The Alphas Have Landed
April 1, 2025
Step aside Gen Z. There’s a new kid in town: Generation Alpha, or Gen A for short. They’re a savvy bunch, and K-12 educators are scrambling to crack the code on how to keep them engaged and excited to learn.
Creating Spaces That Inspire Young Minds: Designing for Elementary Schools
March 5, 2025
Smith System believes a child’s education begins with the environment they learn in. Elementary classrooms should spark curiosity, nurture creativity, and support lifelong learning. That’s why Smith System designs adaptable, inspiring furniture to help educators create spaces that grow with their students. Thoughtful classroom design enhances focus, collaboration, and movement—key elements in supporting young learners’ development.
Smith System/Steelcase to Sponsor 2025 NexGen Rising Stars
January 15, 2025
Smith System and Steelcase Learning are the exclusive sponsors of EDmarket’s NexGen Rising Star Awards, which honor outstanding education professionals under 40 for their innovation and impact. The annual program includes mentoring, networking, and recognition through EDspaces, EDmarket’s platforms, and media coverage.
Support Teacher Wellness; Rejuvenate Your Teachers’ Lounge
September 30, 2024
Today’s K–12 teachers are burning out – and leaving the profession – faster than ever. What can schools do? Show more love for educators with a teachers’ lounge makeover that supports their mental health.
Granted, it may seem counterintuitive for schools to increase their investment in teachers’ downtime, but faculty and staff need a break room just as much as students need calm rooms and safe spaces—maybe even more. Here’s how good design and thoughtful furniture can transform your teacher lounge break room into a welcoming port in the storm.
Universal Design for Learning: How to create UDL classrooms that ‘bust the barriers’ for students
May 31, 2024
For many K–12 students, the path to learning is riddled with barriers, big and small. Universal Design for Learning is an inclusive approach that’s redefining those educational obstacles as valuable opportunities.
Beyond Tree Stumps & Stepping Stones: Tips for Building Better Outdoor Learning Spaces
May 2, 2024
The benefits of outdoor learning for K–12 students are well documented. How to furnish those spaces remains a footnote.
Smith System Announces Partnership with Landscape Forms
March 6, 2024
Smith System Collaborates with Landscape Forms to Launch ‘OpenSpaces’—Highly Durable Outdoor School Furniture for Enhanced Learning Experiences
Improving Classrooms for Neurodiverse Students and Different Learning Styles
December 6, 2023
In a world of unknowns, K–12 educators know this: There are infinite variations of the student brain, both neurotypical and neurodivergent. Given this learning landscape, how can schools ensure their classrooms are inclusively equipped for different learning styles?
How to Create a Dynamic Active Learning Environment with School Furniture
March 22, 2023
The active learning classroom is analogous to a chameleon. The physical set-up you see at 9 a.m. could look completely different within minutes – and not from chaos. The quick change-up is from teachers and students tailoring their surroundings to the active learning strategy at play.
The Power of Choice–Platinum & Clear Totes Now Available
March 6, 2023
Storage bins, boxes, totes or trays. No matter what they’re called, these compact classroom organization tools provide big solutions. So much so that decreasing visual clutter in learning spaces can actually increase learning outcomes.
Leaping into Latin America: Smith System Expands Furniture Footprint
February 16, 2023
Every day, on every continent, teachers and students are together on a learning journey. Smith System believes the opportunities to inspire both are endless, especially with innovative, insights-driven school furniture.
Furniture Overhaul Turns Special Ed Science Classroom into ‘Science Oasis’
February 6, 2023
You may not realize it, but school classroom furniture has a huge impact on how well the children in the room learn. Here’s everything you need to know