Collaboration… Kids Discover Blog Post: Effectively Communicating with Families 19 Sep 2025 I don’t know about you, but I wasn’t too far into my first year teaching before I found myself thinking, “Why didn’t anyone teach us this in college?” I’m talking about how…
Classroom Management… Kids Discover Blog Post: Preparation is Relaxation: Calming Your Nerves Before the School Year Starts 31 Aug 202531 Aug 2025 Back-to-school anxiety isn’t just for students. Teachers, new and experienced, feel it, too. Those creeping worries, the flurry of “what ifs,” and that last-minute scramble the day before school starts……
Educator Reflection… Kids Discover Blog Post: The End Of The School Year Should Be Bittersweet 23 Jul 202523 Jul 2025 As I sit by the lake – sun shining bright, laughter all around, and the beautiful expanse of water stretched out before me – I find myself thinking about the…
Being an Example… Kids Discover Blog Post: Why Restorative Practices Should Be Your Classroom Foundation 4 Jun 2025 At the end of the school year, the last thing educators might want to do is reflect - ESPECIALLY on classroom management. However, this might actually be the best time…
Curriculum… Kids Discover Blog Post: Why Every Unit Needs a Culminating Event! 26 Feb 2025 I've always felt that educational units of study fall flat when they don't have some sort of culminating event - a project, a field trip, an experience that provides students…
Classroom Management… Kids Discover Blog Post: Executive Functioning 101 24 Dec 2024 I recently had the opportunity and privilege to interview Peg Dawson, renowned executive functioning expert, about how educators can help their students with their EF skills. HERE is the blog…
Curriculum… Kids Discover Blog Post: Breaking news – every subject is trending! 2 Nov 20242 Nov 2024 Having trouble engaging your students? If you said "No," what planet do you teach on? Because here on planet Earth every teacher has difficulty engaging their students at least once…
Being an Example… Kids Discover Blog Post: “Grit Busters: What’s Sabotaging Your Students’ Toughness?” 5 Sep 2024 Many educators and parents have expressed to me their concerns about the growing lack of grit they see in the youth of our schools. Usually when multiple people perceive there…
Planning Instruction… Kids Discover Blog Post: SCHOOL’S IN FOR SUMMER! 26 Jun 20245 Sep 2024 Not every student and teacher have the summer off! If you are in charge of a summer school class, OR you are a parent hoping to maintain learning at home,…
Conservation… Kids Discover Blog Post: Place-Based education 15 May 202415 May 2024 Who doesn't love a great field trip? But field trips can be much more than just fun journeys that connect with topics students are learning about. They can be "place-based"…
Thom R. Smith 