S-Cubed Now Also Available at JW Pepper!

My journey with S-Cubed Sight Singing Program began in 2009. 

My husband's job took us to Switzerland, and for one year, I didn't teach school.  

So, I started writing my sight singing "book".

My friend Dave and my sister, Teresa, both of whom are classically trained musicians, proofed my daily chapters.   They were so helpful and encouraging...

I remember some friends of ours saying..."What are you doing with your time?"

"I'm writing a book", I answered.

"About what?"

"Sight Singing."

They were horrified and asked us never to asked them to read that book.

We haven't talked to them in a while...  :-)

We need friends who support us, right?

The bottom line was that the S-Cubed System didn't translate to a "book".  

I knew it.  They knew it.  But alas, I proceeded.

I went ahead and submitted my transcripts to folks in the major music education publishing houses.  

It was a different time.  In my mind, music publishing houses were required in order to gain traction for your music program or for your work in music education.

I got some return emails, but it was super slow.  Alas, after about 2 years of waiting, I got a few rejections in 2012.

That same year, my husband, Joe, read an article in a business magazine about a teacher who had made a million dollars on Teachers Pay Teachers (TpT) with her lesson plans.

He said, "I think this might be your platform."

I answered, "My market is super small, but I'll give it a look."

So, during the summer of 2013, I sat down to see what TpT was all about.  

It was filled with adorable, attractive lesson plans for K-2.  

Not my forte...

But I kept looking at it, and I figured out that I could actually offer my program and succeed or fail based on its value to the consumers.  

I decided to build the program for my home state of Georgia to help choral music teachers in my state succeed at their Large Group Performance Evaluation in sight singing. 

So, in August 2013, I set up my I-phone in the corner of my room every single day for a full school year, and I came home and downloaded my videos to YouTube while creating the power points...which I was awful at doing...but I went forth knowing that my heart was in the right place.  I let the belief that my work and passion could be of value to other teachers guide me toward completion rather than becoming paralyzed by my fears and leaving me unable to take action.  

It's the same thing I preach to my students, so I followed my own advice.

I am so grateful for the TpT platform.  It has truly changed my life and helped me fulfill the life-long dream of sharing my ideas with teachers in real classrooms around the globe.

TpT is a newer platform for those of us who've taught for a hot minute.

I get emails often that read:

"My district doesn't allow us to purchase from TpT.  Do you sell it anywhere else?"

I answer, "Yes!  We offer it on Music Prodigy along with my supplemental homework assessment exercises.   It's the only place I offer those assessments."   

Too often, the reply is, "We don't approve that one either.  By the way....what is it?"

I reply about how amazing Music Prodigy is..... along with details based on my personal experience with my beginners in Atlanta area public schools, but it's hard to get people on board when they are required to follow district guidelines regarding purchasing.   Music Prodigy is a truly 21st century offering.  

Students sing into a device.

The notes turn green, yellow or red instantly to tell them how they've done.  It gives them a grade.

Doesn't matter..... district leaders (superintendents, principals, AP's....all of them) are notoriously slow with change.   In my experience, they are very busy following the protocol.  In my view, Music Prodigy and TpT should be vendors for every district in the USA and beyond...like 5 years ago.

..Too many teachers are missing out on incredible resources.  

But sort of like a cell phone that is too far from the tower, technology and the world of education often have a hard time connecting as quickly as they should.    I'm so grateful that teachers around the globe bypass that obstacle, but the truth is, they shouldn't have to do so.

Enter JW Pepper...

...the largest distributor of sheet music to educators in the country...for many, many years...like over 100.   Everyone who teaches music in the school setting knows them...including the 68-year-old accountant who approves your purchases.  

"That we can do" she says...."but district says no to TpT".

JW Pepper was "Amazon" for music teachers before Amazon was a thing.

So, when JW Pepper reached out to me and told me they were able to offer large digital resources like S-Cubed Sight Singing Program and that they would like me to take part with my program, I was beyond excited.  

...A little bitter they didn't answer that email 9 years ago, but I'll work through it with my therapist.  :-)

For me...a teacher who started teaching in the 1980's... JW Pepper is iconic.

But, I wanted to check with my TpT music colleagues...who are mostly in their 20's and 30's.  

My question was this:

"When you need music room resources, do you still go to JW Pepper?  I do, but I'm old.  Spill..."

They all said "YES!"

AWESOME!

So, I am ecstatic about JW Pepper asking me to offer my program on their website!  :-)

The truth is, I am honored.  JW Pepper is epic.  They've been around for over 100 years.  I've used them for my entire career and will continue to do so.   I am so happy they've continued to morph with the market the best way they can and include types of offerings that the younger generation of music teachers have grown to expect.  

"I purchase it.  I download it now.  No waiting.  No delivery costs." 

The younger generation of teachers who've grown up on Instagram and Snapchat....they are not going to wait to get the resource.  3 days is long.  :-)

And JW Pepper...a company that is over 100 years old... has met them where they are.

I am grateful for the opportunity to offer S-Cubed on JW Pepper!  It was truly one of my dreams from the beginning when I started writing the program in Lausanne, Switzerland in the fall of 2009.

I continue to be thankful that I've been able to share S-Cubed on TpT.    I will continue to offer discounts and special giveaways from that store.  They give me the flexibility to do that, and I am excited to get to continue to do so.    I am thankful for the forward-thinking company, Music Prodigy for believing in my work early on and for offering me a platform to share an enhancement of S-Cubed that offers an amazing individual assessment opportunity for my students and me that is still only available through Music Prodigy.   We've been working together for 4 years now.  It's another bit of proof that some things never change...Relationships matter.  

Please share the news that S-Cubed is now offered on this iconic website for music teachers.   

...JW Pepper...the Original Amazon for music teachers!