We source, vet, and manage hiring so you can meet qualified candidates in days, not months. Strong English, U.S. time zone overlap, and compliant hiring built in.
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Scratch is a visual, block-based programming language created by MIT Media Lab. It's designed for ages 8-16 and beyond, allowing students to create interactive stories, games, animations, and simulations without typing code. Scratch is used by 80+ million creators worldwide and powers educational programs globally.
Scratch is written in JavaScript (frontend) and runs on web browsers, making it accessible. The community is massive: GitHub shows 600,000+ Scratch projects shared publicly (via Scratch.mit.edu). The Scratch Foundation provides curriculum support, educator training, and a thriving ecosystem of extensions and tools.
Scratch is not traditional "programming language" work. Scratch developers typically focus on: building extensions (adding new block types), creating educational content and curricula, designing new features for the platform, and building tools that integrate with Scratch. The work is a blend of education, design, and technical implementation.
Scratch is critically important in computer science education. Students learning Scratch develop computational thinking, problem-solving, and creativity. Many high schools now use Scratch as an entry point before moving to text-based languages (Python, JavaScript).
You should hire a Scratch developer when: Building educational platforms or tools that integrate with Scratch, creating Scratch extensions for specific domains (art, science, music), designing curricula, conducting research on learning outcomes, or developing accessibility features for programming education.
Common use cases: Creating domain-specific Scratch extensions (science education, music creation, robotics), building platforms that connect Scratch to hardware (Arduino, LEGO), designing coding curricula for schools, researching how students learn programming, and building tools for teachers to manage Scratch projects.
When Scratch is not the right fit: Building production software systems. Traditional backend/frontend work. Business logic or performance-critical applications. Scratch is educational by design; its scope is learning and creative expression, not production systems.
Team composition: Scratch developers typically work with: educators and curriculum designers, UX/UI designers (visual design is critical), backend engineers (if building server-side integrations), researchers (in educational institutions), and community managers (Scratch has an engaged community).
Seniority guidance: Scratch development attracts educators, designers, and creative technologists alongside traditional engineers. Seniority varies: junior developers can build extensions; senior developers architect new platform features or lead curriculum design.
Must-have skills: Deep understanding of Scratch's architecture and design philosophy, JavaScript expertise (Scratch frontend is JavaScript/React-based), experience building or extending Scratch blocks, understanding of block-based programming paradigms, and ideally some background in education or learning design.
Junior (1-2 years): Can build simple Scratch extensions, understand the block model, write JavaScript for the Scratch ecosystem, and follow existing patterns. May need guidance on pedagogy or complex extension design.
Mid-level (3-5 years): Can design and implement Scratch extensions, understand how blocks compose into larger programs, think about the learning experience (not just the code), and integrate Scratch with other tools or platforms. May have teaching experience or curriculum development background.
Senior (5+ years): Expert understanding of visual programming pedagogy, can design new Scratch features or significant extensions, understand accessibility and learning design deeply, mentor educators and developers, and may have contributions to the Scratch platform itself or widely-adopted extensions.
Nice-to-haves: Experience building educational software beyond Scratch, understanding of accessibility in learning tools, graphic design or UX skills (visual programming is fundamentally about visual design), teaching experience, familiarity with constructionist learning theory, and community engagement (Scratch is powered by an engaged global community).
Red flags: Views Scratch as "just for kids" without respecting its pedagogical sophistication. Cannot explain visual programming design decisions. No awareness of accessibility or inclusive design. No enthusiasm for education or learning outcomes. Purely technical approach without understanding learning impact.
1. Tell me about a Scratch extension or project you've built and how students/users responded to it. Listen for consideration of the user experience, understanding of how learners think, and measurement of impact. Good answers show iteration based on feedback.
2. Describe a time you designed or taught coding concepts. How did you approach making it accessible to beginners? Tests pedagogical thinking. Strong answer shows empathy for learners, breaking down complexity, and avoiding jargon. Many Scratch developers have education backgrounds.
3. You need to design a Scratch extension for [domain, e.g., music creation, robotics, data visualization]. How would you start? Good answer covers: user research (who are the learners?), blocks design (what affordances are needed?), testing with actual learners, and iteration. This tests both design and educational thinking.
4. How would you explain computational thinking to a teacher who's skeptical about teaching code? Tests communication and pedagogical philosophy. Strong answer shows why Scratch matters for problem-solving and creativity, not just "learning to code."
5. Describe the Scratch community and how you've engaged with it. What did you learn? Good answer shows respect for the community, awareness of how Scratch is used globally, and openness to learning from diverse educators and creators.
1. Explain how Scratch blocks work. Write a simple block definition that takes a parameter and produces output. Evaluate: understanding of the block protocol, correct syntax, and clarity. Strong answer explains how Scratch distinguishes between command, reporter, and conditional blocks.
2. You're building a Scratch extension for accessing sensor data (e.g., from an Arduino). What are the key design considerations? Good answer covers: asynchronous data fetching, error handling, block design for non-technical users, and testing with hardware. This is a common real-world Scratch extension.
3. Scratch is moving to a new code base architecture. How would you help educators understand the migration? Tests thinking beyond code. Strong answer covers: documentation, workshops, gradual transition, and community communication. Scratch is powered by educators; they matter as much as code.
4. Design a set of Scratch blocks for teaching data visualization. What would each block do? Evaluate: pedagogical thinking (what concepts are you trying to teach?), block design clarity, and consideration of learner misconceptions. Show examples of what projects a student could build.
5. How would you measure the effectiveness of a Scratch extension in helping students learn a concept? Tests research and educational thinking. Good answer covers: learner engagement, project quality, student feedback, and learning outcome measurement. Not just technical metrics.
