Hall of Fame: Tom Snyder

The Association of Educational Publishers

AEP Hall of Fame
Tom Snyder

Tom Snyder
Founder
Tom Snyder Productions
2004

A creative and energetic teacher, Tom Snyder began using a computer in his classroom twenty years ago to help him do what he loved to do most: teach. Known for his creativity and energy at the Shady Hill School in Cambridge, MA, Tom began designing computer programs in the 1970s to enhance the collaborative learning environment in his 4th to 8th grade classes.

In 1980, after eight years of teaching, Tom united his passion for teaching with his vision for education to establish Tom Snyder Productions. From these beginnings, Tom Snyder Productions has been committed to creating innovative software products and professional development services to inspire great teaching and improve student learning.

As founder and former chairman and head designer, Tom designed numerous award-winning software products including TimeLiner; Fizz & Martina's Math Adventures; Geography Search; and Decisions, Decisions, a 1997 winner of the prestigious Codie Award for excellence in technology. He was also the co-creator and executive producer of the TV hits Dr. Katz: Professional Therapist and Squigglevision [formerly Science Court].

Based on the best-selling CD-ROM series Science Court, Squigglevision aired on ABC-TV's Saturday Morning line up and combined humor with hands-on experiments to teach kids fundamental science, math, and language arts concepts. Squigglevision was a Parents' Choice Gold Award recipient in 1998; the CD-ROM classroom version was a 1997 Codie Award Finalist.

Dr. Katz: Professional Therapist was the first animated series to appear on the Comedy Central network and is winner of the coveted Peabody, Emmy, Cable Ace, and Nova Awards. Tom was also awarded a Children's Special Emmy in 1998 for animating an HBO children's special entitled The Tale of the Watch.

Retired from his position as Chairman in 2001, Tom now freelances for the company and pursues his love of music through composing.

Tom graduated from Swarthmore College with a degree in French Literature and earned his Ed.M. from the Lesley Graduate School of Education. In addition to being a best-selling author, Tom is a composer, rock musician, husband and father, and of course, always a teacher.