Scratch Tips, Tricks, and Advice: From Educators to You

Happy World Teachers’ Day! Educators are at the heart of everything we do here at Scratch, and we’re so excited to celebrate the many amazing ways you bring Scratch and ScratchJr to life for millions of young people around the world. Over the years, we’ve loved seeing the unique, exciting strategies educators use to explore Scratch in their classrooms, clubs, and beyond. Today, we’re sharing some of those strategies, tips, and tricks with you! Read on to get inspired and discover new ways to spark a love of creative coding for your students.

Be the Guide on the Side, Not the Sage on the Stage

Throughout the years, we’ve heard one foolproof mantra from educators around the world: the best way to get students engaged with Scratch is to let them guide their own learning. For educators familiar with the 4 Ps of Creative Learning, this won’t come as a surprise! When you give Scratch learners freedom to explore, they can embrace their passions, learn from and assist their peers, and strive to achieve project-based goals like adding a scoreboard or a scrolling background to their projects, leading to more fun and less frustration. Learn more from some superstar educators:

My advice to a new Scratch teacher, whether experienced or inexperienced with programming, would be to let your students run … Introduce it to students and then sit back and marvel at the amazing things they make.
John Alesch — Computer Science Teacher, Plano, IL

Definitely let your students explore and get creative with it! Scratch is a great way for them to explore their own interests. If they’re getting frustrated with coding something, then that can actually be good because it shows that they care!
Mashfiq Ahmed — Educator, Brooklyn, NY

Give learners the freedom to explore … Learners who are able to spend sufficient time exploring and creating with Scratch build confidence in their ability to be innovators and creators and not just consumers of technology.
Patrick Njoroge — Co-Founder, EduTab Africa, Kenya

Embrace the Unknown & Learn Together!

For educators who are new to creative coding, the idea of teaching coding concepts to young children can feel daunting. Many educators have experienced this worry — and rather than trying to become programming experts overnight, they’ve learned to embrace it! Modeling learning from failure, taking risks, and embracing learning at any age can make for incredible lessons for your young learners. Hear what educators have to say about learning alongside your students:

Play and learn along with your students. Don’t be afraid to let them find their own novel problems to solve, even though you may not have the answer for them right away. Have fun making examples for them and let those examples show your own interests and quirks. This models for them how coding can be a creative act and lets them feel free to express themselves in their projects.
Aaron Reuland — K-5 Library Media Educator, Norwood, MA

I suggest that everyone learns Scratch by just exploring — you can’t break it! From the beginning of the year, I try to create a classroom culture in which we’re all learning from each other. The first lesson we do is a Scratch Scavenger Hunt and, without a doubt, students find a block or way to use a block I haven’t seen before.
Michelle Lombardi — Educator, Pittsburgh, PA

Learn with [students] and have lots of fun. Always seek help from other educators: Scratch has a great educator community who are enthusiastic and ready to help.
Dr. Nadia Al-Aboody — Educator & Growth Leader, CoderDojo & Code Club, Iraq

Make Cultural & Cross-Curricular Connections

When educators first encounter Scratch, it can be tempting to categorize it as purely a tool for Computer Science. But seasoned Scratch educators know that one of the most exciting ways to engage students in Scratch is to think beyond Computer Science — Scratch can be a tool for everything from self-expression and embracing your identity to creating interactive movement-based games to explore in gym class! The only limit to Scratch’s application is your imagination. Learn how some educators approach the versatile uses of Scratch’s platform and community:

In this interconnected world, fostering cultural understanding is paramount. By infusing coding projects with local cultural elements, educators can spark an innovative wave of engagement. From coding interactive narratives around age-old folktales to animating scenes from cultural festivals, students will not just code; they’ll create digital legacies that resonate with their roots.
Maxwell Kamau — Programs Associate / STEM Trainer / Facilitator, STEM Impact Center, Nairobi, Kenya

Think outside the box! Scratch is perfect for creatively connecting different art styles, types of media, and transdisciplinary topics. The Scratch website offers opportunities for community-based learning experiences while encouraging students to dive into their individual projects.
Benedikt Hochwartner — Curator of Creative Learning, mumok, Vienna, Austria

Perhaps my favorite thing about teaching with Scratch is the way that it is a programming language as well as an online community. Students learn how to program not only from experimenting with blocks and viewing tutorials, but also from checking out others’ projects on the Scratch website and receiving feedback from their peers. Students who want to learn about other countries can travel the world via Scratch.
Kathleen Fugle — STEAM Specialist, Fairfax County, VA

Discover Scratch Resources & Dive In

Now that you’re inspired to lead a classroom that lets students lead the way, discover their passions and interests, and explore across the curriculum with Scratch, you may be wondering: how do I get started? These educators shared helpful, practical tips for seeking out resources and starting your Scratch journey:

We recommend checking out the Scratch tutorial, starter projects, and activity guides, which have tons of fun and easy projects. The Scratch community is a helpful place to ask any Scratch-related question.
Harita & Sharada Suresh — Co-Founders, Little Apple Academy, Jersey City, NJ

Refer to the Scratch Community Guidelines as you get started. The guidelines are an authentic, real-life example of good digital citizenship! Invite students to join you in reviewing the guidelines — what they mean and what they look like in practice. Show examples of student-created projects that adhere to these guidelines. Refer to Scratch when addressing questions of digital citizenship in class.
Kathleen Fugle — STEAM Specialist, Fairfax County, VA

Once again, happy World Teachers’ Day to our global educator community! Your innovative ideas help our community thrive, and we can’t wait to hear more about the incredible work you’re doing to support young people in classrooms and clubs worldwide in the years to come.

P.S. Want to show the world that you’re proud to be a Scratch educator? Tote your school supplies in style with our new Scratch Educator tote bag (also available as a cozy hoodie!).