The first thing I usually do is ask people to have a hit and show me anything that they can play.  Some people are happy to play a few beats that they remember learning in school, others  say they don't know anything and are too shy to hit the drums at all.

If people do play something, it is a good opportunity to  observe their natural hitting style, technique, sound,  rhythmic knowledge, and coordination.

If the student doesn't have any ideas, and we are luckily enough to have more than one drum kit in the teaching space, I like to just start playing a few simple ideas and getting them to copy.  Then low and behold within a few minutes, they are up and playing a beat.  Playing drums is not hard.​

What does the student want to achieve? Sometimes they know, often they don't -in which case the teacher has to decide a direction for lessons.
Talk about favourite songs, bands, or drummers in the hope of unearthing a direction that is going to bring the student satisfaction.
If they don't have any ideas, the default direction for me is usually rock/pop drumming which is the way the 'Essential Beats and Songs' drum course is structured.  It attempts to covers everything that is required for pop/rock drumming,  increasing the students  skill base and control as it progresses.

These initial exercises may be done at the kit but using a practice pad will help to keep the volume more bearable.  
However for most students, the kit is what they really want to play, so I try to remove the pad and getting them hitting the drums as quickly as possible.  Get them to try playing rebound strokes on all surfaces of the kit.  This is produces a nice segway is learning the names of all the drums.

I like to think about the kits as a few drums, and a few cymbals.
Drums - Bass Drum, Snare Drum, and toms (usually 2 or 3.)
Cymbals - Hi-Hat, Crash, and Ride. 

The discussion about cymbals usually includes the default way of playing them. 
Ride Cymbal -usually played with the tip of the stick (but can be crashed using the shoulder of the stick on the edge)
Crash cymbal -usually played with the shoulder of the stick on the edge to produce a crashing sound (but can be also be played  with the tip on the top of the cymbal to produce a sound similar to the ride.) 
Hi-Hats -can create a range of sounds from very short and clean (by applying a lot of pressure to the pedal - Heels up) though to vey long and loose sounds (by dropping the heal and gradually lifting the toes.  Can also create closed open patterns.

Once students can play nice relaxed rebound strokes with both hands around the kit, the next step is usually to start adding the feet.  Imagining that each stroke is a quarter note, try adding quarter notes on the bass drum to each drum hit trying to make sure that they are played exactly together (not flamed) and the hand stokes are still rebounding out of the drum. 

Pressure Point
When playing a rebound stroke, the sticks starts and finishes in in an up position. 
When people start playing adding the bass drum, they often revert to the hand strokes starting and finishing in a down position.  
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Play right hand stokes on every drum and cymbal while also playing the BD with every stroke.
Repeat with the Left Hand 

This exercises can be done by verbally giving instructions on what to play, or by getting to student to copy what you are playing.  Either way, I like to get them playing the coordination patterns they they will play when learning the quarter note rock beat page. That way we know they can already play the beats before having to learn how to read drum notation

Matched Grip
Traditionally, German grip is taught as the exclusive technique.  I find that a lot of students discover French grip and find this is an easier grip to achieve good rebound strokes.  I demonstrate both grips and get students to try both.  I don't mind where they settle as both grips have advantages and disadvantages.  Many of the world great players use exclusively German grip, others exclusively French, other use both to exploit their unique advantages.  Others use Traditional grip, but that is a discussion for later and best avoided at this time.

Discussion Points  
- German Grip - Palms down.  Forearm remains still, Wrist flops up and down
- French Grip - Palms face each other.  Is a more complicated motions as it involves an outwards twist of the forearm and well as the wrist moving up and down
- Fulcrum is created by gripping the stick between the thumb and forefinger
- Find the  best balance point of the stick

Drop the stick in to the drum and allowing it to bounce until it stops.  Start by having the fulcrum at the very back of the stick and then gradually move it forward towards the front of the stick until they discover that the stick no longer drops into the drum at all.  Then go back and find that spot where the sticks produces the most amount of bounce.  That is what we call the balance point of the stick and is where we want our fulcrum to be.

Exercise
While playing single strokes with one hand, try moving between German grip and French prip by rotating the hand through 90 degrees. 
​ ie start with the palm facing the floor and then rotate it until it is perpendicular to the floor or in a hand shake position.

Traditional Grip
I don't usually talk about traditional grip unless students bring it up. (or they see me using it and ask questions)  I am happy for them to give it a go as it does ofter us a few extra little tricks.  I think these include
- easier to play 16th notes on the Hi-Hat  (RLRL grooves)
- Can manipulate the angle that the stick hits the drum allowing us to change to tone
- easier to play stick on stick sounds