Every program season, I try to incorporate STEAM into my after-school program season, from Codebreakers to STEAM Storytime. I had previously done a coding program for tweens during the pandemic and I decided to give it another shot this year. This Fall, I started a Scratch coding program and so far, it has been quite successful! In this post, I will highlight the format of the program, as well as some resources I have used to teach coding with Scratch at my library.
Tag: Scratch
Code for Parents

Why code I’m Mexican-American and grew up with very traditional, hard-working parents who constantly reminded me of the importance of creating a stable future for my family and myself. As an ALSC Special Populations Committee member, my job is to make sure programming remains inclusive—reaching all children and informing all parents, including the Spanish-speaking. In order for Spanish-speaking parents to support and encourage their child to learn to code, they must first understand the importance of code in today’s world. That is why it is critical to provide approachable Spanish-language resources and craft a clear message. In the advertising world, they say a good ad communicates one benefit of the product. As copywriter Luke Sullivan puts it, Jeep = rugged, Porsche = fast, “and Volvos, they’re…what? If you said ‘safe,’ you’ve given the same answer I’ve received from literally every other person I’ve ever asked. Ever.” What can we say…