Heartspring School Outcomes

School Outcomes

Alice Andrew Ariah Billy Bobby Chance Chris Erol Gabi Jay Kris Melanie Melissa Micah Nayeem Sami Shae Sydney 2007 Year in Review

Bobby’s Story
By Shelva Wade, Teacher

Bobby View Bobby's sketched version of "Old MacDonald".

Trying to communicate effectively is extremely difficult for most autistic children. I believe that this story is one example where a student has shown his teacher to “look and think outside the box.” Autistic children are trying, in some way, to communicate. Sometimes we just need to open our eyes and listen to what they are really telling us.

Bobby loves music and musical instruments. He loves saying nursery rhymes and he loves to draw. Often during his breaks, he chooses to draw. I approached Bobby while he was drawing and asked him to tell me about his drawings. As I began looking closely at the details in his drawings, Bobby began telling me “his” story. I was amazed to see that he had taken the nursery rhyme “Old McDonald” and incorporated the theme of musical instruments into his Old McDonald story. I was so amazed to hear him tell me a whole story that I had him tell others in the class. After hearing him tell others his story the exact same way three times, I got out my pen and paper and wrote down his words. I am proud of Bobby and the great job he did in telling “his” story.