'faq's and help
What is the aim of the beatbank?
To make it possible for all teachers to deliver engaging and exciting music sessions, with minimum investment in time.
How does the beatbank work?
Videos are stored online. Any school can access those videos allowing teachers to use them as resources for class sessions.
How do I gain access to the videos?
Simply register for the beatbank and choose the full subscription or the free trial
How are the videos organised?
You access the videos from the beatbank search page. It is very simply laid out. If you click GO you can see a long list of all the videos you have access to. You can also search by instrument or age group. It is organised to be as simple to use as possible.
Should I follow the guidlines on age group closely?
The guidlines on age are meant only as a very rough guide. If your children have done very little music then the age groups specified are fairly likely to be about right. If you try something and find it is too easy then try something a bit further on. Similarly if it is too hard, then find something easier. You are the best judge as you know your children best. Avoid at all costs setting up expectations of what they SHOULD be able to do because of their age. All groups are different.
Can I use this if I have very little experience of teaching music?
It is designed so that teachers with little experience can find a level they can work with. The videos are very explicit in the early stages, and broken down into bite-size chunks, so that the teacher can just be a lesson ahead of the pupils and can learn with them. It then becomes a source of ongoing professional development (at remarkably low cost!).
How about teachers with more experience?
Those with more experience can be much more selective. You won't need all the incremental steps. Select what works for you and leave the rest alone. In your profile page there is the 'my favourites' section which you can add material to and save. This is to enable you to skim through the material quickly and design a programme for the term or the year. You can then save this and use it as you need to on an ongoing basis.
Is the material complete or will you be adding to it?
The material at September 2011 (the launch of the beatbank) was mostly quite basic, for obvious first-things-first reasons. As time passes we will be adding much more sophisticated material. If teachers ask us for a certain kind of material we will try to deliver as long as it fits with our overall style.
As the material builds will the cost rise and rise?
Our aim is to keep the cost low for each school ongoingly and supply many schools across the country. (If you like what we are doing and can recommend it to colleagues in other schools that will help us immensely.)
