Students With Autism Blow Minds of Theater Pros

Several students with autism singing simultaneously? You might imagine chaos and a lot of noise, but wait until you see how they brought the house down!

Tears literally fell from my eyes upon watching this video.  See why here:



Credit:  https://www.youtube.com/user/AutismSpeaksVids

ASP Seminars on Vision and Music Therapy

Back to Back ASP Seminars (Vision and Music Therapy) on June 29. --> https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dHJoNDBGQm9yUkF4Y05HbUVPdVplTXc6MQ#gid=0


Vision Therapy 

9:00 AM - 12:00 NN The seminar will provide parents, special education teachers and other service providers’ strategies for their children with autism to have monocular visual focus that will later initiate alignment of the visual axes of the two (2) eyes until eye contact is attained. They will learn simple visual perceptual skills and visual information processing techniques for the autistic child to be more attentive in order to develop the essential cognitive skills that play a very important role in the learning process. 

Dr. Teresita R. Yambot, OD, MAED, MSO, FPAO is an educator, an optometrist in vision development and a civic leader. She was an outstanding student and graduated Magna Cum Laude from Manila Central University. Dr. Yambot served her alma mater as a professor from 1976-2000 and dean of the College of Optometry from 1990-1994. She was a recipient of various scholarships, researches and professional awards. To top it all, Dr. Yambot was awarded one of the 10 Outstanding Professionals in 2007 awarded by the Federation of Philippine Professional Associations of the Professional Regulation Commission and “Ulirang Ina” by the Quezon City government in 2009. She has occupied numerous positions in the academe and in socio-civic organizations. Dr. Yambot has conducted countless researches in her field of expertise and has presented her works in national and international conferences. 

Music Therapy

1:30 PM - 4:30 PM Dr. Estrella R. Agustin, Ph.D., MFLCD, BM is an educator, a musician, a clinician and a civic lider. She obtained her Ph.D. in Educational of Psychology and MA in Family Life and Child Development from the University of the Philippines, Diliman. She has an intensive of 2 years training in Liturgy and music from St. Andrews Seminary. She served as Department Chairperson of Department of Family Life and Child Development of the UP Diliman. She is currently teaching at UP Diliman and serves as Chairman of College of Home Economics at the said university. She is also a Music Intervention Specialist and Music Therapy Section Head at St. Luke’s Medical Center. Dr. Agustin contributes numerous researches and creative writings in her field of expertise.

Music, Dale, and Autism

There has been numerous researches and articles about the use of music therapy in autism.  I have no doubt that it can help.  Even with us folks, we have nothing special, but we feel different when we hear music.  It calms us.  It engages us.  It makes us feel alive.

Dale showed early signs of his interest in music when he started humming when he was younger.  He tinkered with the piano and can play simple tunes by ear.  Although he seldom sings, he can carry a tune.  My iPhone, which he borrows from time to time, now has his own folder.  His choice of apps are music and art related, as you can see from the picture on the side.

When I checked out the Glee application, I heard a song he said was his own composition.  It went a little like this:

"I'm roaming around, there's nothing I can do.
I'm roaming around, what should I do?"

It was funny!  I asked him why he did it, he said because I told him to stop roaming around.  :)

He also sang a song from one of his (and mine, as well) favorite bands, Viva la Vida by Coldplay.  It was nice because Dale speaks too fast most of the time, but in the song, I can understand him better.

On the violin:

I really wanted even one of my sons to learn the violin.  My first choice was to have Anton learn it.  However, he didn't want to study alone.  With budget restrictions, I told him they can't all study together.  We'd have to buy three violins!  So, Anton just went back to the choir.

Note:  Anton and Dale need church involvement.  Anton is in the choir, and Dale should've been in the rondalla, but he wanted to study violin instead.

Dale saw one girl from the rondalla playing the violin (?).  We asked and Don Bosco Makati has a program for people to learn music like guitar, violin, and piano for a small fee.


Note:  2,500 for the program!  Others cost 6,500.  When I asked his teacher about it, he said, it is part of his service to the Church.  :)

So, we bought a violin (1,600 from Raon), and a Suzuki 1 book (550 from Euphony).  His first official lesson started last Sunday.  Teacher Wes told me he did great!  He was able to finish more pages than most of the kids.  He was given homework when they were done.  It was a simple song that he has to practice.

I told him he needs to practice 30 minutes a day.  Yesterday, I didn't need to tell him to practice, he just went to my room and played the song for me.  He memorized it already! He didn't need to look at his book.

When his Dad asked me why we should enroll Dale to violin lessons, I told him, why shouldn't we?  As long as Dale shows interest in it, he will continue with his lessons.  We must do everything we could to make him better.

I love Dale the way he is.  With this quirks and weird gestures.  But, if there is a way to minimize them, I will try it, as I know that it sometimes "hurt" him.

One time, we were inside the church, he had a small tantrum wherein he shook his head more than usual, grimaced and told me "Mommy, I can't make it stop."

Now, how can I stop wanting to make him feel better?