Challenge: Design and build a Scratch extension that adds 3-5 new blocks for a specific domain (science, music, art, robotics). Extension must: (1) follow Scratch block design patterns, (2) be usable by beginners, (3) include clear help text, (4) work reliably, (5) include a simple demo project. Candidate should explain design decisions, especially how the blocks teach concepts.
Scoring rubric: Technical correctness of extension (30%), block design clarity and pedagogy (25%), documentation and help text (20%), demo project quality (15%), explanation of design choices (10%). Time limit: 120 minutes.
Scratch development bridges education, design, and engineering. Salary reflects the blend of skills and the specific role (extension developer, platform engineer, curriculum designer, etc.).
Latin America (2026 annual salary):
United States (for comparison): Seniors command $85,000-$130,000, Leads $110,000-$160,000.
What's typically included: Payroll processing, taxes, benefits (health insurance, retirement contributions), equipment provisioning, and ongoing HR support. Direct hiring requires you to manage these separately.
Regional variation: Brazil has a large and engaged Scratch education community. Argentina has strong educators using Scratch. Rates are consistent across regions due to the education-first mission and relative standardization.
Latin America is a major global center for Scratch education and use. Brazil, in particular, has millions of Scratch learners and hundreds of thousands of educators using Scratch in schools. The Scratch Foundation has strong partnerships with LatAm education ministries and NGOs.
Time zone advantage: Most Scratch developers and educators in our network are UTC-3 to UTC-5, giving you 6-8 hours of real-time overlap with US East Coast teams and 3-5 hours with West Coast. Community engagement and educator collaboration happen synchronously.
The LatAm Scratch community: Brazil hosts major Scratch education conferences and meetups. Argentina and Colombia have growing Scratch educator communities. The LatAm Scratch movement is focused on equity and accessibility, bringing computational thinking to underserved students. This mission attracts deeply engaged developers and educators.
Cost efficiency: A mid-level Scratch developer from Brazil or Argentina costs 35-50% less than a US equivalent. Senior developers with education expertise command premium value for the impact they deliver.
Cultural and communication fit: LatAm Scratch developers are mission-driven, passionate about education, and community-oriented. English proficiency among educators and developers is 70%+ at mid-level and above. The mindset is collaborative, creative, and focused on student impact.
1. Share your Scratch and education technology requirements: Tell us about your project (extension development, educational platform, curriculum, research), target learners, domain focus, and team structure. We assess whether you need a traditional software engineer, an educator-technologist, or a combination.
2. We match you with pre-vetted developers and educators: South maintains relationships with Scratch developers, educators, and educational technologists across Latin America. We vet on technical skills, pedagogical thinking, and community engagement. You'll see their background, prior Scratch projects, and education experience within 48 hours.
3. You interview and decide: You conduct interviews focusing on both technical skills and educational philosophy. We'll suggest good questions for your project. By day 5, you've typically hired or moved on.
4. Onboarding and production: South manages compliance, equipment setup, and ongoing HR support. You get direct access to your hire from day one. If the developer isn't a fit after 30 days, we replace them at no additional cost.
Why South for Scratch specifically: Scratch is unique because it requires both technical skill and educational philosophy. Our vetting includes assessment of pedagogical thinking, community engagement, and understanding of how Scratch promotes learning. We don't just evaluate code; we evaluate impact on students.
Scratch teaches computational thinking and programming to beginners of all ages. Use it to create educational platforms, teach coding in schools, build domain-specific learning tools, or create tools that help teachers integrate programming into their curriculum. Scratch is used globally in millions of classrooms.
Yes, Scratch is one of the most effective tools for teaching programming to beginners. It removes syntax barriers, emphasizes problem-solving and creativity, and produces engaging projects that motivate continued learning. Many students progress from Scratch to text-based languages (Python, JavaScript) with strong foundations.
No, Scratch is designed for learning and creative expression, not production systems. For serious applications, students graduate to languages like Python or JavaScript. Scratch is a stepping stone, not a destination for professional development.
Mid-level: $38-55K/year. Senior: $60-82K/year. Leads: $85-120K/year. Rates vary by role (extension developer vs. curriculum designer vs. platform engineer).
Typically 5-10 days from initial conversation to offer. We pre-vet our network, so you're interviewing qualified candidates with both technical and pedagogical skills.
Building extensions or creating educational content: mid-level. Designing significant platform features or leading curriculum: senior. When in doubt, hire experienced developers with education background; they understand pedagogy alongside code.
Yes. South matches developers for contract, part-time, and full-time roles. Part-time arrangements (20-30 hours/week) are common for curriculum development, extension building, or mentoring educators.
Most are UTC-3 (Argentina, Brazil southern regions) to UTC-5 (Colombia, Peru, Ecuador). This gives 6-8 hours overlap with US East Coast and 3-5 hours with West Coast. Many are educators with flexible schedules.
We assess technical skills (JavaScript, Scratch architecture, extension design), pedagogical thinking (understanding of learning and student engagement), and community involvement (contribution to Scratch ecosystem). We review prior Scratch projects and ask about their experience in education. Every developer goes through this process before matching.
You're covered by our 30-day replacement guarantee. If the hire isn't working out, we replace them at no additional cost. Fit is particularly important for Scratch work since mission and pedagogy matter alongside code.
Yes. South manages all HR, payroll, taxes, benefits, and compliance. You work directly with your developer; we handle the back-office.
Yes. We match teams: extension developers, curriculum designers, educators, and platform engineers. We're experienced in building cohesive education technology teams across roles.
