I never like to describe Scratch as a computer programming language, but it’s the easiest descriptor there is. The problem, of course, is that computer programming, turns adults and kids away equally as fast.

In this NY Times article, “Programming for Children, Minus Cryptic Syntax,” Mitch Resnick offers this perspective:

“We shouldn’t think of programming narrowly as a tool for a professional activity but as a means of expression,” he said.

“Our goal is not just for kids to grow up and get jobs as programmers. We feel that everyone should be able to express themselves with online media.”

And expression takes many creative forms, including stories, games, and multimedia. That’s the obvious stuff. But learning to express yourself with a computer programming language reinforces the skills needed to survive day-to-day, even for those art-driven and wordy-type people: logic, thoughtful analysis, and the thrill of building something cool.

I know that there are a fair number of people who are not interested in thoughtful analysis. Their work shows it.

Scratch brings together something that we often encounter in the business world. We start with a goal (an expression) that we must achieve in a given set of rules. And the rules can be anything from market conditions to industry or company policies to tools, such as Scratch.

So, when we tell our class, our workshop, or our kids to “tell me the story of your vacation to the beach using Scratch,” we’re providing a fun environment to develop problem solving skills. Oh, and they can work on their language skills, too.