Ali and I were met in a summer camp that was for special needs children and teens. He was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder when he was 3 years old, and requires significant support in daily life.
We have all heard stories about children and adults with autism who are extraordinarily gifted in some way. During the summer camp, I noticed Ali seems very interested in Music. After discussion with his parent, Ali starts his piano journey with me after the summer camp in 2017.
Because Ali is also nonspeaking, it is very difficult for him to communicate with other; therefore, our lesson was quite challenging at the beginning. To play a simple song, we ofter have to practice and repeat many times. With perseverance and encouragement, Ali plays better as time goes by. His parent is amazed to see how well Ali can play piano and how much he enjoys playing. Also, he was be able to complete and pass the Grade 1 of the RCM examinations with an excellent marks of 87. To me, my best reward is I have this opportunity to guide Ali's music journey and witness all his progress. Nothing can be taken for granted.
If you have a child with autism, please consider putting them in music lessons. If nothing else, you'll offer them a chance to grow and explore the world around them, but you might just uncover a talent you didn't know they had.
