There is no one-size-fit's-all method of teaching or playing a musical instrument. Every brain learns differently, so every brain should be taught differently! I use a flexible teaching style and employ a variety of tools and techniques to teach rhythm concepts tailored to the specific student. I also stress the importance of positive reinforcement and fun in learning. This is especially important for younger students. 

Progress on an instrument depends on a variety of factors including where the student is starting from, age, if they've played an instrument before, and how much time they devote to practicing at home. Regardless of that, here's a rough estimate of what we would move through for a complete beginner:

Phase 0: I'll assess the student's ability and determine what phase of development they're at.

Phase 1: We'll work on very basic rhythm concepts. It may seem counter-intuitive, but we may not even touch the drum kit, or even drum sticks! 

Phase 2: The student learns basic technique, control, and simple notation. We'll work on a practice pad mostly, using a workbook to guide us.

Phase 3: The student is introduced to the drum kit! They learn their first drum beats and fills and begin to develop their coordination with multiple limbs.

Phase 4: The student is more accustomed to their playing and reading. We experiment with mixing up different beats, fills, and write some of our own! 

Phase 5: We'll set practical personal goals for the student to strive for. This may include a song that the student is interested in playing to. I'll adjust any pieces according to their ability and I'll assign specific exercises to help them with goals.

Phase 6: Practice routine is important in this phase. The student will be assigned rudiments and limb training exercises along with anything regarding their personal goals. 

Phase 7+: I'll prescribe more advanced technique exercises and teach the student how to create their own practice routines. Here I'll encourage students to try different drumming styles as well. We'll also practice active listening, transcription, improvisation, phrasing, and other more advanced concepts.

The earlier phases (0-2) will be the most challenging motivation-wise, especially for younger students as they (understandably) want to release their limitless amount of energy on the drum kit. With that said, I will always prioritize a fun, dynamic, and engaging learning environment over everything. We're all much more motivated to learn when we're not bored out of our minds. 

Practice is essential to progress. Here are some guidelines for practice:

Quantity: Beginners should start by practicing 15 minutes a day on average. Later on, more advanced students could practice as much as 3 hours a day.

Consistency: Favor shorter more consistent practice sessions over longer sporadic sessions. Our brains retain information far better if it's "needed" on a daily basis. Students' practice sessions will grow longer naturally as they become more self-motivated to overcome their own obstacles.

Quality: Like many other things in life, more isn't always better, and in this case, it can be detrimental. I teach students how to practice effectively through identifying habits, recording progress, and avoiding stagnated routines. We'll also learn how to use a metronome and several other practice aids to our advantage.