I wanted to share with our readers some of Ryan’s writing pieces that he has come up with during sessions with providers and me. If you remember, we have shared some of Ryan’s work before in the story form here and through his first song. I have included a few of my favorites below, including one from his session today with Adriana Barriga, an intern of Soma Mukhopadhyay, who Ryan has 3 sessions a week with because she is local to us (which is absolutely amazing and Adriana is amazing!)
If you have any doubts about autistics not having imaginations, I hope that this post clarifies things for you.
Session with Soma in Fall 2015
A BUNNY WAS MADE OF JELLO AND KEPT IN A FREEZER. WHEN THE WOMAN WHO MADE IT OPENED THE DOOR OF THE FREEZER, THE BUNNY HOPPED OUT AND REFUSED TO COME BACK.
HE HOPPED OUT OF THE WINDOW AND BEGAN TO GO TO HER VEGETABLE GARDEN. WHEN THE LADY CAUGHT HIM, SHE WARNED HIM NOT TO GO AWAY BECAUSE HER GRANDSON WANTED HIM. BUT BUNNY ESCAPED.
CHAPTER TWO
A LITTLE DUCK SAW AN ORANGE BUNNY AND FREAKED OUT. HE THOUGHT IT WAS A MONSTER RABBIT. IT WAS FILLED WITH STRAW STUCK TO ITS BODY. NO ONE EXPLAINED TO BUNNY NOT TO GO TO A BALE OF STRAW.
BUNNY’S EARS WERE MISSING. FINALLY THE DUCK ASKED HIM WHAT WAS WRONG. THE BUNNY WANTED TO GO BACK TO THE WOMAN SO THAT SHE COULD MAKE HIM HIS EARS.
BUT THE ANTS CAME CHASING HIM AND HE JUMPED INTO THE RIVER. THEN HE WAS GONE!
END.
So here is some important back story on this one…the week before we went to Austin to see Soma, Ryan, Grace and Granny spent time at our house making Halloween cupcakes and orange Jello creations. Ryan did not eat the Jello but it was obviously on his mind.
*****
Lesson with Adriana, January 2016 on Fables
Ryan was asked to create his own fable with Adriana. Here is what he came up with:
A RACOON IS HAVING A CHAT WITH A LION. HE ALWAYS HAD A HABIT OF MAKING FUN OF THE LION. EACH TIME HE GOT ANGRY AND MADE FUN OF THE LION, IT HARMED HIS FRIENDSHIP. IT HURT THE LION’S FEELINGS.
ONE DAY THE LION GOT TIRED OF THE DEAR RACOON SO HE OPENED HIS MOUTH AND ATE THE RACOON.
THE MORAL IS TO LOVE YOUR FRIENDS, NOT HATE THEM.
*****
Ryan wrote the following piece in the Fall of 2015 with Soma. Soma chose it to be in HALO’s collection of students’ stories called Voices, in the Winter 2015 edition. HALO publishes the work of students on an annual basis and it is very inspirational to see so many different stories from so many brilliant minds. Here is Ryan’s story that was published on page 18:
WHEN BEN WILLIAMS WAS A BABY HE COULD SING AND PEOPLE AROUND WOULD SCREAM “THUNDER! THUNDER!” THEN THEY REALIZED IT WAS BENNY! WHEN BEN WILLIAMS WAS IN PRESCHOOL HE WENT TO A ZOO. HE SAW A LION, GOT INSPIRED, AND SHOUTED AT ONE OF THE LIONS. ALL THE ANIMALS LOST THEIR CALLS AND BECAME CONFUSED.
BEN WILLIAMS WENT TO SCHOOL AND FOUND IT WAS RATHER TOO QUIET. HE BEGAN TO SING. THE BUILDING SHOOK AND EVERYONE RAN OUTSIDE EXCEPT BEN WILLIAMS.
BEN WILLIAMS GREW UP AND WANTED TO BE AN AMERICAN IDOL. HE PERFORMED SO WELL JUDGES HAD HEARING LOSS, AND NO ONE WANTED TO CONTINUE WITH AMERICAN IDOL.
THAT WAS BEN WILLIAMS TALL TALE.
*****
Today, Adriana brought a Robert Frost poem for Ryan’s lesson. She prepared some questions about it, but Ryan kept interrupting with DEAR CANARY. She asked him to wait until the end of the lesson. Here is Robert Frost’s poem and Ryan’s letter follows below it:
By Robert Frost
I have wished a bird would fly away,
And not sing by my house all day;
Have clapped my hands at him from the door
When it seemed as if I could bear no more.
The fault must partly have been in me.
The bird was not to blame for his key.
And of course there must be something wrong
In wanting to silence any song.
DEAR CANARY,
HAVE MET YOU BEFORE. I AM THE CANARY. HARD TO MAKE OTHERS HEAR ME. MEAN THAT I HAVE A SONG NO ONE CAN HEAR. THE SONG HAS HAPPY MELODY, HAS HAPPY LYRICS. DEAR CANARY DO NOT ALLOW THE LOTS OF REALLY MEAN PEOPLE MAKE YOU STOP SINGING.
SIGNED,
HAPPY LITTLE SONG WRITER
As a side note, for anyone in the Dallas/Fort Worth area with a child with autism, I can’t recommend highly enough Adriana Barriga. Her lessons are interesting, age appropriate, and thorough. She has a wonderful demeanor and is extremely flexible and patient. We have been on our RPM journey for over 2 years now and I would 100% recommend Adriana to any parent interested in RPM for their child. Her contact info is ambarriga1990@gmail.com.
I am in my head. 
All I can say is WOW and how happy it makes me to read and see how a past student of mine, who was non-verbal using picture icons to request food, has so greatly progressed, how he has learned to express himself so beautifully! Thank you for sharing in a way for many to see.
LikeLike