Learn With Drums

Our content will help you to create an engaging music program for your classroom, home, organization, or family.

Learn how to create music with students at any ability level, even without a music teacher!

Everyone can incorporate music in learning, regardless of their musical background. Teachers, parents, and caregivers can learn how to apply lessons to popular songs. Students will learn how to perform using actual instruments. This program has been successful with all age groups and ability levels. It can be used in the classroom or in the home, and it can be cross-curricular. Let us help you fill “the Special Need for Music” in your life.

Who Can Use This Program?

Our content is designed to be used in many different environments. With our simple and easy to follow videos, you will be playing music in no time!

Schools

Music education is easy for all classrooms with our video program.

Families

Engaging your child has never been easier with our fun video music program.

Homeschools

Cross-curricular activities and an engaging musical curriculum make this program essential.

Special Education

Our accessible content has built-in considerations for students with different abilities.

Sample Lessons

We Will Rock You

Stayin' Alive

Uptown Funk

About Our Program

OUR BASIC ONLINE PROGRAM INCLUDES:

  • Getting Started Videos
  • How to use the materials
  • Teacher lessons
  • Essentials: Tones, Techniques, and Beats
  • Ten fundamental video lessons using a drum, maracas, and tambourine.
  • Live Warm-up
  • Lessons with Five Core Songs
  • Lessons with Three Premium Songs
  • And more!

For a limited time, lessons for three PREMIUM SONGS are included: Happy, Elvira, and Walk Like an Egyptian. Each premium song includes a lesson video as well as a play-along video. Downloadable print material is available for each song.

Don’t forget about our FREE content on Youtube.com Just search @learnwithdrums

Development

Since 2010, this method has evolved into a program that has become a great source of pride for our participants, and can now be shared to make your students rockstars, too! It started in middle school special education, then spread to high school special education, and is now being used in vocational programs for adults with special needs.
Most recently, this method has been applied to elementary and middle school general music programs with great success.

Everyone can benefit!

- Families get to celebrate their child's accomplishment.

- Loved ones share in their child's joy of performing.

- Everyone experiences the flood of positive emotions associated with success!

- Access the learning material from anywhere, from your computer, tablet or phone.

Do You Need Instruments?

If you need instruments, here are some good choices for students.

In his classes, Mr. Howell uses Toca Synergy conga drums, Toca Supertone maracas, and RBI tambourines.

Ten-inch tambourines with a synthetic head and a single row of jingles are best.

"Music for Two" Package Now Available!

About The Book

A Special Need for Music

This book will give you the tools to help you fill the “Special Need for Music” in your life. It's designed for anyone to use. You don't need a musical background to incorporate music in learning.

About The Creator

Jim Howell, M.Ed., B.M.E.

Jim Howell is the band director and music teacher at Osnaburg Local Schools in East Canton, Ohio. He started teaching in 1998 at Chagrin Falls EVSD in Ohio. In 2009, while teaching at Claymont City Schools in Uhrichsville, Ohio, Mr. Howell began developing a teaching method that includes a performance ensemble for students with special needs at the middle and high school levels. This ensemble provides opportunities to students who did not have a chance to participate in a musical performance in the past and has evolved into a great source of pride for participants and their families.

Mr. Howell also leads a music group at Advocates for Success, an organization that provides life skills training and vocational programs for adults with disabilities in New Philadelphia, Ohio.

Mr. Howell is the author of the book A Special Need for Music and is the creator of the online lesson program Learn With Drums. Mr. Howell and his students were featured in the documentary film “922 From Academic Watch to Academic Wow!” and have appeared several times in the Times Reporter Ohio newspaper.

Mr. Howell has presented his teaching methods at professional conferences for both special education and music educators in Ohio, such as:

• Ohio Music Education Association Professional Development Conference 2024
• OCALICONLINE 2023
• Milestones National Autism Conference 2023
• Ohio Music Education Association District 8 Mini-Conference 2023
• Texas Autism Conference 2022
• Milestones National Autism Conference 2022
• OCALICONLINE 2021 Artist Spotlight
• Milestones National Autism Conference 2021
• OCALICON 2019
• Ohio Music Education Association District 8 Mini-Conference 2013

In 2020, Mr. Howell became a Toca Percussion Artist. He was also selected to be on The Milestones Conference committee in 2021, 2022, and 2023.

Mr. Howell received the Tuscarawas County Board of Developmental Disabilities “Better Together Award” in 2022.

Mr. Howell holds a Master’s degree in Educational Administration from Ashland University and a Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from Bowling Green State University.

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