I have been teaching drum lessons for the past several years at the Raleigh, NC location of Progressive Music Center (also known as Progressive Percussion Drum Studios). Although you can get a great in-depth look at all of the programs we offer by simply going to the Progressive Music Center web site, I will (since you are here) give you my thoughts and approaches as it pertains to teaching.

To begin with, I strongly feel that music is something that can be enjoyed by anyone and everyone - regardless of age, physical handicap, etc. Music is - and should - be exciting! The job of any music teacher is to keep lessons both productive and exciting! This requires so much more than just a knowledge of the information contained in the books. A good instructor knows that each and every student is completely different and unique from the one that came before and the one that will follow. Consequently, I keep a running record of each student for each lesson, starting on the day of their first lesson, up to the present day. I know everything that I have covered with each student, how they responded to each aspect of the lesson, any conversations I may have had with either them or their parents, what motivates them, what turns them “off”, etc. The reason for this rather intense record-keeping simple: every student responds and learns at a different rate; each are motivated by different conditions and situations; and each have certain personality characteristics and pre-conceptions about what their music lessons should accomplish for them. Obviously, it would be impossible to keep all of that information stored in your head. If any of you reading this are school teachers, I don’t need to tell you the value of documentation. It is really the only accurate means you have of keeping up with the progress of each of your students on a continuing basis.

On teaching young kids: Children today have so many more avenues available for entertaining themselves than I did when I was their age. It is also an age of “instant gratification” whereas if something is not instantly satisfying, kids can conveniently (though not always in their best interest to do so) move on to something else. It is so important to keep in mind that kids usually express an initial desire to play a musical instrument because they perceive it to be “fun”. As an instructor, I have to constantly and successfully balance the fact that they are here both to learn new concepts and techniques (which are admittedly sometimes difficult) as well as to have fun. We have all heard horror stories of instructors who were so demanding of their students that the “fun” part hardly ever materialized. Consequently, there are many adults today who cannot - or do not -experience the simple joy that playing a musical instrument can provide, because of negative experiences which occurred while they were younger.

Finally, I don’t like the idea of having parents of my younger students sending in “testimonials” or short quotes describing how they feel about the job I am doing with their child. To get the “real” unsolicited report, stop by our Raleigh location and see for yourself. Ask for one of the instructors to give you a short “tour” of the studios, stick your head in the door for a moment and see a lesson taking place, ask parents in either the upper or lower waiting rooms how they feel I am doing with their child. Looking forward to seeing you!