impacted George Land's study 

3. A paper on creativity crisis 

The critique of forced academia centers around its emphasis on the end result or grades, which ultimately undermines intrinsic motivation and the cultivation of lifelong learning. The analogy of the stick figure versus the perfect portrait encapsulates this issue, illustrating how forced academia prioritizes outcomes over the process of learning and skill development, thus stifling creativity and the importance of the process.

Forced academia, as described, has shaped individuals to be self-serving and competitive, often at the expense of collaboration and community building. The focus on grades and end results fosters a mentality where individuals prioritize personal success over collective well-being.

To counter this paradigm, the Taletree method proposes a shift towards service-driven purpose and community engagement, emphasizing the continuous maintenance and application of skills and talents in real-world contexts. This approach fosters kindness by instilling a sense of accountability and responsibility towards others.

Kindness, without accountability, risks being perceived as passive or ineffective. Therefore, the Taletree method integrates both kindness and accountability as core principles, rejecting the notion that holding others to their word is unkind. It distinguishes itself from what is described as "snowflakey Californian kindness," which lacks the backbone of accountability.

Taletree positions itself as a digital platform akin to Cub Scouts, where participants engage in challenges and earn badges. However, unlike traditional scouts, education or certification systems, earning badges is just the beginning. Participants are encouraged to continually breathe life into these badges by applying their skills and values to purpose-driven endeavors.

What sets Taletree apart as a step change in education is its reliance on a combination of values, beliefs, AI, and blockchain technology to evaluate participants' progress objectively. This approach minimizes human bias and intervention, ensuring that a child's advancement is determined by their efforts and growth, rather than subjective judgment.

Moreover, Taletree acknowledges the stifling of creativity within forced academia. The traditional view tends to pigeonhole creativity into specific subject areas such as art, drama, and music, overlooking the fact that creativity is a mindset applicable to any problem or situation. Taletree asserts that all humans are inherently creative geniuses, not mere repositories of knowledge. Creativity extends beyond traditional artistic endeavors; it's about how we approach and tackle challenges in any domain of life.

By integrating this perspective, Taletree seeks to redefine education as a dynamic, purpose-driven journey where individuals are empowered to cultivate skills, contribute to their communities, and lead fulfilling lives.

The impact of TaleTree’s methodology is a global metaverse built on a belief system that advocates for unity, harmony, and the empowerment of the next generation. The core principles of "one love, one world, one race, one kid" drive the essence of TaleTree, fostering an inclusive and compassionate environment for all young individuals. Here's how TaleTree achieves this:

1. Inclusivity and Unity

TaleTree embraces diversity and inclusivity, bringing kids from all backgrounds, cultures, and nations together on a single platform. By promoting the belief in "one love, one world, one race, one kid," TaleTree breaks down barriers and encourages global harmony.

2. Empowerment and Expression:

In TaleTree, every child is provided with a stage to shine and showcase their unique talents, skills, and creativity. The metaverse offers a safe and supportive space where kids can express themselves freely, fostering self-confidence and empowerment.

3. Positive Impact and Global Citizenship:

TaleTree goes beyond traditional metaverses by instilling values of compassion, kindness, and social responsibility in its young users. Through challenges and missions focused on creating a positive impact, kids learn the importance of contributing to a better world and becoming global citizens.

4. Non-Materialistic Evaluation:

TaleTree measures a country's "health" and ability to teach the world not merely based on economic factors but also on broader indicators such as happiness, contentment, and the overall well-being of its citizens, including children.

5. Global Learning and Exchange:

TaleTree fosters cross-cultural understanding and knowledge exchange. Kids from different countries can interact, learn from one another, and gain insights into diverse perspectives, breaking down stereotypes and promoting mutual respect.

6. Celebrating Differences:

The metaverse celebrates the uniqueness of each child and encourages acceptance and understanding of differences. Kids learn to appreciate diverse cultures, traditions, and backgrounds, fostering a sense of belonging and unity.

7. Building Bridges:

TaleTree acts as a bridge that connects young minds across the globe, fostering friendships and collaborations that transcend geographical boundaries. This interconnectedness helps to dissolve barriers and build a shared vision of a harmonious world.

8. Happiness Index and Well-being:

In addition to traditional metrics, TaleTree incorporates a happiness index and well-being assessment to evaluate a country's success in nurturing its young generation. This holistic approach values emotional, mental, and social well-being alongside economic growth.

Conclusion:

TaleTree is not just a metaverse; it is a transformative platform that aspires to shape a brighter and more interconnected future for the next generation. By promoting "one love, one world, one race, one kid," TaleTree unites young minds, celebrates diversity, and empowers children to positively impact the world around them. Through its belief system and commitment to fostering global unity and well-being, TaleTree shines as a beacon of hope and inspiration for humanity's future.