Group teaching..Help!

[Mommydrummer]

Hi
I am new and I have a problem. I have recently begun teaching group drum classes in the housing projects. This is my first attempt at group teaching and I am finding it very difficult. The kids who come are all different ages, and it may be different kids everytime. There may be from 2 to 25 kids there. They can become very loud and its hard to get anything accomplished. I have homemade bucket drums and some not so good drums and tambourines etc I take. I have been trying to get some basic reading in them the 1st half then pass out the sticks and drums the 2nd. Sometimes we put together a makeshift drumset, which one will play while the others try to keep time...any ideas you have would be appreciated. Feel like tearing my hair out in there somedays...

[Bish]

First of all, welcome to Drum Chat.

It sounds like you have quite the project going and should be commended for your efforts.

I guess I would step back and look at the big picture.

Is everyone having a good time? Is it keeping their attention instead of cruising the streets looking for trouble? You probably have no idea how much good you are really doing since you can't really track it.

Keep at it. You are going to make good impressions and be a positive influence on people...sadly you may never know just who or how much, either.

Maybe some day one of those kids grows up, becomes accomplished and you might have a knock at your door one day and someone may be standing there ready to thank you.

[pastor_bob]

Welcome to Drum Chat Mommydrummer!

A situation like that can turn into a babysitting gig pretty quickly when you're facing 25 kids. With the higher numbers, you'll probably have to break them up into smaller groups, and you'll need to give them activities where you can float quickly, from group to group, as you oversee the activities. Those days will have to be less informational, and more about building the muscle memory.

I will say, for the record, that I don't teach drums, but I have taught children in larger groups before, so I am drawing from that experience.

[kyle102565]

i applaud your efforts, seems you may have to start a schedule and break it up into smaller groups on different days depending on your time. 25 kids with drums equals chaos.
your efforts may save a kids life, keep him or her out of a gang, jail, drugs etc.
dont stop, if you help just one child and open their eyes youve succeeded.
i take my 5 yr old daughter to AWANAS (kids church group) they get out of control in the beginning, the pastor uses the 5 second rule, he counts out very loudly "ONE, TWO, THREE!!" the kids always stop at three, ive never heard "FOUR!!"

[Russ]

Welcome to drumchat mommydrummer! I agree with kyle in that you should take on less, personally I wouldn't go above 8 to 10 on any given day. Any more would just drive me bonkers. Start each of them on one drum(preferrably a snare) and some lesson books, but if not just read out of one and show them the strokes.

[Mommydrummer]

Thank you! Those are good ideas and very encouraging!

[slinglander]

Maybe group drumming could be part of your lessons. Or "tribal" drumming where everybody plays to set rhythm, spinning off patterns that fit. I'd start without sticks, adding mallets later. One at a time remove a young student from the line up until maybe only the oldest are playing, then add the younger ones back in to fill out the sound. They'll be dancing in no time!

[Russ]

You could always host a drum circle like this guy:

[Mommydrummer]

I did try that tribal thing 1st. I got that Kalani book and vid and another drumcircle book. That was really the way I wanted to do it, and still want to. Found that most of them could not keep time no matter what I did so thats how I ended up showing them basic reading. Hopefully it will morph into something like that. Like the idea of oldest to youngest SL.