Let's Go Scratch

Yesterday Will Richardson wrote about a new program called "Scratch." The program allows epople to do some scripting and it's pretty cool. Well I was excited about the program when I read about it on Will's blog. So last night I showed my friend's eleven year old son, Michael.

When I first saw the program I struggled with it for a few minutes, realized that I had other things to be doing and so decided to come back later. Michael, on the other hand, saw the program and wasted no time. He seemed to know what to do by instinct. As I watched him figure out the program I realized "Digital Native." I really wish that I had been taping him. Because it was truly an enlightening moment for me. Michael and I just approach technology in different ways. He knows what to do by instinct. I have to figure out what to do.

Ok, so at one point Michael did not know how to do something, so he wanted to look at help. I gave him my phone (a modem) so he could get online. But he was too busy to use it. He said, I'll get online and find out the information when I need it. I have no idea what time Michael got online because I took a nap. But I do know that later when I woke up he was playing pool. (No, you really do have to stop thinking like an immigrant. Not on the pool table, but on the computer.) I realized what a great activity for learning about angles.

When I was a kid I used to sit in front of the television set. Michael still does sit in front of the TV but that's not enough for him. He's also got to be thinking. It sure is interesting to watch him think.