It’s day four of the one-year anniversary celebration of Piano Pantry!
Thank you to everyone who entered Friday’s (day 3) giveaway. Congratulations to Kathy Beemer, winner of the 1-year subscription to Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street Magazine!
I’m only giving away items that I currently use and love. Unlike the rest of the days, because of the nature of the final ($75) surprise giveaway, entries will be open for three days and will close at 12:00 am on Friday, March 17. Curious? You’ll have to come back tomorrow for the final reveal!
Today’s sponsor is Eik Siang Mar, owner and creator of the Sproutbeat App. I first met Eik at MTNA 2016 and enjoyed getting to know her more at the Ohio MTA conference this past fall. If you know or see Eik at MTNA, please join me in thanking her for sponsoring today’s giveaway!
Day 4 | One-Year Subscription (Plus Plan) on Sproutbeat App ($90 Value)
This past year, I was looking for a new program to add to my “repertoire” of student lab-time activities that would be easily adaptable for all ages.
Sproutbeat had piqued my curiosity for a while, but I was hesitant as my old iPad (five years and two screen replacements later) was on its last leg.
I knew we would be upgrading soon, so I decided to go ahead and purchase the Sproutbeat App at the 2016 Ohio MTA conference. We upgraded to a 12″ iPad Pro a couple of months later, and it’s been a welcome addition – my students LOVE it.
We also purchased the Apple pencil, and while at first, we thought it was perhaps a little frivolous since it’s quite expensive (around $100), I can’t imagine students using the app without it—the pencil works marvelously. Do take note, though, that the Apple pencil only works with the Pro.
While Sproutbeat has several pricing levels for different needs; personally, the Studio level seemed to be the best choice for how I wanted to use it. I was looking for a product for students to use at the lesson, not necessarily at home on their iPads.
While the app does an excellent job of organizing the worksheet into various folders, such as intervals, scales, etc., it also allows you to organize your folders. I create folders full of worksheets for each festival level in which students are enrolled, plus I create folders for each student.
I copy their assigned worksheets into their folder. Students complete the worksheets during their lab time. I grade them, and at their next lesson, the student looks at the graded sheets from the previous week. I tell them to be sure and note what they missed, ask me if they don’t understand what they missed, and then delete the completed worksheet from their folder. This way is working well for me thus far.
In case you’re wondering how I keep track of what worksheets they’ve done using a format like this, each worksheet has a # and I simply jot the worksheet #’s I assigned for that lesson down on my lesson plan spreadsheet (#797, #458, #459, #460).
*12/2017 Update: Tracking their work became too tedious, so I decided that if I accidentally assigned them a worksheet they’ve done, oh well. Part of the reason I use this app is the benefit of doing multiple sheets for one concept without wasting paper, anyway!
Sproutbeat has become and I’m sure will continue to be a valued resource in my studio for years to come.
However, one of you today will win one year free. Good luck, and don’t forget to check back tomorrow for the final giveaway!
This 24-hour giveaway starts at 12:00 a.m. EST on 3/13/2017 and ends at 12:00 a.m. EST on 3/14/2017.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Chosen by Rafflecopter’s random generator, I would like to congratulate Elizabeth Poore (who has been notified via email) winner of today’s giveaway! Thanks to all who entered.
The free version of Sproutbeat is fun and very useful — so the full, paid version must be excellent. Good luck to all!
Hi Amy,
Thanks for sharing Sproutbeat. I have not used it before and it will be great addition for the lab time.
Oh my goodness – AWESOME giveaway!! 🙂 As far as technology I can’t live without in the studio, I’d have to go with a simple one: the camera on my iphone/ipad! I love how easy it is to snap a picture or video of my students so they can instantly see what I see (not to mention how easy it is to send short videos home to parents!). There are many technologies I enjoy, but that is definitely my most-used!
Thanks for the giveaway! 🙂
I had Sproutbeat before it was upgraded. Looks like it would be useful on so many levels. Thanks for all the helpful info in this post!
Very cool! I’ve heard of Sproutbeat, but never tried it. It looks awesome!
I definitely could not live without my iPad, so many games and teaching tools.
I have been toying around with the idea of purchasing Sproutbeat for awhile. What a resource! I don’t do labs but can see what a benefit in a private lesson.
I’d love to try Sproutbeat! Thanks for sharing your knowledge on this blog!
I would love to try out Sproutbeat! I haven’t really managed to work much technology into my teaching schedule so far. Need to upgrade to the iPad Pro! (That would certainly help!)
Hey, Melissa – you would LOVE the pro. I’m so glad we went with the 12″ too. When they first came out I thought “no way – too big” but Eik had the 12″ pro at her booth at the OMTA Conference and after using it once I knew it’s what I wanted. Since I don’t have a laptop, it’s perfect. I also got the Apple keyboard and it’s amazing. The price has come down too. Used to be $160 and I got it for under $100.
Would love to use in my studio!
Great give away! I’ve been looking at Sproutbeat. Thanks for the review! I too recently upgraded to an iPad pro and splurged on an apple pencil. I could not be happier! I don’t know how I would ever get along with out it now. My students love it just as much as I do!
Thanks for the Sproutbeat suggestion. I just tried the free version and it looks very useful. I have an iPad already, but I was interested to hear you found the Pro version to be useful.
This looks absolutely brilliant. I know my pupils would get so much from it.
What a really valuable giveaway prize! Thank you for doing this!
I love Sproutbeat! But I just have the standard version, I love to have the plus version. I never expected the iPad to become so useful in my piano lessons when I was given a hand-me-down iPad about 5 years ago, but now it is such an integral part of my teaching!
Wow! Thanks for opportunity to win this awesome prize! And thanks to Eik, too!
I would love to have this. I used it some when it was free. And have printed worksheets from their site. Would be nice to be able to do it all on Ipad.
I loved using these worksheets. I wild love to have a year subscription!
Well, my ipad mini died and I am saving up for the big one, so I shall add Sroutbeat to my list of Apps to consider when I can once again include Apps in my teaching life. I am operating with my old IPad, the one they made before they included cameras and such—Music Lab and The Most Addicting Sheep Game still work on it, though!
Sproutbeat is a great resource!
Awesome app. I would love to have the full version with updates.
I am a legacy SproutBeat purchaser and I recently upgraded to the Pro 9.7 and Apple Pencil. The Pencil definitely was worth it, to me! I love all three products and would like to upgrade my access to SproutBeats, as I realize there are more sheets out there to use with students. I just can’t decide what level to upgrade to. Trying out the next step up would be a good way to do research! 😉
I have used the free version, and I know I would love this! My ipad is my constant friend in my studio. I use piano maestro a lot.
SproutBeat is awesome. The kids love the colors and recycling their work. The Plus plan sounds great.
Going to try sproutbeat… I’m new to the system