Hi! My name is Weronika. I live and work in Warsaw, Poland.
I work in IT and have a lot of experience working as a software developer.
A few years ago I got really interested in STEM education and teaching programming. These new interests have helped me establish a programming school for kids here in Warsaw.
Out of the many tools, programs and apps I’d tried out, one stood out and became my absolute favorite. I mean, of course – ScratchJr! It’s very simple, but very powerful and versatile at the same time. Plus, it’s free 😉
Why I love ScratchJr
SratchJr is a great first learning tool that introduces kids to the basics of computer programming. Although the number of coding blocks available is limited, you can start with basic sequencing and then move on to more complex designs and problem-solving projects.
For example, Messages in ScratchJr basically amount to event-driven programming and you can actually use them to introduce the concepts of functions and procedures!
Another great aspect of ScratchJr is how much it boosts creativity. Designing and drawing your own characters, recording sounds etc. – the app gives its young users pretty much unlimited opportunities to create stuff. I love watching my students come up with their own ideas for animations, and then implement them.
ScratchJr doubles as a perfect tool to aid you in teaching a variety of subjects. You can use its animation workshop while teaching reading or numbers, or to introduce some variety to your geography, science or art classes.
About this blog
I’d like to use this blog to share my ideas for programming projects and games that could be used by teachers – not only in programming classes.
Most of the ideas and resources are meant for parents as well, and are ready to be used at home for some coding-flavored fun.
You will find loads of free printable resources on this site. You are welcome to use and distribute them, but please remember to give credit to this site!
Contact
Questions or comments? Drop me a line at weronika@scratchjrfun.com
I wish you all happy coding!
Weronika