QUALITIES OF A DRUMS ALIVE® – GOLDEN BEATS INSTRUCTOR

A safe and successful Golden Beats program depends on the instructor’s ability to apply sound instructional principles and practices, as well as understanding the nature of learning. Following the American Council of Exercise guidelines will help provide the instructor with a sound foundation of these principles and practices. In addition, the Golden Beats program should pay special attention to the following:

• The instructor must be knowledgeable in the physiological, neurological, and emotional changes that occur with aging in order to conduct a safe and effective class. To understand the importance of the correlation between exercise and brain health.
• Understand the importance of creating a Mind – Body – Brain connection, and the various methods or techniques to improve health on multiple levels.
• Be prepared to meet the needs of your participants. Utilize modifications that are safe for all physical and cognitive levels.
• Adapt to your participant level. Teach and adapt to the level of the class and add variations and modifications.
• Understand that extra time for a learning curve and practice times for more complicated combinations may be needed.
• The instructor needs to have some basic knowledge of music, rhythm, and drumming and be able to follow the beat of the music as well as understand how music selection can influence the mood and energy of the class.
• Select music that will awaken, energize, and calm the spirit. (see Drums Alive® Products at https://www.westmusic.com/b/drums-alive/)
• Use appropriate teaching cues and skills.
• Actively practice good communication skills and use concise verbal and visual cueing.
• Explain the reasons for certain movements. Use activities of daily living (ADL) examples whenever possible. (See Chapter 3- Activities of Daily Living (ADLs))
• Apply both Beta and Alpha wave activities in the workout.
• Allow for creative expression and moments for powerful release of stressors.
• Integration of new activities into your workout such as ideas found in the Brain & Body Training section of this manual.
• Experiment and be innovative! Try to integrate new ideas both rhythmically and physically.
• Be fun and genuine. Share your passion with your participants and love what you do!!!  Let fun happen through playful activity. Include demonstrations of the movements and practice times for more complicated combinations.
• Keep the playful heart of a child!
• Provide a safe and fun community for the participants through the use of partner/group activities and games.
• Provide an environment where self-expression is encouraged and the participant will be successful
• Assist participants to help maintain or improve their level of functional capacity for their ADLs.
• Borrow movements from other cultures and share them with your class, taking time to explain the history and/or the story behind the movement. Stories can both elicit joy and act as a learning opportunity.
• All of your activities should promote at least one of the fitness components of muscular strength and endurance, cardio respiratory endurance, flexibility, balance and coordination, or relaxation.