Our Approach
Include - Empower - Transform
The Drums for Schools collaborative approach
Includes everyone: all age groups, abilities and backgrounds;
Empowers pupils musically, socially and emotionally and inspires and upskills teachers, enabling schools to take back control of the music syllabus;
Transforms on many levels: personal, group, school and community
And this all happens naturally and enjoyably as a result of making music together in a group.
Include
First of all we make sure that everyone is actively engaged
It’s intuitive and fun
Our World Music styles are intuitive and fun, and they’re new to everyone, so everyone starts on the same level and no one feels excluded.
It’s easy and accessible
Our instruments are easy to play, so everyone can be making a good sound and a satisfying contribution right from the very first session. The pieces all have simple, intermediate and more difficult parts, so no one gets left behind and everyone in the group can be challenged.
And special accessories make it possible for players who have limited movement or grip to join in - special stands for drums and bracelets and musical clothing for attaching shakers and percussion.
And special accessories make it possible for players who have limited movement or grip to join in - special stands for drums and bracelets and musical clothing for attaching shakers and percussion.
It’s affordable
Prices start at £277 for a 30 player World Percussion pack, and since you only need one pack to teach all the pupils in the school (and there’s enough teaching material provided to enable you to develop the teaching over several years), the cost per pupil becomes vanishingly small.
Outside experts aren’t needed
Our comprehensive teaching resources are designed for non-specialists, so literally ANY teacher or senior student can take the lead. No music training is required or assumed, not even the ability to read music.
Resources include acclaimed teaching guides, schemes of work, lesson plans, "how to play" videos, audio examples, posters, cultural background and more.
Resources include acclaimed teaching guides, schemes of work, lesson plans, "how to play" videos, audio examples, posters, cultural background and more.
Empower
Next we focus on developing the personal, social and emotional skills that empower each individual
Pupils / Players
It’s all about playing and learning together. The players help and support one another and the learning is not just musical; just as important are the physical, social, emotional and “life” skills that are acquired in the process of learning to play and perform a piece of music as a group.
Teachers
Unlike traditional lessons and a “one to many” delivery, here the teacher is part of the group and learns the same wide range of skills together with the rest of the class, while at the same time acquiring a new teaching speciality and practising a completely different collaborative teaching approach.
Transform
Bringing about fundamental transformations in individuals, groups, schools and communities
Pupils / Players
Pupils who learn to make music together develop a wide range of social, emotional and life skills naturally and painlessly: listening skills, teamwork, persistence, concentration, self-confidence and empathy, to mention but a few. These are life-transforming skills and they also result in better behaviour, attitude, and class cohesion - benefits that are visible right across the curriculum.
Teachers
Collaborative learning can be just as transformative for teachers as it is for pupils. As well as brushing up on life skills, teachers learn a whole new set of music teaching skills and a brand new, collaborative teaching approach.
School & Community
As one thing leads to another, the individual transformation of pupils and teachers will lead on to further transformations at school and community levels. The quality and depth of teacher and pupil involvement in music lessons will impress Ofsted inspectors, and school concerts and community events will bring everyone together, and clearly demonstrate to parents that the school’ is delivering a fully rounded education.
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