Teaching drums
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Zach, that's fantastic news to hear! Always kinda knew you'd get established somewhere, with both your playing ability as well as the theoretical knowledge you already evidently have. Even if it's for 4 hrs on one day, if you do well, it will most likely increase as you establish a reputation.
Most likely for those ages (and being at a school), you'd only be giving half hour lessons. Find out if they are individual or lessons in pairs.....as some schools are more likely to push that. Having done lessons in pairs, let me tell you, it doesn't make it easy any day! Especially with two kids wanting to play on a full set as opposed to playing on practice pads. When you do do get them to that stage, get sound-offs, your ears will thank you after a number of weeks of hearing lil' tykes go CRASH CRASH BANG BANG BANG. A lot of the time, if they have pieces they might do for school band/orchestra or whatever, a lot of the time you're going to have to get them through simple rudimental pieces....stuff that could be based on simple quarters, 1/8ths, notes and rests, right up to paradiddles, five stroke rolls flams and drags etc for the most senior ones. And most likely there will be percussion involved......one school I taught at as a substitute for a semester I had to work on one kid's reading and grip for timpani whilst another two were doing xylophone and glockenspiel parts, so if you wondered why you learned melody in your music course....well, now you know why, lol. Another thing: find out how the parents are paying the fees, whether to the school and the school pays you, or you get directly paid by the parents. And keep records of it, don't try to remember sums of money being paid. Find out if the school issues a receipt or you do. Are the fees a big upfront sum at the beginning of the semester or can they pay by the month....is there flexibility in the fee payments?
Other tips? Make sure your backpack or bag always these in it: pencils, sharpener...the usual stationery (I've a small drawstring bag that I used to put sunnies in for this), notepad of manuscript paper (you'll go through a lot over time), an audible metronome as well as your usual sticks, pad etc. And a small clock, such as a travel alarm clock, so that you can keep an eye on the time and not lose track as to when the next lesson commences. Yes, I know that's nagging (lol), but nothing's worse than being a young student and seeing your own drum teacher being unprepared....that does not leave a good impression. And of course the recommended drum method books that the main drum teacher uses....pick his brain as much as you can. As for anything else? Well, this will be an opportunity on how well you can give information and instruction in a clear and simple manner to young students. More importantly, you'll see how sometimes you have to instill a little sense of discipline...but that will really depend on the age and attention span of the individual child. Some are really good and some are, let's face it, brats. Don't let the bratty ones phase you. (dunno whether it's just me or not, but I definitely put the fear of God into them with one look and a having a voice like a drill sergeant if they ever step outta line....my "Oi!"-s are loud enough to be heard across a schoolyard for sure) The best thing about being the drum teacher in any music department is that most kids will see you as the coolest teacher out of the whole lot. Still, it doesn't necessarily mean that you turn up with a Cannibal Corpse T-shirt and ripped Chucks, you can dress casual and comfortable, doesn't mean you have to be "square" in your appearance, but observe the minimum dress rules (the schools don't mind me when I turn up wearing my bandanna and earrings, and I wear basic black a lot of the time, but some band shirts I can wear, others I might not be able to get away with at all). The reason being is that kids, being the observant young sparks that they are, will be hugely influenced by the way you carry yourself. Here's a little side-note: the few weeks after teaching both in schools and privately, I had noticed an increase in the number of Converse Chuck Taylor wearers amongst students, hehe. That can only be a good thing.
Above all, have fun and be "filled with the spirit of drumming" when you're explaining stuff.....keep yourself enthusiastic about what you do and that will pass itself on onto your students. I'm sure you'll have no problem with that though!
For more drum teaching tips, visit DrumTips.com
Originally Posted by ludwiglifer
That's pretty impressive.
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