I think Scratch is the perfect software application to start introducing students to programming skills in elementary school, and you’re right, we need to both ask and empower students to take the lead in innovating with technology tools.

Bob Sprankle’s podcast on using Scratch at his Maine elementary school provides great suggestions for how teachers can use scratch to encourage students to be independent and navigational in their learning, rather than teacher dependent. I’d love to see more schools embrace Scratch as a part of the curriculum, to encourage creativity, innovation, and programming saavy at early ages.